click here for pdf of theNate map

The Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park can be reached from Chicago by taking the
Dan Ryan Expressway (90-94) south to Interstate 57.
Continue Interstate 57 south to exit 337 – Stuenkel Rd/University Parkway
Travel east at the end of the ramp.
Continue on Stuenkel Rd./University Parkway.
The entrance to the campus is on the right  after you cross railroad tracks, about 2.1 miles from the I-57 intersection.

From the South
Drive north on Interstate 57 to exit 337 – Stuenkel Rd/University Parkway
Travel east at the end of the ramp.
Continue on Stuenkel Rd./University Parkway.
The entrance to the campus is on the right  after you cross railroad tracks, about 2.1 miles from the I-57 intersection.

From the East
Drive Interstate 80 West to Interstate 57. Take the exit to southbound
Interstate 57.
Continue Interstate 57 south to exit 337 – Stuenkel Rd/University Parkway
Travel east at the end of the ramp.
Continue on Stuenkel Rd./University Parkway.
The entrance to the campus is on the right  after you cross railroad tracks, about 2.1 miles from the I-57 intersection.

From the West
Drive Interstate 80 East to Interstate 57. Take the exit to southbound
Interstate 57.
Continue Interstate 57 south to exit 337 – Stuenkel Rd/University Parkway
Travel east at the end of the ramp.
Continue on Stuenkel Rd./University Parkway.
The entrance to the campus is on the right  after you cross railroad tracks, about 2.1 miles from the I-57 intersection.

We welcome over 1,000 visitors, students and other guests, for guided tours of the collection each year. We hope to see your group in the park soon. Our tours are thorough and age-appropriate. We can accommodate school groups from Grades 4 to 12, college and graduate students, adults and seniors. Tours may be customized to a variety of time-frames and abilities - please contact park staff to discuss your particular needs.

School Tours and Outdoors@theNATE

Education and Outreach Coordinator:

Sherri Denault

sdenault@govst.edu 

708-534-4848

The Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park organization has developed a unique, full-day, outdoors and hands-on program called Outdoors@theNATE that has received rave reviews from teachers and students alike:

Thank you so much for hosting us today! We all thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It was not only very well organized, but also incredibly educational and relatable to our students. It is amazing when students can connect what they are doing in the classroom with the outside world. Thank you for a wonderful field trip today! - 4^th Grade Teacher, Flossmoor 

The most memorable things were when we saw the Windwaves and when we went hunting for plants in the sculpture that Mary Miss made.  -4^th Grade Student, Chicago Heights 

Outdoors@theNATE is a hands-on, interactive program designed to build awareness of visual thinking, address elements of the Common Core Curriculum, satisfy aspects of the ISBE Standards and Goals for 4^th and 5^th grade, present artworks as part of a consideration of S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, ARTS, and Math) principles, and create a chance for contact among differing schools from across our region. It is presented as a three-phased experience:

·         A pre-visit, in-school presentation is delivered by the teacher

Students are introduced to broad-based ideas about sculpture, three-dimensional design, and career opportunities.

·          A visit to Governors State University’s Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park.

Students convene in the university’s Sherman Recital Hall (capacity 175) Center for Performing Arts where the Educational Outreach Coordinator introduces the sculptures to be visited.  Each student receives a bag of materials and our 16-page full-color Nate-book publication and are then escorted outdoors by Docents. Classes visit 4 artworks (encountering a number of others on the way). At each sculpture, they participate in a structured, interactive presentation which illuminates how the artist incorporated elements of S.T.E.A.M. principles into their creation or presentation at each of the artworks. They eat lunch on-site and return to their schools.

·         Post-visit opportunities for structured reflection, published on the NMSP Facebook page.

Students reflect upon their experience through a number of independent follow-up projects suggested by the park for the teacher. Once complete, students may “publish” them on the NMSP Facebook page.

The fee for Outdoors@theNATE is $7 per student and $5 per adult teacher or chaperone. This fee includes the Nate-book and all materials. It does NOT include lunch or transportation.

While there is a cafeteria on-site, we recommend students bring their lunch. Arrangements will be made to store the lunches and tables will be set for the entire group.

Because of its complexity Outdoors@theNATE is offered by appointment so contact Sherri to schedule your class visit.

General Tour Groups 

Contact: Jeff Stevenson, Director and Curator, Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park and Visual Arts Gallery

jstevenson@govst.edu  (best contact method)

708.534.4021

Fees for guided tours:  $10 per person. There is a $100 minimum charge for a guided tour, which is met with 10 people; $10 for each additional person.

Attire: Please dress appropriately for the season. Be sure to wear comfortable, sturdy, walking shoes as extensive walking on uneven paths is required.

Facilities: GSU buildings are open Saturday, 8 am to 6 pm; on Sunday they're open Noon to 6 pm. Our cafeteria is open Monday through Friday (Monday to Thursday, 8 am to 7:30 pm, and Friday, 8 am to 2:30 pm) The cafeteria is closed on the weekend.

Time Required: Tours can be customized with the most popular tour lasting about an hour to an hour and a half.

Adult Groups: A history of the park Powerpoint presentation is available for adult groups. There is an extra fee of $5 per person for this presentation. Please let park staff know if you are interested in this presentation when you book your tour.

 Area Accommodations: Consider staying overnight in the region to enjoy the best the Southland has to offer. 

Please follow these guidelines to make your visit to the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park even more enjoyable.

• Pets are welcome and must be leashed at all times.
• Parking is free, please park only in designated areas.
• Do not climb on the sculptures - they are not playground structures. They are works of art, just as you would find in an indoor art museum, and are subject to the same issues of deterioration - and they endure the vagaries of our harsh climate. Many of the works have already spent nearly half a century outdoors and are quite fragile. Please be gentle with our art.
• We want every visitor to be able to enjoy the same views you have experienced. Please do not pick our flowers or grasses. Recycle and dispose of trash in appropriate receptacles located near the buildings.
• Picnic tables are available from May through October on a patio overlooking the lake near the university's D-Wing
• Alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited in the park.

EMERGENCY: In case of emergency, Dial 911 and tell the operator you are located in the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park at Governors State University.

Now you can visit us anytime from anywhere on the globe! Download our FREE mobile guide to the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park by searching for Otocast.com on either Apple or Android devices. Once you've added it to your device you'll be able to find real-time directions to the park and directions to your favorite artworks once you've arrived. There is text, a photo gallery, and even recorded messages from many of the artists included in the collection. Download your FREE guide to the park today!