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Dear AANS Members and Guests
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Gail Rosseau
Local Host Committee
Chairperson |
It is a pleasure to welcome you to our hometown. We look forward to greeting old friends and meeting new ones at the AANS meeting in Chicago. Combining sophisticated urban attractions and Midwestern friendliness, it's a great place to come for professional or business pursuits. Bring your family and allow yourselves to enjoy all that Chicago has to offer. Chicago is a city rich in history. In 1673, Louis Joliet and Jesuit Jacques Marquette were the first explorers to set foot on the site destined to become Chicago. By the mid 1850's as many as 100,000 immigrants per year were flocking to the city seeking land and jobs. In 1860, Chicago hosted the Republican National Convention which Illinois' own Abraham Lincoln was nominated as the presidential candidate. In 1871, the Great Chicago Fire destroyed most of the central part of the city and created headlines with Mrs. O'Leary's cow knocking over a kerosene lamp starting the fire. The fire burned for three days destroying more than 17,000 buildings and claiming over 200 lives. After the fire, architects from all over the world flocked to the city for its reconstruction. By 1893, Chicago hosted 27.5 million visitors at the World Columbian Exposition. Today, Chicago is a culturally diverse city, home to world-class museums, restaurants, shopping and entertainment. Those who attend the AANS Annual Meeting will soon find there are not enough hours in the day to explore the city.
While in Chicago, you won't want to miss the world class museums. A must see is the Museum Campus. This is a scenic park on the lakefront which joins the Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum, Shedd Aquarium/Oceanarium and Field Museum of Natural History. At the Field Museum,you can discover "Sue", the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton ever found. Other collections also include mummies, Egyptian tombs and Halls of Gems and Jades. Across the park, you can star gaze at the Adler Planetarium or visit the World's first StarRider Theater. Walk across the park to the Shedd Aquarium to watch a dolphin show, view the Caribbean reef or enjoy the antics of the Beluga whales.
The Art Institute of Chicago, located on famed Michigan Avenue, is one the most famous art museums in the world. Take a journey through works of art that span over 5,000 years. Children will enjoy the Kraft Education Center featuring games, puzzles, exhibitions and a children's library.
There are many other museums that make up Chicago, including the Museum of Science and Industry, the Chicago Historical Society, the DuSable Museum of African American History, the Terra Museum of American Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art.
The city itself is a museum of architecture and is considered the birthplace of the skyscraper. Visitors from around the world come to see Chicago's architectural marvels including the work of such greats as Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright. Whether you are taking an architectural boat cruise down the Chicago River or viewing the buildings as you are walking the city's streets, you will see how the architecture tells a story. Chicago is also home to a variety of other great attractions, including Navy Pier, which is the city's lakefront playground and site of the 2008 AANS Opening Reception. Navy Pier is home to the 148-foot tall Ferris wheel, shops, restaurants and the Chicago Children's Museum. Other attractions to enjoy include Buckingham Fountain at Grant Park and the observation deck of the Sears Tower or John Hancock Buildings.
A new addition to Chicago is Millennium Park, which is a center for art, music, architecture, landscape design and known for its Crown Fountain. The fountain consists of two, 50-foot glass block towers at each end of a reflecting pool while video images of Chicago citizens are shown. Millennium Park also has the Cloud Gate which sits in the middle of the park. This structure, which you might hear locals referring to as "The Bean," is a 110-ton elliptical sculpture which reflects the city's famous skyline and the clouds above.
Whether you are in the mood for deep dish pizza, a Chicago style hot dog or a gourmet restaurant, Chicago has food for every taste bud. Another reason people visit Chicago is to shop. The "Magnificent Mile" is Chicago's largest shopping area, running from Oak Street to the Chicago River. Amidst department store giants such as Macy's, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales and Nordstrom are hundreds of specialty shops and boutiques.
Attend the AANS Annual Meeting in Chicago. It is truly a great American city, from stunning architecture and world famous museums, to lakefront parks and running trails and vibrant ethnic neighborhoods, we think you will find that our kind of town is your kind of town.
Sincerely,
Gail Rosseau
Local Host Committee
Chairperson |
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© Copyright 2008 AANS. All rights reserved. |
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