The Art Institute of Chicago was founded as both a museum and school for the fine arts in 1879. Since then, the permanent collection has grown from plaster casts to nearly 300,000 works of art in fields ranging from Chinese bronzes to contemporary design, from textiles to installation art.
Adhering to our profession’s highest ethical standards and practices, we collect, care for, and interpret works of art across time, cultures, geographies, and identities. Learn more about the museum’s collection care and development practices.
