Cultural institutions announce creation of Museum Campus South

Seven Hyde Park-area cultural institutions have joined together to create Museum Campus South, an effort to broaden Chicagoans’ participation in culture and link organizations across the South Side.

The effort was formally announced at a Thursday news conference at the DuSable Museum of African American History, which is part of a renowned group of South Side organizations that includes Frank Lloyd Wright’s Robie House, the Museum of Science and Industry, the Oriental Institute Museum, the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, the Renaissance Society and the Smart Museum of Art.

The idea of a South Side counterpart to the popular downtown Museum Campus was first proposed in 2012 in the city of Chicago’s Cultural Plan. One of the plan’s goals was to encourage and maintain vibrant cultural districts citywide, and the creation of Museum Campus South links institutions in the Hyde Park, Washington Park and Woodlawn neighborhoods.

A free weekend shuttle service will run every weekend in August, to make it easier for Chicagoans and visitors to explore and experience the attractions of Museum Campus South. The shuttle will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and from noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays. The shuttle will begin its route at the DuSable Museum and run in a loop, stopping at each institution during the designated hours, and allowing riders to hop on and off. Riders will wait approximately 30 minutes for the next shuttle.

The shuttle is jointly organized by the participating institutions and sponsored by Choose Chicago. Participating partners include the South East Chicago Commission, the Arts and Public Life initiative, and the University of Chicago Office of Civic Engagement.

“Thousands of people visit our individual institutions every month, and we want to help visitors make the connection between us. This shuttle will provide a fun, convenient and innovative new way for visitors to spend a day discovering the attractions located in and near the beautiful and historic Hyde Park neighborhood,” said Carol L. Adams, president and CEO of the DuSable Museum.

Please visit the participating institutions’ pages for admission prices and hours. For more information on Museum Campus South, attractions, hours and exhibitions, visit museumcampussouth.org.