Chicago's Intuit Art Museum gets $10 million renovation
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Rendering of Intuit Art Museum. Photo: Courtesy of Intuit Art Museum
The West Town museum previously known as Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art will reopen this spring as Intuit Art Museum in a much larger space.
Why it matters: Intuit's reputation as one of the only museums in the world to solely focus on art by self-taught and outsider artists has made it an important fixture in Chicago's art world.
- While the city's large art institutions are often recognized, Intuit is one of dozens of respected neighborhood, cultural and genre specific museums in the city and suburbs.
State of play: The museum will still be located at 756 N. Milwaukee Ave. and will now be 18,000 square feet and three floors.
- There will be a gallery for Intuit's permanent collection, an education and art-making studio, a community space for performances and events, and gift store with artist-made products.
- Gallery space will also be dedicated to the iconic Chicago outsider artist Henry Darger.
- The $10 million renovation, which started in 2023, was funded by a $5 million Community Development Grant in 2022 and private donations.
What they're saying: "The redesign and expansion maintain the facility's edgy character while incorporating the physical improvements needed for guest accessibility, creating a welcoming, safe, community epicenter for experiencing art and the authentic narratives of self-taught artists," Intuit president and CEO Debra Kerr said.
Flashback: A group of artists and art enthusiasts, including Carl Hammer, Don Baum, Roger Brown, Cleo Wilson, Cheri Eisenberg, Ann Nathan, Susanne Craig and Phyllis Kind founded Intuit in 1991. The museum moved into its current location in 1999.
What's next: Intuit Art Museum will reopen April 25 and will be open 11 am–6pm Wednesday-Sunday and until 8pm on third Thursdays. Admission is $15, or free for members, those 25 and younger, and those unable to pay.
- The grand reopening is happening during this year's Expo Chicago art fair.