Mary C. Galligan

Phoebe Pryce as Jessica and Jonathan Pryce as Shylock in the Shakespeare’s Globe production of The Merchant of Venice, directed by Jonathan Munby, featured at Chicago Shakespeare Theater as part of Shakespeare 400 Chicago, Aug. 4–14. Photo by Manuel Harlan. William Shakespeare comes alive this year in Chicago, as the city celebrates the poet and […]

Woodstock Willie and his mascot make their appearance in the Woodstock Band Stand, with the assistance of Brian Szafran, a member of the organizing committee. PHOTO BY RICK BELLAIRS “It’s always Feb. 2nd and there’s nothing I can do about it,” complains Phil Connors, the character Bill Murray plays in the 1993 comedy Groundhog Day. […]

Swiss-style architecture with colorful window boxes are found throughout New Glarus. Photo by John Camper. Do you ever daydream of hiking or biking through Europe but have just a weekend to spare? Then plan a trip to New Glarus, Wisconsin, known as “America’s Little Switzerland,” where you can enjoy scenic trails, indulge your taste for […]

Wright was just 21 when he designed the house he would use as a living laboratory for 20 years. COURTESY OF THE FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT TRUST. Oak Park attracts thousands of visitors every year to view the largest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright-designed houses in the world and to tour the birthplace of writer Ernest […]

Avery Simpson plays doctor in the Tot Spot’s veterinary clinic at the Discovery Center. PHOTO BY JOHN CAMPER As soon as they arrived, our grandsons Ryan and Evan headed straight to the Simple Machines, a colorful interactive exhibit of pulleys, inclined planes, levers, balls, screws, wheels and axles. They were hooked, and so were their […]

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie style achieved perfection with the Frederick C. Robie House. PHOTO BY TIM LONG, COURTESY OF FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT TRUST   Most visitors to Chicago’s Hyde Park begin and end their visit at the Museum of Science and Industry, the popular museum on South Lake Shore Drive that enchants children and adults. […]

The Museum of Science and Industry features Christmas Around the World. PHOTO COURTESY J.B. Spector, Museum of Science and Industry. When Santa comes to town, Chicago takes on a special glow. Sparkling trees, dazzling lights and festive song and dance performances at area celebrations create holiday magic for visitors of all ages. For a merry […]

Completed in 1942, the First Christian Church created a dramatic impact on Columbus. Designed by architect Eliel Saarinen, it was the first contemporary building in Columbus. “Large Arch,” across the street in the library plaza, was created by English sculptor Henry Moore in 1971. Photo courtesy of the Columbus Area Visitors Center. More than 40,000 […]

Milwaukee Art Museum. PHOTO BY JOHN CAMPER For a summer getaway that combines art, culture and music, along with sunshine and cool lake breezes, head north to Milwaukee. On the shores of Lake Michigan, 280 miles from Springfield, this city of about 600,000 offers a fabulous lakefront, an art museum that’s a treasure, summer festivals […]

The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, designed by architect Moshe Safdie, is a series of pavilions nesttled in a pond. If you had the chance to build a world-class art museum, Bentonville, a city of 38,000 in northwest Arkansas, wouldn’t be the first location you’d consider. But when you visit Crystal Bridges Museum of […]