With Kids: To the Art Institute

Things I learned while on a "field trip" to the Art Institute today:

*Aim for a free day.  If you are a resident of Illinois, that's every weekday between now and February 10th, 2012.  Don't worry, you'll be given an opportunity to donate.  

*I passed on that opportunity.  Any money I would have considered donating was swallowed up by the 25 bucks I paid to park in the Millennium Garage.  Get in to the Millennium Garage before 10 and it's only $14 as long as you exit by 5 pm.  Too bad I got there at 10:42... 

*After you park in the Millennium Garage at 9:58, then you can kill your extra 32 minutes eating "brunch" in your car.  This is so you can avoid eating lunch inside the Art Institute.  Actually, do eat at the AI if you have budgeted to eat at Terzo Piano.  Otherwise,  plan to either eat your fill before you go in or step out at lunch time and re-enter afterwards.  You're not allowed to bring in your own food or drink, and the offerings at the Cafeteria aren't enticing.  

*Budget enough time for the Kids' Room.  It's in the new part of the building, and it's very engaging for kids and adults.  See the bottom of this post for a couple of evidence photos.  

*Taking small children to a fancy art museum is a survivable and even occasionally enjoyable experience, if you bring their sketchbooks and colored pencils and park them in a low traffic corner for awhile.  CL gets all the credit for this one!  Thanks for a great day.

Anyone want to join me?  I'm planning to go again before February 10th so I can put my own tips into practice.

Don't the girls almost look like they're on the bank of the river with everyone else?

As you know, Waterlilies

iPhone bad photo doesn't do this justice, it's really beautiful

And I only wish the idea of taking a separate photo of the details  so I could remember later "what was that painting called?" had occurred to me much earlier....

But I didn't do that for this painting, because we all know what this is, right?

Izumi was excited to find that she and the artist who created two large rock sculptures share the same name!

Chagall windows...can you see the Statue of Liberty?

Missed seeing the real thing, did this puzzle in the Kid's Room instead

Misaki's favorite part of the Kid's Room was the magnetic wall with huge animals to rearrange

We had a great day but S and Misaki suffered a little with missing their nap...if you squint, you can see The Art Institute of Chicago sign in the background