Make Big Plans: Daniel Burnham's Vision of an American Metropolis
The Newberry Library and The Burnham Plan Centennial
Explore online the exhibit that is up in more than 60 sites around the Chicago region from suburban libraries to O'Hare and Midway International Airports. Browse through a slide show of images from the Plan of Chicago, learn about the Plan's historical context, examine its relevance to the 20th Century and think of the lessons it offers today. Maps, photographs and illustrations introduce broad audiences to Burnham's regional vision. [View exhibit]
Big. Bold. Visionary.
Chicago Considers the
Next Century
City of Chicago and The Burnham Plan Centennial
The Plan of Chicago established a precedent of dreaming big and thinking boldly that every generation of Chicagoans since has firmly embraced. This online exhibition taps current Chicago architects, planners, and landscape architects for their visions of the city and region in the 21st century and beyond. [View exhibit]
Virtual Burnham
Lake Forest College
The Virtual Burnham Iniative allows audiences to interact with the ideas presented in the Plan of Chicago in an entirely new way. Google Earth technology transforms key elements of the Plan into 3-D models available for everyone to explore. [Experience Virtual Burnham]
The Plan of Chicago: A Regional Legacy
Burnham Plan Centennial Committee
Learn about the Plan — the conditions that prompted it, the major recommendations, its implementation and its legacy in this highly illustrated booklet available for download or on-line viewing.
[Download PDF or View Booklet On-Line]
Make No Little Plans
The Archimedia Workshop
View a trailer for the documentary Make No Little Plans – Daniel Burnham and the American City, which explores the fascinating life and complex legacy of architect and city planner Daniel Hudson Burnham and how his vision to organize the chaos of the nineteenth century America has shaped the nation's towns and cities for generations. The documentary, produced by The Archimedia Workshop, will premiere September 2, 2009 in Millennium Park. [View Trailer]
Without Bounds or Limits: An online exhibition of The Plan of Chicago
The Art Institute of Chicago
This new exhibition presents a selection of original drafts, letters, meeting minutes and images related to the Plan of Chicago, from the collections at the Ryerson & Burnham Archives at the Art Institute of Chicago. It builds on one of the most striking and uniquely American aspects of the Plan- its idealistic belief in Chicago as a city without limits. [Explore the site]
SOM Great Lakes Vision Plan
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
SOM introduces a visionary plan for the next 100 years to build upon the natural resources provided by the Great Lakes in order to start a global dialogue and address issues of sustainability in the region. The plan aims to bring exceptional examples of urban and environmental practices to the forefront while building upon the momentum of the Centennial. [View Plan]
Learning Resources
The Plan of Chicago
The online Encyclopedia of Chicago has a wealth of information including a fully digitized copy of the Burnham Plan. [Learning Resources]
Educational Programs
In and After School (K–16)
Schools and universities throughout the region are developing events and projects during the Burnham Plan Centennial.
Contact us to let us know about other on-line exhibits that may be a good fit for the gallery.