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The Renaissance Society

ArtClosed · Opens 12pmFree59th Street (Metra Electric District)

Founded in 1915 and tucked into the fourth floor of Henry Ives Cobb's Gothic Revival Cobb Hall, The Renaissance Society is an independent, non-collecting contemporary art museum on the University of Chicago campus. It has no permanent collection: its programme is built entirely from commissioned works and solo exhibitions, and it gave American audiences early looks at Alexander Calder, Fernand Leger and Laszlo Moholy-Nagy long before those names were canonical. Later decades brought Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Kara Walker and Kerry James Marshall to the same single-room gallery. Admission is always free, and the gallery closes between shows while the next installation goes up.

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Plan Your Visit

Getting there

5811 South Ellis Avenue, Cobb Hall, 4th Floor, Chicago, IL 60637, United States

Nearest station: 59th Street (Metra Electric District), 55th-56th-57th Street (Metra Electric District), CTA bus 171/172 University of Chicago shuttle stops on 59th Street

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Hours

MonClosed
TueClosed
WedToday12:00–18:00
Thu12:00–18:00
Fri12:00–18:00
Sat10:00–18:00
Sun10:00–18:00

Admission

Free

Free and open to the public; no ticket required.

Accessibility

The fourth-floor gallery is reached by elevator; the quadrangle entrance has a few stairs, with a platform lift at the south-east corner entry. Gender-neutral wheelchair-accessible restrooms on every floor, service animals welcome, large-print texts and portable seating on request, and live captioning at public talks.

Nearby

Smart Museum of Art

DesignFree6 min walk

The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center

Local History7 min walk

Griffin Museum of Science and Industry

Transport18 min walk

Adler Planetarium

History103 min walk

Visitor Information

Is The Renaissance Society free to visit?
Yes, general admission to The Renaissance Society is free. Free and open to the public; no ticket required.. Some special exhibitions may charge a separate ticket, so check the museum's website before visiting.
What are the opening hours of The Renaissance Society?
The Renaissance Society is open Wed-Fri 12:00-18:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-18:00; closed Mon-Tue. The gallery also closes between exhibitions while the next show is installed - it is closed 2 November to 11 December 2026 between "Karimah Ashadu: Tendered" and "Tony Lewis: The Long and Short of It".. Holiday hours can vary, so check the museum's website before you go.
Where is The Renaissance Society?
The Renaissance Society is located at 5811 South Ellis Avenue, Cobb Hall, 4th Floor, Chicago, IL 60637, United States, in the Hyde Park area of Chicago. The nearest stations are 59th Street (Metra Electric District), 55th-56th-57th Street (Metra Electric District), CTA bus 171/172 University of Chicago shuttle stops on 59th Street.
What can I see at The Renaissance Society?
Free kunsthalle on the University of Chicago's Gothic quad, commissioning bold new art since 1915. Current highlights include Tony Lewis: The Long and Short of It, Karimah Ashadu: Tendered.
Do I need to book The Renaissance Society in advance?
The Renaissance Society is free to enter and most days you can walk in. Free and open to the public; no ticket required.. For special exhibitions, weekends, and school holidays, booking a timed slot can help you skip queues. Check the museum's website for current requirements.
When is the best time to visit The Renaissance Society?
Weekday mornings shortly after opening are typically the quietest, especially mid-week. Late afternoons can also be calmer. Weekends, school holidays, and the lunch rush are the busiest periods.
Is The Renaissance Society accessible?
The fourth-floor gallery is reached by elevator; the quadrangle entrance has a few stairs, with a platform lift at the south-east corner entry. Gender-neutral wheelchair-accessible restrooms on every floor, service animals welcome, large-print texts and portable seating on request, and live captioning at public talks.

Warren LeMay, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

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