Shaping Chicago
Each exhibition at the MCA contributes to the shape of Chicago, and this change over time is what it means to be contemporary.
Inside and Outside
Christo works with a group of students from SAIC to wrap the MCA—his first and only US museum wrap.
Dismantling Hierarchies
21Minus gives teens an opportunity to see and practice their art in a museum.
Portrait of a Collector
The MCA's founding director, Joseph Randall Shapiro, discusses the nature of art.
Behind the Scenes
MCA staff members are interviewed in 1997 about their work. Interviews include Torri Johnson, security officer; Margaret Farr, assistant director of education; Pablo Helguera, coordinator of public programs; Dominic Molon,. . . more
News, News, News
NBC covers the MCA’s plan to build on the Armory site.
Squares Upon Squares
Armand Mevis and Linda van Deursen decide to use the square as the basis for the MCA’s visual identity.
King Harris, Strategizer
King Harris is heavily involved in the MCA's future.
Above and Beyond
The MCA founders set up an institution that constantly evolves.
Chicago to the Core
The MCA's exhibitions articulate who we are in our city.
Courting the National Guard
Deciding to pursue the Chicago Avenue Armory, the MCA came up with a compelling reason for the National Guard to give up the site.
Converting a Townhouse into the MCA
The conversion of a town house into a welcoming gallery space was driven by the desire for something wide open and accessible.
An Important Breakfast
A chance encounter during a breakfast meeting becomes an important step in a new site for the MCA.
International from the Start
In the 1960s no other art institution in Chicago was focused on showing contemporary art from outside the US.
Using the Collection Creatively
The focus of the museum has always been on exhibitions over collecting, but curators at the MCA have a clever way of integrating the collection into exhibitions as historical context.