Weinberg sophomore Amber Constante is no stranger to the Art Institute of Chicago, home to famed works like Grant Wood’s “American Gothic” and Georges Seurat’s pointillism in “A Sunday on La Grande Jatte.”
Although Constante grew up in the Chicago area and has enjoyed the museum’s artwork many times, she plans to attend Northwestern Night on Thursday to take advantage of free tours available for NU students, faculty, staff and their guests.
“It’s an opportunity for students to get out of campus and explore the city and explore all the cultures that are present,” she said. “It’s an opportunity to expand every student’s bubble just not keep them on campus in Evanston, this little microcosm.”
While admission to the Art Institute is free for undergraduate students who display their Wildcard, Northwestern Night is open to any guests that come with students, faculty or staff from 2 to 8 p.m. Three exclusive guided tours begin at 5:30 p.m., 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Associate Director of Student Organizations and Activities Joe Lattal said the event has been held twice each year since the University began its partnership program with the Art Institute in 2012. He added that each night offers unique tours based on the museum’s current exhibits and any themes that the University is focusing on that year.
Attendees can participate in a tour related to the themes of One Book One Northwestern’s selection “The Night Watchman,” engage with a collection by Hispanic artists in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month and learn about anatomy on a tour based around the human form.
Lattal said the Anatomy and the Human Form Tour was inspired by the proximity of NU’s Feinberg School of Medicine to the Art Institute. He said it gives graduate students an opportunity to see exhibits that are typically only free to undergraduate students year-round.
This tour piqued Constante’s interest because she said she wants to learn about the development of anatomy across many epochs of art.
“I know medieval art had weird anatomical positioning and all that stuff, so (I’m curious) how human form is understood through art over the years,” Constante said.
Communication sophomore Isabela Castilho said she plans on meeting her professor and classmates from her Art 240: Introduction to Sculpture class at the Art Institute because she is beginning to explore art this quarter.
Castilho said the “calm” and “therapeutic” qualities of art prompted a new interest outside the bounds of her theatre major.
“I’m suddenly interested in art,” she said. “I started really enjoying art and painting and sculpture-making, and so I really want to learn more about it.”
Whether students have been to the Art Institute in the past or are taking the Purple Express into the Loop for the first time, Lattal said every attendee will gain something different from the experience.
“The Art Institute of Chicago is a crown jewel of the Chicago area attractions,” Lattal said. “Our hope is whether it’s someone’s first visit to the Art Institute in their whole life, or it’s just an occasion to go back for the first time in a while, that people in the community decide to come out on Thursday.”

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