Spertus Institute has a new home

The buildings are located next door to each other in Chicago, and both have housed the Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies, but that’s where the similarities end.

The institute’s old home was a drab, clunky, nearly 100-year-old office building with small rectangular windows. The institute’s new home, opening to the public Friday, is a stunning, $55-million facility that features as its facade a 10-story, faceted wall of windows overlooking Grant Park.

Spertus officials believe its dramatic appearance will help draw new visitors and reacquaint previous visitors with the cultural and educational opportunities the institute has to offer.

Spertus includes under its umbrella a museum with a 15,000-piece collection of art and artifacts related to the Jewish experience; a library; and a graduate college offering programs in such areas as Jewish studies and nonprofit management.