Shona stone carving is one of the great modern sculpture traditions and it rarely turns up at this scale in Chicago, let alone spread across five institutions at once. The conservatory sited its five pieces in the Sensory Garden, so the stone sits inside planting chosen for texture and scent rather than on a plinth in a white room — the reason to see this version rather than the gallery one. It runs alongside The Oracle of Evergreen in the same building, so one visit covers both shows.
What to expect
Five larger sculptures placed within the Sensory Garden beds, seen on foot as part of a walk through the conservatory's houses. Weekend hours are 10 a.m.–5 p.m., last entry 4:15 p.m.
Good to know
- The Green Line Conservatory stop is directly across Lake Street from the building.
- Ticketed entry is required; advance reservations are recommended and walk-ins depend on capacity.
- Chicago residents enter at no charge with a city ZIP code and ID; donations are accepted.
- Visitors from outside the city pay $10 for adults and $5 for seniors, children 7–17 and students.
- Four other Chicago sites carry parts of the same exhibition: Gallery Guichard, the South Shore Cultural Center, the Chicago Cultural Center and the Field Museum
Going? Keep it.
Also in Pilsen, West Town & the West Side
Common questions
What is Shona sculpture?
A stone-carving tradition of Zimbabwe's Shona people, presented here with Gallery Guichard.
Where in the building is it?
Five of the larger sculptures sit within the Conservatory's Sensory Garden beds.