The Ukrainian Village music venue first opened the night before Halloween 1993. During its first decade, Empty Bottle would become a magnet for underground rock, post-punk and experimental music. A soon-to-be released book chronicles of some of its 23-year history and shares testimonies from the artists and fans who love it.

Nearly 60 years ago, an amateur fossil collector named Francis Tully stumbled upon an incredibly peculiar fossil. The odd jumble of physical attributes – a tube-shaped body, eyes on stalks, and a long, skinny snout with a claw or jaw at the end – looked like they would be more at home in a Dr. Seuss book than in the swamps of Illinois.

Get your feet tapping this weekend for Chicago Tap Theatre’s latest show, grab a donut from donut fest or get your fill of deep dish at the Chicago Pizza Summit. 

The Chicago Botanic Garden has named Jean Franczyk as its new president and CEO. The South Side native returns to Chicago after working in London for 10 years. She joins “Chicago Tonight” to discuss her new role at the Chicago Botanic Garden.

In 1920, the Ku Klux Klan was a small, disorganized group with just 3,000 members in Alabama and Georgia. Then a public relations firm saw an opportunity to make a bundle by building the Klan. Dale Laackman's book, "For the Kingdom and the Power: The Big Money Swindle That Spread Hate Across America" tells the little-known story.  

A political cartoon from the Newberry Library’s John T. McCutcheon collection depicts interviews with various voters about their thoughts concerning the 1936 election. Sentiments expressed then mirror opinions of today’s political landscape. Peruse the political cartoons.

Every discussion of crime, poverty or high incarceration rates points back – in part – to jobs. For the last three years an innovative restaurant job-training program in Evanston has been providing support and practical experience to young men and more recently, women. Jay Shefsky went to Curt's Cafe to learn more.

Chicago Sun-Times theater critic Hedy Weiss appraises the first performance staged in the recently opened Writers Theatre and the humorous one-man show, “Where Did We Sit on the Bus?” Get her take on these plays and others on currently on stage in Chicago. 

Blair Thomas has chased Melville’s story for over 25 years. His efforts manifest this weekend in a performance at the MCA.  

A giant Bridgeport warehouse is home to the city's largest collection of vintage props for movies and TV. Jay Shefsky takes us behind the scenes.  

The latest U.S. Census Bureau reported a dubious distinction for Cook County: the second most-populous U.S. county now leads the nation in population loss with over 10,000 fewer residents in 2015 than just a year before. 

In the Loop, a photographic feast is now being served. To celebrate its 40th anniversary, the Museum of Contemporary Photography combed its archives to find the pictures that best reflect the character of the museum. What they found were dramatic images from the 19th century to the 21st.

The head of the Chicago History Museum talks about the ups and downs facing museums today, plus his school days with Hillary Clinton  and why he "binge listens" to Studs Terkel.

Meet the local man who's a certified Lego professional with a brand new exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry.

Hunt for Easter Eggs, get your fill of March Madness, see stand-up from Trevor Noah and more this Easter weekend in and around Chicago.

Ann Goldstein, the former director of Amsterdam's Stedelijk Museum, will take over the position previously held by James Rondeau, who is now the museum's president.