The Museum Café At The Art Institute of Chicago

Designed by EDG Interior Architecture + Design, IDEA as Architect of Record managed the design team and assisted in all project phases. The new Museum Café features a series of “action stations” that contain the various main course, desert, and beverage options. The brightly illuminated and colorfully decorated dining space affords views of McKinlock Court, with access to outdoor dining during the summer month. Also included was the design of the new Members’ Lounge which shares access to the café and provides a gathering space for museum members as well as private events.

Challenges

A notable challenge of the former cafeteria was the lack of visibility and visitor draw partly due to its lower level location. The new design features a colorful oversize graphic orange ribbon element which helps to guide museum visitors from the Rubloff lobby down to the new café and lounge