Par Excellence Redux: The Front 9 at the Elmhurst Art Museum

In a unique collision of recreation and art, the Museum has commissioned a two-part miniature golf course of playable works of art by local and national artists. This course is a reimagining of the wildly popular 1988 exhibition Par Excellence at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. A public call for proposals for area artists, designers, and architects attracted diverse artists who designed holes of varying difficulty, including the museum’s Teen Art Council. The custom-built playable miniature golf course will be split into two exhibits: The Front 9 (Summer) and The Back 9 (Fall). Designed to use the museum’s galleries with COVID protocols, the two 9-hole courses will be comprised of a surprisingly varied collection of themes and forms, promising an unusual twist on a familiar pastime.

The exhibit will pay homage to Par Excellence (1988) conceived by Chicago artist Mike O’Brien with a special display of ephemera, newspaper clippings, photos, and a recreated hole by designer Annalee Koehn. 

Advanced registration will be available for private event rentals of the fully playable mini-golf course. This is the perfect setting for kids’ birthday parties, company retreats, weddings, and more. Send inquiries to events@elmhurstartmuseum.org