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Cultural opportunities in Rolling Meadows are enlightening and unique. For instance, the Opera in Focus presents a year-round opera season in miniature. Rod puppets, the only ones of their kind, move about on the tiny intricate stage and are manipulated from below the stage floor. They are capable of very lifelike action and dramatic gestures for which opera singers are so famous. The result is the illusion of a live opera and an unforgettable experience.

The Northwest Cultural Council (NWCC) is a treasured asset to the community. The council provides both entertainment and education. The public art gallery features works by 45 area artists in assorted mediums. Chamber concerts are held in conjunction with art exhibits. The NWCC also sponsors literary interest groups and poetry readings. Writers are encouraged to attend poetry workshops where they can take advantage of short lectures, critiques, and writing exercises.

Artists visit students at their schools through the NWCC "Kids Meet Art" program. These visits allow students to interact with professional artists, increase the students' awareness of various art forms and artistic techniques, and give students the chance to develop their own artistic skills and talents. The NWCC exhibits works by local artists at corporate gallery spaces such as office buildings, a bank, hospital, and two libraries including the Rolling Meadows Library.

The Rolling Meadows Library is a community center for learning, culture, and recreation. Besides its vast collection of books, magazines, CDs and tapes, the library provides 34 computer stations and programs for adults and children.

Yet another unique cultural stop is the newly built Rolling Meadows Historical Museum. Designed as a replica of the first ranch-style homes built in 1953, the museum displays historical documents, photos and furnishings of the 50's era. Visitors feel as if they have traveled back in time and into an actual home of a 1950's Rolling Meadows family. The museum is so popular that it has received the Illinois Association of Museums' Superior Achievement Award.