Fall Preview | Museums

“Word, Shout, Song”
The Smithsonian’s touring installation has photos, recordings and rarities collected by African-American scholar Lorenzo Dow Turner, the linguist who discovered a connection between the South’s Gullah people and their West African enslaved ancestors. Through Dec 31. The DuSable Museum. $10, students and seniors $7, kids ages 6–11 $3, kids 5 and under free, Sundays free.

“Vivian Maier’s Chicago”
This is the first public museum display of photographer Vivian Maier’s black-and-white collection. Unlike two previous showings in smaller galleries, this one features only Maier’s Chicago years, displaying photos taken from 1960–1973. Sept 8–summer 2013. Chicago History Museum. $14, seniors and students $12, members, kids under 12 free.

The Big Draw
Channel your inner graffiti artist during this monthlong fest that celebrates self-expression through drawing. Among the fete’s highlights is a free draw-in at the Chicago Cultural Center. Oct 1–28. Various locations.

“Charlie Brown and the Great Exhibit”
This interactive exhibition examines the career of cartoonist Charles Schulz and his timeless Peanuts comic strip. Oct 25–Feb 18. Museum of Science and Industry. $15, seniors $14, kids ages 3–11 $10, kids 2 and under free.

“Maharaja: the Splendor of India’s Royal Courts”
A bejeweled wine flask and a Cartier necklace that originally had nearly 3,000 diamonds are among the more than 200 artifacts and paintings that represent the history of India’s maharajas. Oct 17–Feb 3. The Field Museum. $22–$29, seniors and students $18–$24, kids ages 3–11 $15–$20.