Best Bets: Elmhurst museums debut art, history exhibitions and Discover Boating Chicago Boat Show returns to Rosemont

Elmhurst exhibitions

• Chicago photographer Kelli Connell is the subject of a new exhibition at the Elmhurst Art Museum, 150 S. Cottage Hill Ave., Elmhurst. “Living With Modernism: Kelli Connell” consists of two series: “Pictures for Charis” is Connell’s response to photographs by Highland Park native Edward Weston through a queer, feminist lens, while “Double Life” examines how the changing nature of identity shapes intimate relationships. It consists of new commissions done in response to Mies van der Rohe’s McCormick House. Hours: Noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday. $18 adults, $15 seniors, $10 students 18 and older, $5 ages 5-17. (630) 834-0202 or elmhurstartmuseum.org. Saturday, Jan. 24, through April 27

• The Elmhurst History Museum, 120 E. Park Ave., Elmhurst, examines the history of health care in DuPage County, the founding of Elmhurst Hospital, the evolution of services, and the local pioneers and innovations in the county as part of “Anatomy of Healthcare: DuPage County Medical History.” Hours: 1-5 p.m. Sunday and Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Free. (630) 833-1457 or elmhursthistory.org. Friday, Jan. 23, through May 3. To commemorate the opening, the museum will host a community blood drive from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24. Donors should register online at bit.ly/EHMblooddrive.

‘Argentina’s Niños’ comes to Kohl

“Argentina’s Niños,” a new hands-on exhibition at Kohl Children’s Museum examining the lives of children living in Argentina, opens this weekend at 2100 Patriot Blvd., Glenview. Kids can experience purchasing groceries using pesos; painting street art on a digital easel; exploring Argentina’s landscapes on a virtual video; scaling the Andes Mountains on a rock-climbing wall; crafting an Argentine flag and more. Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday and Monday and 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. $20 kids and adults; $18 seniors. (847) 832-6600 or kohlchildrensmuseum.org/. Saturday, Jan. 24, through May 10

On their toes

• See The Gus Giordano Company, Hip Hop ConnXion, Trinity Irish Dance Ensemble, On Broadway Dancers and the Christine Rich Dance Theatre perform during Emergence Dance Theatre’s annual Dance Chicago “Dances From the Heart” showcase at the Athenaeum Center for Thought and Culture, 2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago. $19-$49. (312) 820-6250 or AthenaeumCenter.org. 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24

• The Martha Graham Dance Company, one of the oldest and most influential modern dance ensembles, returns to Chicago after 19 years to celebrate its centennial at The Auditorium, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive, Chicago. The program features classic works by its legendary founder/choreographer, along with new dances, including “En Masse” by Hope Boykin, set to a recently discovered piece of music by Leonard Bernstein, believed to have been composed for Graham in the 1980s. Tickets start at $35. (312) 341-2300 or auditoriumtheatre.org. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24

Fatal attraction

Oscar Wilde’s 1891 play about obsession, power and lust inspired Richard Straus’ opera “Salome,” whose titular teenage femme fatale performs the “Dance of the Seven Veils” for her stepfather King Herod in exchange for John the Baptist’s head on a platter. Directed by Sir David McVicar, Lyric Opera of Chicago’s revival marks the first time Lyric has produced the opera, which is set in 1940s fascist Italy, in 20 years. Jennifer Holloway makes her Lyric debut as Salome. Tickets start at $47. (312) 827-5600 or lyricopera.org/salome. 2 p.m. Sundays, Jan. 25 and Feb. 11; 7 p.m. Jan. 29 and Feb. 3 and 6; and 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14

Chicago boat show

The Discover Boating Chicago Boat Show opens at the Donald E. Stephens Convention and Conference Center, 5555 N. River Road, Rosemont, featuring marine craft ranging from fishing boats and personal watercraft to pontoons, cruisers and yachts, plus accessories and marine electronics. Activities include paddle boarding, bumper boats, and a catch-and-release trout pond. $15 in advance, $17 at the door for ages 13 and older; free for kids 12 and younger. chicagoboatshow.com. Wednesday, Jan. 28, through Feb. 1

Photography exhibition

To commemorate its 50th anniversary, The Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia College Chicago, 600 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, debuted a new exhibition titled “MoCP at Fifty: Collecting Through the Decades” showcasing works by Joel Sternfeld, Barbara Crane, Matthew Finley, Carrie Mae Weems, Yasuhiro Ishimoto, Dayanita Singh, Bob Thall, Carlotta Corpron and others. Each of the museum’s five galleries represents a decade of collecting, beginning with the most recent acquisitions and moving backward through time. Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday. Free. MoCP.org. Runs through May 16

Free days at the Shedd

The John G. Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, will admit Illinois residents free on the following days: Jan. 27-29 and Feb. 3-5, 10-12, 17-19 and 24-26. Free admission is also available from 5-9 p.m. March 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31; April 7, 14, 21 and 28; May 5, 12, 19 and 26; and June 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30. Admission includes touch experiences with sturgeon and starfish, live programs to see feedings, and chats about sharks, penguins and more. Valid state ID is required. sheddaquarium.org.