Unless you live in, say, Antarctica, a February visit to Chicago probably doesn't sound too appealing. But, two February attractions make a winter visit to the Second City at least a little more palatable.
First is Paintings Below Zero, artist Gordon Halloran's 95-foot long, 12-foot high abstract painting involving constantly changing shapes of varying light and color. Oh, and did I mention it's made of ice? As the ice constantly freezes and melts with temperature fluctuations, the sculpture's appearance will change throughout the month. During our visit, workers were constantly, brushing and spraying (coats of water, they explained) parts of the work. The sculpture even looked different in the half hour we spent there, as brushing off whatever was coating the piece (residual snow?) made the colors more vivid. Paintings Below Zero (or, as Chicagoans are affectionately referring to it, "The Popsicle") will reside in Millennium Park throughout February as part of a larger winter event, the Museum of Modern Ice, which also includes cooking demonstrations, taffy making, and several other fun events. You can even sit for your own ice sculpture portrait, although transporting it home may require some ingenuity. If you prefer a more active pursuit in the cold weather, you can also skate over two other abstract paintings Halloran has installed in the Millennium Park ice rink (Skating is free, but skate rentals are $9).
No matter how much you enjoy the Museum of Modern Ice events, it's still Chicago, it's still February, and it's still pretty darn cold. Thankfully, once you've had enough outdoor fun, you can head to the nearby Field Museum (about two miles south of Millennium Park), which offers free admission the entire month of February. What does the Field Museum have going for it? For one, it's heated, which goes a long way. In addition, there's Sue (the oldest, most complete T. Rex ever found), giant elephants, more dinosaurs, plenty o' mummies, a "family playlab," and more. The Field is also an extremely kid-friendly museum. You can download any of three Family Adventure Tours to plan a visit that will keep your children interested.
So, next time someone asks you why in the world you'd want to be in Chicago in February, you now have two good answers.
**Update: Since posting this, I've learned that the Art Institute of Chicago is also offering free admission throughout February. Of course, if you're choosing between the two museums, it's probably a safe bet that the little ones will prefer dinosaurs and mummies to Degas and Monet.
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