Oriental Institute Centennial

Chicago museums are world-class but crowds and high admission prices can be painful. Consider a visit to The Oriental Institute Museum of the University of Chicago especially during its centennial celebrating 100 years of pioneering research and study of the earliest civilizations in the ancient Middle East. Entry is an optional suggested donation. There's a public kickoff on Saturday, Sept. 28 with music performances from the Hyde Park Jazz Festival, kids' activities and gallery talks by OI scholars and archaeologists, but if you miss that, don't fret. Witness new visual art installations by acclaimed Iraqi-American artist Michael Rakowitz and Syrian artist and architect Mohamad Hafez plus gallery displays with never-before-seen artifacts from the incredible OI collection through June 2020.