From Ferris to the Frontlines: Chicago's Art Institute and Grant Park in the Movies

The Art Institute of Chicago and Grant Park are not just beloved city landmarks—they’ve also played unforgettable roles on the big screen. In this hour-long talk led by a film scholar with a Ph.D., explore how both public spaces have been represented in film, sometimes as places of whimsy, sometimes as sites of unrest.

Specifically, you will:

• Stroll (virtually) along Michigan Avenue to visit the Art Institute of Chicago and its famous lions

• Explore how a beloved ‘80s teen comedy transformed a museum visit into a cinematic moment

• Step into Grant Park, a sprawling downtown green space rich in political and pop culture significance

• Learn how a recent historical drama restaged one of Chicago’s most turbulent protests

• View original HD footage you won’t find anywhere else—captured and curated just for this talk

See familiar city landmarks in a new light—through the lens of film—as we engage in conversation about place and media.

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