The newly renovated Intuit Art Museum in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood reopened its doors on Friday after a $10 million revamp. The museum, formerly known as Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art, has been a champion of self-taught and outsider artists since its establishment in 1991. The renovation project tripled the museum’s exhibition space to about 12,000 square feet, while preserving the architectural character of its interconnected 1874 and 1875 manufacturing buildings.
Debra Kerr, the museum’s president and CEO, emphasized the importance of maintaining the welcoming and unpretentious atmosphere that visitors have come to love. Among the new features is a dedicated room for the museum’s gift shop and entry, an educational and art-making studio, and a centerpiece gallery on the first floor showcasing rotating displays from the museum’s permanent collection of 1,500 to 1,600 objects. The prominent new gallery currently exhibits 25 highlights from the museum’s holdings, including William Hawkins’ exuberant relief painting, “The Statue of Liberty” (1986).
Another integral feature is the re-creation of Henry Darger’s one-room Lincoln Park apartment and studio.
Intuit’s grand reopening
Visitors can explore a new Darger gallery with rotating presentations of his work before descending into the re-installed room on the basement level, which includes mural-size photos of Darger’s room from the 1970s and a small stained-glass window from his original space.
The museum’s inaugural exhibition, “Catalyst: Im/migration and Self-Taught Art in Chicago,” is the first major show to examine migration and immigration in outsider art. It features more than 90 works by 22 Chicago artists, including Marion Perkins and Carlos Barberena. The museum’s renovation was made possible by a $5 million community development grant from the city of Chicago as part of the COVID-19-related Chicago Recovery Plan, along with an additional $5 million raised privately.
The design by Doyle & Associates seamlessly integrates modern upgrades with the preserved original elements, ensuring that the Intuit Art Museum remains a unique and welcoming cultural destination. To celebrate the reopening, the museum is offering free admission from Friday through Monday over the holiday weekend. After that, tickets will be $15, with free entry for members and visitors younger than 25.
The Intuit Art Museum is open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday, as well as Monday for Memorial Day.
