On May 31, 2005, the Art Institute of Chicago unveiled master plans for the Modern Wing, the museum’s newest addition since 1988. In 1999, the Art Institute chose architect Renzo Piano to design the project that will, among other things, increase gallery space by 33% and house new educational facilities. The striking design of the Modern Wing complements the adjacent Millennium Park and is scheduled to open to the public in 2009.

Background

The Art Institute has been undergoing construction and renovation since its first building opened on the Michigan Avenue in 1893. At first, growth was confined within its original footprint, and then, in the second decade of the 20th century, the Art Institute expanded with a two-story building (Gunsaulus Hall) that spanned the Illinois Central railway tracks. A few years later, a building was added east of the tracks, connecting to Gunsaulus Hall, giving the Art Institute its “H” shape as seen from a bird’s-eye view. Other structures were built during the middle decades of the century: the Ferguson Building for office and work space in 1958; the Morton Wing in 1962; a new building for the School of the Art Institute, Rubloff Auditorium, the Columbus Drive lobby, and enclosed galleries around McKinlock Court built from 1974 to 1978; and the Rice Building in 1988. (See “A Work in Progress” for more about the museum’s history.) Over the years, the museum’s campus has stretched north, south, east, west, and up and down in an effort to accommodate a rapidly growing collection.

Why Now?

The Art Institute is dedicated to building and caring for a collection that fully represents the world’s great artistic legacy and sharing that collection with the public. The Art Institute has come to a point in its long stewardship when existing gallery space cannot fully represent this scope of more than 270,000 objects in the collection nor can current facilities support the educational mission. With the completion of the new building, every part of the collection will gain gallery space, especially those areas that have had limited visibility in the past.