Intuit Art Museum reopens with new name
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
"Lady Sarah" and "Spot" by Dr. Charles Smith (Collection of Intuit Art Museum). Photo: Carrie Shepherd/Axios
Intuit Art Museum (IAM) in West Town reopens Friday after a $10 million renovation.
Why it matters: IAM is globally recognized as a destination for art created by self-taught artists.
Driving the news: The museum celebrates the reopening after nearly two years with the new exhibit "Catalyst: Im/migration and Self-Taught Art in Chicago."
- It features nearly 100 works by self-taught migrant and immigrant artists in Chicago, capturing painting, sculpture, textiles and woodworking.
Between the lines: IAM's Debra Kerr says the former name of the museum — Intuit, the Center for intuitive and outsider art — required more explanation and "outsider" has become more controversial as some artists see it as othering.
The big picture: The $10 million renovation, including $5 million in funding from the city, allowed the museum to expand to three floors with four exhibition galleries and a special permanent exhibit that recreates the late Chicago artist Henry Darger's studio space.
- Other self-taught artists in the museum's collection include Wesley Willis, Lee Godie and Pauline Simon.
If you go: Intuit Art Museum is free to visit all weekend, but admission is usually $15 for adults and free for anyone under 24.
- "Catalyst: Im/migration and Self-Taught Art in Chicago" is on display through Jan. 11, 2026.