Museum of Contemporary Art

Just a few blocks off the magnificent mile you will find the Museum of Contemporary Art located at 220 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611. The website for the museum best describes what to expect as “MCA’s exhibitions feature the art of our time in every possible media by artists of local and international renown. Explore the variety of MCA exhibitions on view now, coming up next, or from our rich past.” This was my second visit but I was excited to explore the building further as I did not know it had multiple floors before.

Upon entering there is a staircase that leads to the 2nd floor and to the entrance of the atrium. The welcome desk is directly to the left upon entering. There is a suggested donation of $15. Tuesday’s is a great day for Illinois residents as entrance is free to the museum. Free guided tours are offered throughout the day. I did not take advantage of this great offer but I did see multiple guides available and working throughout the facility. Museum Hours are Tue & Friday 10am-9pm Wed, Thu, Sat, and Sun 10am-5PM. They also give you a really cool pin to put on, which was one of my favorite parts! (I love pins!) There are 4 total floors, the lowest floor includes a restaurant and coffee spot with a chill and virtuous vibe.

I was blown away by Italian artist, Maurizio Cattelan’s, Felix. The piece is a fictional skeleton of a prehistoric animal. The best way to describe it is a tall skeletal structure with long nails. One might think it’s an actual animal skeleton. Felix is located in the atrium right by the welcome desk. You won’t want to miss this one as it is a unique take on common museum fossils and bone.

Galleries are located on the 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th floor. To get to each level you must use the staircase which is a work of art in it self. I had to include a picture of the staircase as I marveled at its beauty every step I took upward. Some of the current exhibits include We Are Here: I am You which runs through April 1, 2018 on the 2^nd Floor. Chicago Works: Paul Heyer is located on the 3^rd floor galley which includes sculptures and paintings of the Chicago based artist. The exhibit focuses on the artist time and experience within the club and rave culture. Lastly on the 4^th Floor Endless Summer presents the minimalism that arrived in 1960’s Los Angeles.

These are but a few of the exhibits in the museum but there are many others to inspire and showcase past, modern, and future art. One of the upsides of visiting this museum is that it is fairly small and can be covered within a few hours compared to other museums in the city that are expansive in size and include many exhibits. To use MCA’s tagline “Experience today what everyone else will be talking about tomorrow.”

 Maurizio Cattelan’s, Felix

Staircase leading to 3rd and 4th Floor

Courtyard behind the museum

Mike and the boys

Made You Look Promo in Rivernorth