Culture in Chicago

The Art Institute of Chicago

Museum

Info The Art Institute Chicago, located next to Millennium Park, is the second-largest art museum in the U.S., and even frequent visitors haven’t explored all of its 300,000+ permanent pieces. Stone lions flank the entrance to the main building, which was built in 1893 and has a classic museum feel, with soaring ceilings and ... more

111 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60603

Lincoln Park

20s / 30s / 40s / Anything goes / Free

Party Earth Review Unlike its often status-conscious namesake neighborhood, Lincoln Park itself is a serene escape from the bustling city, providing access to a host of sandy beaches, cultural events, outdoor theater, water activities, and wide open spaces. Spanning nearly six miles, the park runs through the neighborhoods of Lincoln Park ... more

2045 Lincoln Park West
(address of Lincoln Park Cultural Center)
Chicago, IL 60610

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Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago

Museum

Info The Museum of Contemporary Art is a non-profit organization and museum space located just off the Magnificent Mile in downtown Chicago. The modest-sized gallery space features permanent and rotating exhibitions, and also hosts special events throughout the year. The MCA opened in October 1967 featuring installations by ... more

220 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611

The Field Museum

Museum

Info Part of the Chicago’s Museum Campus on the lake, the Field Museum of Natural History developed from the city’s World Columbian Exhibition in 1893. The Field Museum’s neo-classical building holds exhibits devoted to the natural sciences and anthropology – think mummies, wooly mammoths, and fossils. The main lobby is home ... more

1400 S. Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605

The Museum of Science and Industry

Museum

Info Located next to the lake in Hyde Park, the Museum of Science and Industry occupies an imposing building from the World Columbian Exhibition of 1893, the event featured in the bestselling book The Devil in the White City. Of the 200 buildings built for the event, only the Museum of Science and Industry and one nearby building ... more

5700 S. Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60637

Museum Hack Chicago

Art / Good for Groups / Museum

Info Museum Hack provides amazing private museum tours and adventures for "people who don't like museums". Their expertise is in leading private adventures at some of the world's most amazing museums, including the Art Institute of Chicago. Their popular "un-highlights" tours put an alternative ... more

The Art Institute of Chicago
111 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60603

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Grant Park / Millennium Park

All Ages / All Types / Artsy / Free

Party Earth Review Like most outdoor spaces in Chicago, Grant Park is mostly neglected until the summer rolls around and city dwellers once again emerge from their wintry dens, crack open a dusty bottle of Coppertone, and revel in the warmth of the sun. Visitors looking for a cool-down can wade through the reflecting pool at Crown Fountain ... more

Between South Michigan Avenue to Lake Michigan and East Roosevelt Road to East Randolph Street.

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Chicago History Museum

Museum

Info The Chicago History Museum is located in Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood, at the southern end of Lincoln Park. It is the city’s oldest cultural institution, and tells the story of Chicago through its museum space, publications, and events. Founded in 1856, the Chicago History Museum was originally located downtown at the ... more

1601 N. Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60614

Without losing its blue-collar roots, Chicago has sneakily become a major cultural center. Culture in Chicago isn’t hard to find; between world-class museums, theater, dance, and music, the city keeps pace with the coastal big metropolises. Some options are even pretty affordable.

The city’s crown jewel of museums, the Art Institute of Chicago, consistently displays some of the most lauded works of art ever created. In addition to its permanent collection, the museum features blockbuster exhibitions from artists ranging from Picasso to Hopper, and its Modern Wing is a piece of art unto itself. The AIC hosts many after-hours cocktail events for young professionals.

Nearby, the city’s “museum campus” is home to the Field Museum of Natural History, the Adler Planetarium, and the Shedd Aquarium. This famous trio lets visitors stargaze, swim with dolphins, and check out the famous T.Rex skeleton “Sue” in a short amount of time. Like the Art Institute, this trio hosts cocktail events after hours.

Skipping ahead in time, the Museum of Contemporary Art, in the Gold Coast, has an especially young fan base, due in part to its extremely popular First Fridays events, where singles drink and mingle among the contemporary art exhibits.

Other premier venues include Symphony Center, home to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and the Auditorium Theatre, home to the Joffrey Ballet. Chicago culture also gets a big boost from the A-list actors happy to grace the stage at the Goodman, Steppenwolf, and Lookingglass theaters.