A Tour to Remember: Friends of ASOR in Chicago
What a fantastic two days! Friends of ASOR gathered in Chicago for an adventure through some of the city’s most inspiring museums. With 30 participants, the energy and curiosity were more than contagious.
Day 1: ISAC & Megiddo: A City Unearthed, A Past Imagined
We kicked off at the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (ISAC) with the special exhibition Megiddo: A City Unearthed, A Past Imagined, curated by Kiersten Neumann. Marking 100 years since ISAC’s first major Megiddo expedition (1925–1939), the exhibit highlighted archaeological finds, palaces, fortifications, and elite material culture, while exploring how Megiddo has been represented in newspapers, institutional ambitions, and cultural narratives, as well as the people behind the excavations.
From archival correspondence and press clippings to a contemporary art film by Nick Crowe and Ian Rawlinson, the exhibition encouraged us to think about how archaeology shapes cultural memory. Before we ended at the new exhibit, Kiersten guided us through the ISAC galleries, where we spent time with some of the museum’s most notable pieces. Highlights included the Mesopotamian section, where the Assyrian lamassu stands guard beside cuneiform tablets, and the Egyptian gallery, with its statues, vividly painted coffins, and temple reliefs.
Kiersten shared ISAC’s curatorial approach, emphasizing context and storytelling as central to presenting the ancient world. We also saw how the museum integrates digital tools and updated scholarship to bring fresh perspectives to familiar artifacts. By the end of our visit, it was clear that ISAC continues to evolve as both a research center and a space for public engagement with the ancient past.
A Walking Monument Tour
After the galleries, we hit the streets for a walking monument tour of Chicago with Dr. Morag Kersel. This tour offered a new perspective on public spaces that reflect the city’s history and identity.
Morag led us through downtown streets and parks, pointing out monuments, plaques, and architectural details that tell Chicago’s stories. We learned what these sites commemorate, the values they represent, and what they leave out. The tour sparked discussion about public memory and its impact on community identity.
Day 2: The Art Institute of Chicago
Day two began at the Art Institute of Chicago, where we explored Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Byzantine collections. Guided tours brought context to iconic works while highlighting lesser-known treasures that reveal daily life in the ancient world.
Ashley Arico and Lisa Çakmak shared the behind-the-scenes work of bringing these collections to the public. They explained how curators and conservators balance preservation with accessibility, using storytelling and updated gallery design to renew interest in long-studied objects. They also discussed collaborations with institutions like the Field Museum and ISAC, showing how loaned artifacts can create new research opportunities and richer public interpretations.
Behind the Scenes at the Field Museum
Next, Dr. Bill Parkinson welcomed us behind the scenes at the Field Museum, where the research collections are carefully stored. We saw how the museum’s holdings span continents and millennia, connecting Mediterranean archaeology with North American history.
Bill introduced Mediterranean artifacts, highlighting the Field Museum’s long engagement with Old World research. He also showcased North American collections, including American Indian artifacts such paddles, artwork, and attire. These items are studied and interpreted in partnership with their respective communities, emphasizing provenance, cultural sensitivity, and shared stewardship. Seeing Mediterranean and North American artifacts together reinforced the Field Museum’s global mission, grounded in collaboration.
Community & Connections
Between gallery strolls, meals, and engaging conversations, the tour offered opportunities for connection. Many participants shared how meaningful it was to experience these collections with fellow archaeology enthusiasts and see them through the eyes of scholars and museum professionals.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who joined us in Chicago for making this tour a success. We can’t wait to welcome you on our next adventure! Keep an eye out for upcoming U.S. tours, and remember, there’s still room on our June 2026 Cyprus Tour.
The Carolyn Midkiff Strange Committee on Growth, Innovation, and Visibility (GIV) serves as a resource for and leader in engaging and broadening the professional community of ASOR, in order to expand access to the history and cultures served by ASOR. For more information about the committee, click 
