It has been said Chicago's identity lies in its architecture. In fact, the city itself can be viewed as a museum of modern architecture. It is the birthplace of the skyscraper, and its architects have initiated several architectural styles and movements. Perhaps one of Chicago's most identifiable landmarks is the Art Institute. Sculptor Edward Kemeys is responsible for the famous lions that have flanked the entrance since 1894. The lions are one of the most photographed sculptures in the entire metropolitan Chicago area.

The Art Institute has so much more to offer beyond its facade. The interior spaces are organized in corridors off a grand central staircase. The Art Institute houses forty centuries of creativity, from ancient Chinese bronzes to the latest work of today's artists. On display are paintings,drawings, sculpture, prints, photographs, textiles, decorative arts, and architectural fragments and drawings. In addition to the Western tradition,the Art Institute houses examples of art from Asia, Africa, Oceania, and the Americas.

The museum has a cafeteria and an elegant full-service restaurant, a quaint courtyard cafe, with a jazz quintet on Tuesday evenings in the summer, and an interesting museum shop. There is a busy schedule of lectures,performances, and other special events, as well as guided tours to enhance the museum experience. The museum's children's area is suited to both learning and play, and the museum features special weekend family-oriented activities.

The Art Institute's newest project is the renovation of Fullerton Hall, the museum's jewel of a performance space. Resulting from a renovation of nearly two years, the Hall, which is located on the first floor of the museum's original 1893 building, has been restored to its original glory. The highlight of Fullerton Hall is its glass dome-originally executed by the firm of the famous designer Tiffany-which again shimmers with varying shades of brown, gold, cream, and green. Plaster medallions representing the arts, decorative molding, and a palette of muted colors invoke the auditorium's historical context.

The museum itself is just one of the many fine Chicago institutions in which the interior architecture is just as beautiful as the exterior. For more information regarding the Art Institute of Chicago view its web site at www.artic.edu.

Of special interest to photographers are two current special photography exhibitions. "Ansel Adams at 100" celebrates the centennial of the birth of the great photographer through some of his most dramatic landscapes. The exhibition brings together 120 of his most recognizable works, most produced in the first part of his career: the 1920s to the 1940s. The exhibition runs through June 2, 2002. The second exhibit, "Taken by Design: Photographs from the Institute of Design, 1937-1971" showcases the works from Chicago Institute of Design's teachers and students. The Chicago Institute of Design began in the 1930s as an experimental school of art, design, and architecture. The exhibit contains 213 works representing more than 75 artists. The exhibition runs through May 12, 2002.