“Anyone visiting the Chicago Cultural Center can tell you the Tiffany Dome is a sight to behold. In fact, staffers say the 1,000-square-foot glass masterpiece has inspired more than one person to lie down on the floor and take it all in.
“While the dome may be the center of attention in Preston Bradley Hall, there are other treasures deserving of lingering gazes. About 10,000 square feet of Tiffany glass and mother of pearl mosaics adorn the marble walls in the form of scrolls, rosettes and flowers. They also border inscriptions in multiple languages. The passages promote the virtues of learning, a fitting message for a building that once housed the first Chicago Public Library.
“And for the first time since the building’s opening in 1897, the mosaics will be renovated.
“With grant funding from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) commissioned EverGreene Architectural Arts to evaluate the condition of the mosaics. Specialists are currently repairing cracks in the tiles in the east wing, which has been closed since Jan. 2.
“Visitors can still access the Tiffany Dome. After April 1, they will be able to re-enter the east wing and view a portion of the restored mosaics on the southeast wall. Next, DCASE will raise money to restore the rest of the mosaics in the hall and on the staircase. The project is the latest effort to bring the building back to its original glory; it follows the restoration of the Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Hall and Rotunda in 2022.
“‘As with any building, be it municipal, be it someone’s beautiful home, be it a barn, if it’s 130 years old, it’s going to need some kind of repair,” said Zhen Heinemann, DCASE program director, visitor experience and public engagement. “So what we are doing here is a care-taking and maintenance effort for an absolutely stunning architectural gem, so that it can survive and continue to be a gift to everyone that gets to come here.’
“This stunning space is not just for your private event or only to snap a picture of and leave,” Heinemann said. “We want it to be a home for people.” (Thompson, Chicago Sun-Times, 1/29/25)
Read the full story at the Chicago Sun-Times