Welcome back! To kick off your new year, try exploring the fine arts of Chicago.

The National Museum of Mexican Art is opening a new exhibit on February 12. The exhibit is called Translating Revolution: U.S. Artists Interpret Mexican Muralists. The exhibit will display beautiful Mexican murals and explain how the murals have influenced U.S. artists and culture.

The museum is free and the exhibit will only be at the museum until August 1 of this year, so don’t miss out!

USE YOUR U-PASS: The museum is only a couple of bus rides away. Check out Google Maps for directions.

http://www.nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org/

Everyone knows that Chicago wasa hotbed for Jazz and, especially, Blues back in the day.  Those of you who spend any time on South Campus see some of the landmarks and statues all the time.  Now, through December 15, the DuSable Museum of Afican American History is giving museum-goers a chance to experience some of the clubs that thrived on the south side in the 30s, 40s, and 50s.

The clubs at 47th Street no longer exist, but DuSable has some of the artifacts in their display.

The museum isn’t free, but it’s generally really inexpensive.  Check the website for details depending on time and day.

USE YOUR U-PASS: There’s a few ways to get here, including the Halsted Bus and the Green Line.  Listen to Google Maps.

DuSable Museum

The Art Institute was built on rubble from the Chicago Fire of 1871. -per wikipedia

Right here in our backyard, the Art Institute of Chicago is one of the finest art museums in the country.  The building, itself, was built for the 1893 World’s Columbian Expedition, and has housed the Institute ever since that time.

There are over 300000 works of art, ranging from modern photography to medieval suits of armor.

Currently, general admission to the institute is free on Thursdays from 5-8 pm.  Even outside of the free time, your i-card should get you in for $7 any other time of the week.  The traveling exhibits and other features may have an extra cost, but the general admission should keep you busy for at least a few visits.

USE YOUR U-PASS: The Art Institute is in walking distance from the Monroe Red and Blue line stops, as well as the Adams/Wabash loop train stop.  Or, as always, let Google guide you.

Art Institute of Chicago

The Ornamentation on the roof of the library was added in 1993.

After you’re done exploring the whole of the Richard J. Daley Library on campus, there’s another giant library not far away.  The Harold Washington Library was built in 1991 and named after the city’s late mayor.

Not only is the Harold Washington Library a fully functioning library with free wi-fi and nine floors of books, it’s one of Chicago’s most recognizable pieces of architecture.

If you’re a Chicago resident, you can get a library card at no cost.  Even if you’re not, it may be possible to get a card based on other criteria.  Bring your Driver’s License as well as possibly your i-card, and check in with the main desk.

USE YOUR U-PASS: The Library is directly next to the Library-State & Van Buren stop on the loop trains, but there’s a bunch of different ways to get there.

One of the many zoo entrances. This entrance is on Canon Dr. near the Conservatory.

Many of the best zoos in the country cost upwards of $35 for daily entrance.  The Lincoln Park Zoo may not have Panda Bears, but it’s still one of the best zoos out there…and it’s absolutely free to get in the park.  Like most zoos you’re used to, it has it’s assortment of outside space where the giraffes and elephants and duikers can roam.  The zoo also features indoor houses for lions, reptiles, primates and more.  There’s also the ever popular seal tank.

Beyond actually being a zoo, the Lincoln Park Zoo is a really terrific place to take a walk when the weather’s nice.  If you have a nice coat, it’s also a terrific place to take a walk when the weather’s not as nice.  The zoo is open every day of the year.

While the animals are the main attraction, there’s also a fairly large paddleboat lake near the south end of the zoo.  They rent 4-person boats that you can take for a spin to the area over by the ‘Farm in the Zoo.’

USE YOUR U-PASS: Toy around with Google’s directions.  There’s no nearby train station, but plenty of ways to get to the zoo from UIC.

Lincoln Park Zoo