The Art Institute of Chicago is one of the largest and finest museums and schools of art in America. Home of one of the finest collection of artworks from the Impressionist and the Post Impressionist periods, the institute was set up in 1882 at the junction of Van Buren Avenue and Michigan Avenue. A modern wing was also established in 2006 at the corner of Monroe and Columbus.

Wiki Info of Art Institute of Chicago

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Institute_of_Chicago

The permanent exhibits of the museum include African, American, Ancient Architecture and Design, Arms, Amours, Medieval and Renaissance, Ancient, Asian Modern, and Textiles to name a few. One of the most popular exhibits is the European Painting and Sculpture which contains over 3,500 works from the Medieval, Renaissance, and the Modern periods like works of Jacques de Baerze Netherlandish (1399), Antonio Canova(1809), and Charles Henri Joseph Cordier.

Collections of Art Institute of Chicago

http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/

European Painting and Sculpture Collection

http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/eurptg

The Art Institute Of Chicago is much more than just a museum. There is an active department of conservation here which employs more than 20 experts and art conservators. The team is involved in art restoration of famous artworks from around the world. The institute also carries out detailed research on its collection. The main aim of the research is to establish the provenance or the chain of custody or ownership of the various artworks.

Department of Conservation

http://www.artic.edu/aic/conservation/index.html

The institute also has an art school called the School of Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) which is one of the most accredited art schools around the world. The school offers various programs in undergraduate, graduate, and continued studies courses. For art lovers, the SAIC also offers several public programs all round the year.