The Metro Southwest’s cultural and art scene is outstanding. With many ballet and dance companies, community theater groups, and musical performers to fitVirtually every taste, the region is rich in cultural rewards. The Center for Performing Arts at Governors State University is one of the Metro Southwest’s newest and grandestVenues for artistic creation. It features a diverse lineup of star attractions sure to delight the whole family.

Additionally, MoraineValley Community College has an outstanding Fine and Performing Arts Center. Located in Palos Hills, the $13 million facility features the 600-seat Dorothy Menker Theatre with state-of-the-art technology, as well as aVariety of other meeting rooms, gathering areas, and an art gallery.

Many community bands and choruses offer opportunities for participation and appreciation while dozens of local museums bring aVariety of art and history exhibits toVisitors.

Communities in the area are home to many renowned art galleries showcasing works from prominent local and national artists. At Governors State University, in University Park, the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park draws thousands ofVisitors annually. Situated outdoors on over 300 manicured acres of Illinois prairie; the 22-piece collection contains monumental works by many of this century’s most important sculptors, including Di Suvero, Hunt, and Puryear.

Local theater groups put on nationally known productions. The Drury Lane Theatre in Evergreen Park is a prime example, featuring Broadway productions with nationally renowned stars.

Teachers, students and science enthusiasts are all invited toVisit the Argonne National Laboratory located about 25 miles southwest of Chicago, between Darien and Lemont. Argonne National Laboratory is one of the U.S. Department of Energy’s largest research centers and the nation’s first national laboratory, chartered in 1946. Today, it has about 4,500 employees, including about 1,775 scientists and engineers, of whom about 800 hold doctorate degrees. Argonne supports more than 200 research projects annually, ranging from studies of the atomic nucleus to global climate-change research.

History buffs will enjoy exploring sites along the 120-mile-long Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor. The corridor extends the length of the canal as it travels through the Metro Southwest to its terminus at Lake Michigan. Along the Corridor are dozens of well-preserved sites that tell the tale of the I&M canal and its significant role in helping build Chicago and the Midwest. The Heritage Corridor, part of the U.S. National Park System, contains a sanctuary for birds and side trails that are used for jogging, hiking, cycling, and cross-country skiing.

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