EyeWorld is the official news magazine of the American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery.
Issue link: https://digital.eyeworld.org/i/78719
34 EW ASCRS PREVIEW February 2012 April 20-24, 2012 Chicago attractions A fter the Great Chicago Fire brought the city down in 1871, the nation's most prominent architects at the time built the city back up. The result is the modern Chicago of today with its towering high rises, intricate structures, and unique sky- line. The following are notable sights to see around the city. The Art Institute of Chicago 111 S. Michigan Ave. 312-443-3600 www.artic.edu/aic The Art Institute of Chicago was founded as both a museum and a school in 1879. Today the museum's collection encompasses more than 5,000 years of human expression from cultures around the world. One of the most popular areas of the mu- seum is the Impressionist art section, which houses one of the world's largest collections of Claude Monet paintings. To avoid feeling over- whelmed by the museum's extensive showcase of art, consider taking one of four audio tours guided by MP3 technology. Chicago Culture Arts Center 78 E. Washington St. 312-744-6630 www.chicagoculturalcenter.org If you're looking to take in some of the best architecture Chicago has to offer, look no further than the Cul- ture Arts Center. Intricate and regal, the building was completed in 1897 and was once home to Chicago's central library. The architects spared no expense when constructing the building, using luxurious and rare materials such as imported marble, polished brass, and colored stone. Most striking is the center's two ele- gant stained-glass domes, symmetri- cally placed on each side of the building. Another unique architec- tural design of note is the Randolph Street entrance and stairway, which uses pink and green marble in its de- sign. The International Museum of Surgical Science 1524 N. Lake Shore Drive 312-642-6502 www.imss.org Located in an early 20th-century mansion near Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood, the original building was intended to model the Le Petit Trianon, French chateau in Ver- sailles, and it shows. Although the mansion was converted into a mu- seum in the 1950s, much of the original interior—such as Italian marble and cut stone, decorative plaster, and marble fireplaces—re- mains. The museum's four floors are dedicated to the art of surgical sci- ence, featuring exhibits on broken bones, medical imaging, nursing, and medically themed art galleries, just to name a few. Lincoln Park Conservatory 2391 N Stockton Dr. 312-742-7736 www.chicagoparkdistrict.com The Lincoln Park Conservatory is a three-acre indoor botanical garden in the heart of Chicago, right off the shore of Lake Michigan. It features greenhouses divided into four self- explanatory areas: the Palm House, the Fernery, the Orchid House, and the Show House. Although the con- servatory has mostly static displays, it also showcases seasonal exhibits. Check the website for a listing of special events. The Magnificent Mile www.themagnificentmile.com Known for its retail prowess, bold ar- chitecture, and restaurant selection,