Poop Fountain was everything we expected and more! A special highlight for us was talking to the…read morewonderful lady next door. She was so neighborly, and we spoke for a solid thirty minutes about the artist who made the Fountain, her neighborhood, and other pieces of public art. She made us feel right at home and is a wonderful lady. It seems like some of the other reviews criticizing her behavior may not be telling the whole story. As I understand it, some visitors were disrespecting the public space by coming at odd hours and making large amounts of noise, or posing with the fountain in obscene ways. Calling her a Karen is a total misnomer-- everyone deserves peace and quiet, even if they live next to Shit Fountain. Come here for serenity, come for excellent and warm conversations, come with your heart open.

Exactly what you'd expect: a statue that looks like poop. There was also a super friendly outdoor…read moreorange cat nearby named Mister that made my entire day. He was so cute and so worth the visit to the Shit Fountain. It's also near Kasama, so you can definitely make a trip out of this or take a quick detour if you're in the area.

Sunnyside Mall is a fantastic outdoor community space in the Sheridan Park neighborhood of Uptown…read more I understand it used to be a questionable area, but the neighborhood association has revitalized it in recent years. It's a pedestrian strip between Beacon and Magnolia, paved, with several seats built in various placed around the mall. I'm sure the neighbors use this for all sorts of events. I've been here because my trainer, Dana (see my WHPStudios review), has been doing Saturday morning body strength classes here. Since they're super affordable ($15) I finally made it over here. Today there were just a couple of us but I know in other weekends there's been as many as 10 people at the classes. It's a really lovely, peaceful setting--quiet, with lots of shade from all the trees, and the weather has been great so for someone who doesn't love to work out, it made for a nice morning.

"You Know What You Should Do" by artist Jeff Zimmermann…read more This mural is located at the Oak Street Beach underpass entryway and covers the length of 260 feet of space . It was partially funded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency in 2011 to "promote environmental awareness" and "beach preservation." It is a bit on the abstract side with a hand holding a piece of popcorn in the air as an example of not littering. Images of "Uncle Sam," a Chicago-Style Hot Dog, and Bird Wings around and individual's face are just some of the images utilized in this mural. FYI-Apparently feeding seagulls at the beach allows flocks to be attracted to the beach and then their fecal matter contaminates the beach water causing it to be unsafe for people to swim. While good intentions-I am not sure most people would get that message.... Here is what the Chicago Park District stated: "In 2011, a mural was created by Jeff Zimmermann entitled "You Know What You Should Do" located along a wall running parallel to the Lakefront Trail and is the access point to the Oak Street Beach underpass. The mural, measuring about 260 feet in length and 9 feet tall at the very center, helps raise awareness of beach health and water quality issues. Its message reminds the public to help keep the beaches clean by not littering or feeding wildlife. The project was funded through a grant from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative through the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Studies have shown that seagull fecal matter could be a contributing cause of swim bans. Feeding the birds and littering attracts the seagulls to the beach." Source: https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/oak-street-beach

This place I found while walking downtown and it's so nice inside this museum/mansion. They have a…read moreplace downstairs to place food or drinks if you bring it in, but they did offered military discount . It was stunning inside and it had like three floors with the top floor having a gift shop. I really enjoyed all the art and painting around the mansion.

This is the Nickerson Mansion huilt in 1883 which was bought and restored over several years by…read moreRichard Driehaus. It has several items original to the home, plus some of Driehaus' collection. There was an art exibit of satirical prints from London and Dublin on display when we went through. Beautiful Tiffany lamps and chandeliers, marble, tile, woodworking throughout the whole home. Learned more about the history of Chicago and what it was like at the time the mansion was first built.

