Event—Adult Education

Exploring Chicago’s Parks

This seminar will explore the origins and development of several Chicago parks through a series of walking tours. We will study their evolving landscape designs, goals, and patterns of use, along with their architecture and sculpture...

Cost and Registration Information

Early Registration Price (January 8 at 9 am** – January 25 at 4 pm): $300
Regular Registration Price (January 25 at 4 pm – first day of class): $330

** Registration opens online at 9 am. Phone registration will be accepted starting at 10 am.

Members, seniors, and students get a 10% discount.

Register Online

Seminar Description

This seminar will explore the origins and development of several Chicago parks through a series of walking tours. We will study their evolving landscape designs, goals, and patterns of use, along with their architecture and sculpture. We will pay particular attention to the relationships between the individual parks and their surrounding neighborhoods and to the place of the parks in the larger history of recreation, sports, and leisure activities. The first session will meet at the Newberry, but the rest of the sessions will meet at a designated location in one of the parks.
Ten sessions. E - $300, L - $330

Diane Dillon is Director of Exhibitions and Major Projects at the Newberry Library. She holds a PhD in the History of Art from Yale University.

Materials List

Required:

  • A selection of shorter materials distributed by the instructor.

First Reading:

  • There is no reading assignment for the first class.

This class is part of the Newberry’s Adult Education Seminars Program. Learn more about our registration procedures.