Renaissance Society

The Renaissance Society occupies the fourth floor of Cobb Hall on the University of Chicago campus and presents four major exhibitions annually. The space also hosts concerts, performances, screenings, and lectures that complement the visual art on display.

The institution was founded in 1915, shortly after the influential Armory Show of 1913 that introduced modern art to American audiences. A crucial shift occurred in 1927 when the focus moved from traditional art toward contemporary exhibitions.

Artists frequently create new works specifically for this space, showing how contemporary art develops through close collaboration with the institution. Visitors experience not just finished pieces but the active process of artists and curators shaping Chicago's art conversation.

The museum is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 AM to 5 PM and weekends from noon to 5 PM with no admission fee. Access is straightforward since the museum shares its building with academic spaces where students regularly move through.

Since 1974, this institution has operated without a permanent collection, instead focusing entirely on temporary exhibitions and commissioned works. This unusual approach allows complete focus on collaboration with living artists without the burden of maintaining storage and archives.