Almost everyone you meet in Chicago who loves their city will ask when you tell them you are…read morevisiting from out of town, "Have you done the architectural boat tour?" People in Amsterdam will also ask if you have done a canal boat tour - and you have to do these when you visit these cities. Our docent volunteer guide, Steve, was excellent. He was very personable and extremely knowledgeable about the city's riverside buildings and its history. The boat staff was also hardworking and ready to help with any issues, from getting a drink at the boat's downstairs bar to handing out covers when the rain hit us. For what we paid, the 1.5 hour tour was more than worth it. I recommend sitting at the top towards the back, as you don't have to crane your neck as much when he points out places of interest. This was a truly wonderful experience and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Not what I expected overall but it was still a very educational experience. Scoring tickets to…read moreChicago's Architecture Center through our hotel, we used the tickets as a good time filler. Not a must see or do attraction but a great day filler activity as you explore the city. Loved the wealth of information they offer as it's valuable to understand Chicagos importance from the ground up! I thought it would be more about highlighting the amazing architectural buildings around the city but nothing like that. It's was more about the environmental impact the city has and the hurdles when designing buildings around town. The staff were friendly at check in and provided great service overall as they were kind and helpful. Small center that you may explore at your own pace and may or may not be worth the admission price. But scoring free tickets it allowed us to be selective in our day or day plans to include the activity to pay it a visit!

10/7/26- Love seeing…read morethe artistic murals in different cities and states.. Visiting downtown Seattle this afternoon- and this caught my attention..

I think mural paintings are so creative on a large scale. It seems that no matter where you…read moretravel, you can always see a mural or two that may be cultural or simply a message to others. As many artists use spray cans to paint on the huge canvas, it takes a certain skill to get the proportions correct. While many sketch their theme before spraying, I have also seen artists just do their thing. Creativity at its best provided it's agreed upon prior to display.

A beautiful exhibit, it was different, it was sad, it was full of queer joy and romance. It was…read moreeverything every person who identifies with the LGBTQ+ community should see. It was well worth the price of the tickets, it was definitely worth scheduling a slot to go and see all of the pieces. We spent about 2 hours inside looking and taking in all of the work. The docents were knowledgeable and kind, some talked more than others but they were all lovely and polite. You must go see this exhibit if you have time, everyone needs to see queer art!

An amazingly curated and important exhibition- The First Homosexuals: 1869-1939. Our first time at…read morethe gallery. It's beautiful. In a converted apartment complex from the 1920s. Four floors and this exhibit takes up the entire space. Timing of the exhibit goes from 1869 - the first time the word "homosexual" was used in print thru 1939, the start of WWII and includes a nice coverage of Magnus Hirschfeld and his Institute for Sexual Science and includes a recast of his bust (destroyed during the n*zi book burning of his institute) and even his passport.

Interesting to have a place like this in that area of Chicago. It's pretty large and has a…read morePortland artsy niche type feel. They have a lot of independent artist collaborations as well as commercial items. Tons of toys, blind boxes, collectibles and art work with nice displays. Came for an ADO x Pusheen pop up so nice to see this collaboration. Also seating area on one side as well. Street Parking in the area is free on Sundays too!

One of the best toy stores in Chicago. If you like these types of collectibles I'd say it's the…read morebest store frankly. They also have rotating art shows. I like the seating are and also their policy to trade figures with the open model if you want that one instead. Major fan here. Keep doing you Rotofugi.

Went here for an event…read more Great staff. I attended for an awards luncheon. Food was very good Another stop only Chicago has Enjoy

Chicago is home to so many world-class museums and the Chicago HIstory Musuem deserves a place…read moreright up there with them all. Out of the many years I've been coming to Chicago, this one had somehow missed my radar but I sought to remedy that during my recent visit to the city. I stopped in on a steamy Sunday and spent several hours soaking in as much Chicago history as my brain could absorb before I had to tap out. With two floors of exhibits, a gift shop, theater, and small cafe you truly could spend the whole day here. I recommend starting on the third floor at the "beginning" of Chicago's documented history and make your way through centuries of history before arriving at modern Chicago's story. The Emmett Till exhibit was particularly haunting and probably had the biggest emotional impact on me while making my way though. The diarama exhibit from the CHicago World's Fair was also a personal favorite exhibit. Check it out if you're looking for a great way to spend a Chicago afternoon!