The Get-On-The-Bus Trips of the NIU Art Museum are great ways to meet other art lovers, keep up with what’s happening in the art world, see innovative historical exhibits and travel without the hassle of traffic, tolls and parking. Bus trips are planned to take advantage of the best visual art offerings in the region, in correlation with the museum’s own exhibitions and by suggestion of the members of the Friends of the NIU Art Museum.
Coach USA/Van Galder buses include large, comfortable reclining seats, Wi-Fi and a restroom, and they undergo intensive cleaning and sanitation after each trip, featuring filtration of the onboard air every two minutes and a complete replacement with fresh, outside air every 10 minutes. Van Galder bus drivers participate in a Greenroad program gaining points for conscientious environmental driving practices.
The Hop-In-The-Van Trips are driven by museum staff in NIU minivans so the number of participants is very limited, hence we save these special trips for members of the Friends of the NIU Art Museum. If not a member yet, you should join!
Saturday, Feb. 22
Get-on-the-Bus Trip: A Selection of Southside Chicago Museums/Art Centers
Join us for our upcoming bus trip to the National Museum of Mexican Art (NMMA) for their exhibition “Semilla: Cecilia Beaven, Solo Exhibition,” and their wonderful permanent collection, then break for lunch in Pilsen before heading to the Hyde Park Art Center (HPAC) which is also showing the work of Cecilia Beaven in “Flickering Cocoon.” We will then drive over to the University of Chicago to explore the David and Alfred Smart Museum of Art (SMA) hosting “The 50th: An Anniversary Exhibition” and then to “Theaster Gates: When Clouds Roll Away” celebrating Johnson Publishing (Ebony and Jet magazines) at the Stony Island Arts Bank (ReBuild Foundation) and dinner in Hyde Park. Much to discover on a full art day.
Payment and registration deadline: Friday, Feb. 7. Lunch costs in Pilsen and dinner in Hyde Park on your own. Several options available.
Bus begins boarding at 8:45 a.m. Departure: 9 a.m. Expected return: 9 p.m.
Cost: $55 NIU Art Museum members, $60 seniors/students, $65 nonmembers.
Friday, April 4
Get-on-the-Bus Trip: Conservation Center and West Loop Galleries
Join us for our upcoming bus trip for a special guided tour of the Conservation Center of Chicago located in a Jeanne Gang-remodeled warehouse. You will be able to get up close to see the projects the Center is working on and learn about all the different media that they refurbish and save. This day is still in the planning stage, but we will certainly venture to see the current art shows in the West Loop Gallery District.
Payment and registration deadline: Thursday, March 6. Lunch on your own by the Conservation Center after our tour.
Bus begins boarding at 8 a.m. Departure: 8:15 a.m. for our 10 a.m. guided tour. Expected return: 8 p.m.
Cost: $50 NIU Art Museum members, $55 seniors/students, $60 nonmembers.
Details about our June 25-29 South Central Iowa art, architecture and history trip to be posted soon. Mark the dates!
Thursday, July 10
Members-only Hop-In-The-Van Trip: Evanston and Des Plaines
Join us for our upcoming NIU Art Museum members-only van trip when we visit the Evanston Art Center. We will dine together for lunch in downtown Evanston before heading to the campus of Northwestern University to visit the Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art and view “Woven Being: Art for Zhegagoynak/Chicagoland,” an exhibit that explores confluences that continue to shape Indigenous creative practices in the region and beyond. We will then drive to Des Plaines to the Oakton College campus, tour their outdoor sculpture and then join the festivities for a public opening reception for acclaimed Chicago artist Eleanor Spiess-Ferris’ “Drinking the Moon.”
Payment and registration deadline: Thursday, July 3. Lunch costs on your own. Evening snacks at the Oakton reception.
Vans begin boarding at 9:55 a.m. Departure: 10 a.m. Expected return: 10 p.m.
Cost: $50. Limited capacity.
Payment for NIU Art Museum bus trips may be made with check, cash or credit card, 815-753-1936.
The NIU Art Museum office is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and is located on the first floor, west end of Altgeld Hall (the castle at the corner of College and Castle Drives) behind stairwell C.
Payment must be made in advance to guarantee your seat on the bus. NIU Art Museum members receive discounts on our bus trips as well as access to members-only trips. Please note, dates and prices of bus trips are subject to change and trips are frequently added throughout the year, so please check our website for the most updated information.
Buses load on Carroll Avenue north of Locust Street (on the north side of the NIU parking garage) on the NIU DeKalb campus. Vans load on Locust. The city of DeKalb has closed a portion of Normal Road that runs through campus from the south end of Founders Memorial Library to the intersection with Lucinda Avenue. Those using the south end of Normal Road to reach parking areas will need to be aware of new traffic patterns in the area. Anyone using the parking garage or visitor parking lot should make sure to enter campus from Lincoln Highway (Route 38) to prevent delayed arrival. Parking (other than reserved spots) is free on campus on the weekend. During the week, parking is administered through AIMS Mobile Pay or parking pay stations available in the visitor pay lot located at 200 Carroll Ave.
Interested in becoming an NIU Art Museum member? Membership entitles you to priority registration and discounted fees on Get-On-The-Bus Trips, exhibition announcements, special, member-only previews, receptions and special events, a subscription to Museum Notes newsletter, and a 20% discount on NIU Art Museum catalogues. Friend, or basic, annual membership rates are Individual: $25; Dual: $45; Student: $10; Senior: $15; and Dual Senior: $25. Sponsor- and patron-level annual memberships, at $100 and $250 respectively, include the option of an artist print as a premium and free NIU Art Museum-produced catalogues. Benefactor-level annual membership is $500 with the option of a private tour (several options to choose from). Payment may be made by credit card, cash or check. Students must attach a current student ID to their membership application. The NIU Art Museum can process your membership over the phone (815-753-1936).
You can apply for membership at the museum or print the online form available at https://www.niu.edu/artmuseum/join/index.shtml and mail it with your payment to the NIU Art Museum, 1425 W. Lincoln Highway, DeKalb, IL 60115.
