The mccormick bridgehouse & chicago river museum will develop an art-focused exhibit exploring urban wildlife in the chicago region, focused on migratory birds, entitled "birds, the river, and you."…

The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded Friends of the Chicago River $165,665 under the Museums for America program (CFDA 45.301) on September 1, 2026, to develop an art-focused exhibit on urban wildlife in the Chicago region. The project, titled "Birds, the River, and You," will explore migratory birds and permanent avian residents through an outdoor plaza component designed to draw passersby and an indoor exhibit providing deeper educational experiences. The work encompasses intergenerational activities for museum patrons and K-12 students served through the Chicago River Schools Network. The recipient projects over 35,000 museum patrons and workshop attendees during the 2027 season, while the CRSN reaches more than 20,000 students and teachers annually throughout the Chicago-Calumet River system. Place of performance is Chicago, Illinois, with period of performance through December 31, 2027. The assistance type is a project grant.

The mccormick bridgehouse & chicago river museum will develop an art-focused exhibit exploring urban wildlife in the chicago region, focused on migratory birds, entitled "birds, the river, and you." the project will have a component on the museum's front plaza to entice passersby to visit the museum, and an inside component with a deeper educational experience. The project will support intergenerational activities pertaining to birds that call the chicago region home, whether they pass through via migration, or are permanent residents. The primary beneficiaries for "birds, the river, and you" are museum patrons and chicago-area students through friends' chicago river schools network (crsn) for k-12 classrooms. Over 35,000 museum patrons and workshop attendees are projected to visit the museum throughout the 2027 season. Each year, the crsn impacts over 20,000 students and teachers throughout the chicago-calumet river system.