The Art Institute of Chicago

The Art Institute of Chicago and School of the Art Institute of Chicago

The Art Institute of Chicago is both an art museum and a school.  It was founded in 1879 and represents more than 5,000 years of human expression from all over the world.  The SAIC or School of the Art Institute of Chicago is the art school side of the Art Institute of Chicago.  It is a world renowned art school and highly sought after for higher level art education.

Art Institute of Chicago

So, what do the patrons’ think of the Art Institute of Chicago?  It is a vast building with thousands of exhibits.  It has quite a robust selection of fine art.  The building is impressive, location is great.  The price is high, but promotional discounts are given during certain hours of the day, but you will pay less to be with a whole lot more people.  These promotional times are very busy, so choose what is more important to you.  I am a “pay more for fewer crowds” kind of person myself.  But you may not be.  Chicago residents get a 2$ discount due to the taxes that help the attraction over the years.

Many people, while impressed with the building and art at the Art Institute of Chicago, were quite taken back by the rudeness of the staff.  This comes from many sources, so it seems to be a valid issue.  When spending $18 full price to see the museum, you would expect the staff and personnel to be pleasant and helpful.  In fact, they are not.  Some seem to treat you as though they are doing you a huge favor by answering your question or guiding you to the next exhibit.  This is a massive turnoff to most (including me) because as a patron, I expect to be treated with respect when attending such an attraction.  On a more positive note, the food there is quite good, although it is expensive as would be expected by most at an attraction of this kind.

School of the Art Institute of Chicago

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of the largest accredited art schools in the United States.  It is a sister company to the Art Institute of Chicago and they are often referred to as one entity.  There are many classes offered at SAIC, including but not limited to art theory, photography, fashion design, drawing, art history, film making, sound, and sculpture and art therapy.

SAIC (The School of the Art Institute of Chicago) was founded in 1991 and is an accredited school, unlike many other privately owned art schools.  It is located in downtown Chicago.  The School of the Art Institute of Chicago provides an art program that is sought after by people not only all over the United States, but all over the world.  It is a terrific school with many programs and majors to offer.