Family Day 2006

Sep 16, 2006 10:30–4:00 pm

event description

Join the MCA and the Chicago Center for Green Technology (CCGT) to celebrate the opening of the MCA's Massive Change exhibition. Explore the MCA with hands-on art activities, family tours, and a scavenger hunt; investigate different types of soil and the critters that live in it with the Field Museum's soil adventure activity; and create art with Massive Change curator Bruce Mau and his three daughters. At CCGT, experience a full day of greening activities for the whole family. Admission to the museum is free for families with children 12 and under.

MCA Activities

Family Fables

10:30 am–2:30 pm, Mayer Education Center

Take inspiration from designer Bruce Mau and his daughters' Artists and their Kids exhibition to create an illustrated book of favorite family memories. Meet Bruce and his daughters throughout the day at this station and swap stories.

Cityscapes

10:30 am–4 pm, Kanter Meeting Center

Discover new views of Chicago in Catherine Opie’s photographs and dream up your own city. Create skyscrapers and watch your city’s skyline come to life in a 3D sculpture.

Extreme Drawing

10:30 am–4 pm, Fourth-floor atrium

See the unusual materials and techniques that contemporary artists have used to make drawings in Drawn into the World: Drawings from the MCA Collection, then scratch, trace, and print a drawing of your own.

Massive Minds**

10:30 am–4 pm, Main-floor atrium

You can make change in the world—massive change. Create your dream car or a cleaner environment and send your ideas out into the world.

Soil Adventure Mobile and Harris Loan Program

10:30 am–4 pm, Studios

Explore the world beneath your feet. Get up close with earthworms and learn the secrets of soil and why it is so important for life on earth. Explore prairie soils, plants, and animals using our Underground Adventure: Prairie Life experience box and learn more about native plants through our botany exhibit cases.

On the Move

11 am–2 pm, MCA Plaza

Check out the coolest way to get around town. Learn how Segways work, what they use for energy, and how you can get one. In case of inclement weather, this program will take place in the main-floor atrium.

Family Tours

Noon and 1 pm, Meet in the main-floor atrium

Get the inside scoop on Catherine Opie’s photographs and discover the crazy materials contemporary artists use to make drawings in our collection show.

Be sure to catch our biodiesel trolley throughout the day to enjoy all the free activities at the Chicago Center for Green Technology (CCGT) and the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA).

Trolley schedule

11 am: from MCA to CCGT

Noon: from CCGT to MCA

1 pm: from MCA to CCGT

2 pm: from CCGT to MCA

Chicago Center for Green Technology Activities

Catch another trolley to the Garfield Park Conservatory from the Chicago Center for Green Technology throughout the day.

Recycling Crafts and Activities

10 am–4 pm, Second floor

Recycling is one of the easiest ways to protect the environment and something that everyone can do at home. Learn to reduce, reuse, and recycle with crafts, projects, and hands-on learning experiences for the whole family.

Solar Car Display

10 am–4 pm, Main parking lot

Is solar power the automobile fuel of the future? View different eco-transportation options and see these amazing cars run on an endlessly renewable fuel source.

Strawbale Maze and Natural Plaster Demonstration

10 am–4 pm, hands-on demonstrations every half hour, Back parking lot

You can huff and puff, but straw is an all-natural building material that will not blow down. Find out more, make natural plaster, wander through the strawbale maze, and learn by doing in the demonstration hut.

Vermicomposting

10 am–4 pm, Solar greenhouse

Learn to wriggle around in garbage and find out how worms make rich soil out of your everyday kitchen scraps.

Wetland Walks

10 am–4 pm, Wetland area

CCGT’s wetlands contain plants native to the Midwest that aid in cleaning our soil and managing our stormwater. Explore the ecosystem of CCGT’s natural prairie, plant by plant.

Wind Energy Demonstration

10 am–4 pm, Main parking lot

Learn about how this alternative energy source is used in the Windy City and create pinwheels to capture and enjoy your own wind energy.

Solar Oven Demonstration

10:30 am, 11:30 am, 12:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 3:30 pm, Main parking lot

The sun is a renewable energy source that will provide the earth with heat and light for billions of years to come. Learn to harness the power of the sun and taste a delicious, fresh-baked solar-oven cookie!

"Stormwater" Dunktank

10:30 am–3:30 pm, lectures every half hour, Demonstration garden

Learn about water conservation and harvesting, then make a splash with our dunk tank demonstration.

Birds of Prey

1–3 pm, Main lobby

Learn to fly with these avian hunters of the Midwest and discover the important roles they play in our ecosystem.

For more information, visit www.cityofchicago.org/Environment/GreenTech.