Upon arrival, please ask the security officer on duty in the lobby for assistance. The Chicago Cultural Center, opened in 1897, is a Chicago Landmark building operated by Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events that houses the city's official reception venue where the Mayor of Chicago has welcomed Presidents and royalty, diplomats and community leaders. The City of Chicago encourages you to make your plan to vote. By 1875, many busy streets were lined with tall marble buildings, some an unimaginable nine stories high, made possible by recently invented elevator. 12:40–1:10pm Verzuane McCoy and Worship Experience. It also inspired visionaries like Daniel Burnham, who some years later presented the city with its brilliant 1909 Plan of Chicago. Bibliovault Wheelchairs. All restrooms are wheelchair accessible. One text notes the sweetness of finding, in a foreign land, works in one’s mother tongue. History books are filed with stories about Chicago – Dusable’s Trading Post. Chicago Cultural Center, Randolph Square, 1st Floor North. These and many other historic events set the stage for Chicago today, one of the most beautiful and dynamic cities in the world…and Chicago tomorrow. As Chicago’s population rocketed from 1 million in 1890 to more than 3 million in 1930, the library was soon inadequate to the demands placed on it. As the successor firm of the late H. H. Richardson (whose Glessner House [123] is his only surviving Chicago building), they participated in the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. The health and safety of our visitors, event attendees and staff members remain our highest priority. Their Art Institute of Chicago had already shown their skills in large, complex, and symbolic public projects. In the spirit of dedication and determination so representative of its citizens, the city was soon rebuilt. ©1965, 1969, 1980, 1993, 2003; 358 pages, 206 halftones; 4-3/4 x 8 DCASE Homepage  >  Chicago Cultural Center  >  Accessibility Information. Drawn by its beauty and the fabulous free public events, hundreds of thousands of visitors come to the Chicago Cultural Center every year, making it one of the most visited attractions in Chicago. Located next to Millennium Park in the heart of downtown, the Chicago Cultural Center serves as the main venue for the Biennial with over 70,000 square feet of exhibition space. Get directions . [5][10] It was renamed as the Aon Center on December 30, 1999, although the Aon Corporation would not become the building's primary tenant until September 2001. When it was completed in 1973, it was the tallest building in Chicago and the fourth-tallest in the world, earning it the nickname "Big Stan". The companion publication to the 2019 Chicago Architecture Biennial, entitled ...and other such stories, is for sale along with the official souvenir exhibition guide, tote bag, and a thematic selection of titles related to this edition. Free copies are available in the Chicago Cultural Center and can be downloaded here: Young People's Guide (English) | Young People's Guide (Spanish). Finally, the Library Board selected Dearborn Park as a permanent site and in 1893 the Chicago City Council granted the required approval. Page for the Chicago Cultural Center from the Chicago Commission on Landmarks. The largest exhibition of contemporary architecture, art, and design in North America is open and on view from Sept 19, 2019 to Jan 5, 2020. Crossroad of the nation’s rail lines and center for meatpacking, as well as a major harbor for ships on the Great Lakes, Chicago grew and grew. The City of Chicago encourages you to make your plan to vote. To request a private tour of the Chicago Architecture Biennial at the Chicago Cultural Center, please register your group of 10 or more in advance using the online registration form. Holabird & Root completed their conversion and restoration of the building in 1977. The building is closed Christmas Day Dec 25 and New Year’s Day Jan 1. This construction method was also used for the former World Trade Center towers in New York City. To alleviate the problem, stainless steel straps were added to hold the marble in place. An elevator is located in the Randolph Street Lobby which connects to the underground Pedway. On Friday, June 2, the Chicago Gospel Music Festival will open at the Chicago Cultural Center in Randolph Square (1 st floor north)) at noon until 4pm. The first library in Chicago dates back to 1834 when the Chicago Lyceum maintained a circulating library of 300 volumes for its members. Today, when you walk into the Chicago Cultural Center, you enter a world of culture that is uniquely Chicago. 3:20–3:55pm Elder Thomas Singers – Winner of the … Site Map All events, programs and tours are canceled until further notice. A year after the fire, new buildings appeared every day. [5] With 83 floors and a height of 1,136 feet (346 m), it is the fourth-tallest building in Chicago,[2] surpassed in height by Willis Tower, Trump International Hotel and Tower, and Vista Tower. The City of Chicago encourages you to make your plan to vote. An accessibility lift and assisted seating are available in the Claudia Cassidy Theater. The success of the World’s Fair convinced many city leaders that Chicago could compete with any major American or European city. Due to COVID-19, voters are encouraged to Vote by Mail or Early Vote. William Frederick Poole, the city’s distinguished librarian and a nationally recognized scholar, is credited for much of the library’s success in that era.