Checking out the Art Institute of Chicago for Free as a DePaul student
For those who are unaware, being a student at DePaul University comes with a ton of great perks. A lot of those have something to do with the city, and one of my favorites is the anytime, free admission to the Art Institute of Chicago. The Art Institute houses some of the most revered works on display in the country, and it also happens to be a five minute walk from the Loop campus.
The fact that DePaul students get free admission to the Institute is something that usually gets revealed pretty quickly, either to prospective students on their tour or enrolled students shortly after they get to campus. However, I have found that the majority of students do not actually take advantage, even though they know about their free access! Like I mentioned, this is just one of the many Chicago-related perks that come with enrollment as a student, but over my time I am starting to realize that it might be my favorite.
The Art Institute of Chicago is truly incredible. For one, the artwork on display is some of the best in the world, and definitely the country. Picasso, Renoir, Monet, Van Gogh, Kahlo, Warhol: a small handful of the incredible artists whose work is displayed at the AIC. So many of the pieces have had incredible influence on art and life throughout history, across the globe. On top of that, the environment and organization is amazing, at least in my opinion. You can bring in essentially whatever you want, and there is also a cafe inside that serves food and great coffee. I know a few students besides myself who use the AIC as their go-to study spot in the loop. The layout of the building is unsurprisingly very cool and provides a ton of secluded areas with great spots to sit down for a bit and get some work done.
Don’t get me wrong here, the DePaul Loop campus is awesome and has a lot of charm. If you’ve seen it or been on a tour you will pick up on that pretty quickly. With that being said, it’s also great to get away for a bit and study or hangout in a different place, the Art Institute serving as a great option. I mentioned that it’s only five minutes from the Loop campus which is extremely convenient, and I will reiterate that it is always free for students all the time. It is also just completely massive. Whether you are going to study or just going for fun, you will always find something new. The curators are very impressive and do a wonderful job. I actually had a class that took us into the offices of the Japanese art department, and I can say from experience that they truly put so much effort into making the AIC the best it can be.
Whether you want to explore the Art Institute of Chicago to experience the amazing pieces on display, to find a fun spot to get some studying, or anything in between, the privilege of free access given to DePaul students should absolutely not be taken for granted. Like I said, it’s just one of the many provided for us that we can take advantage of throughout the city, but I think it is probably the best and might be the most valuable to your college experience.
~Jeff