Finally visited this River North museum during my return to Chicago. Since I wasn't a CHI/IL…read moreresident, the adult ticket price was $22, however you can also opt for the Pay As You Wish option, which is essentially Suggested Donation. While the museum is 4 floors, the exhibits weren't as plentiful. The 1st floor is basically their cafe. The 2nd and 4th floors are prob the floors with more artwork. The 3rd fl felt like an "in-between" floor. Thankfully, the Yoko Ono exhibit was on display, which featured several interactive activations, like a Wish Tree or writing on a wall, which were fun. Their Museum Shop also spans from floors 1-2. I wouldn't say that this museum has the popular artists. The overall artworks are a mix of abstract, photography, and mixed media. I wouldn't recommend it as a "Must See" for tourists, personally. However, I'm an art enthusiast and still thought it was a decent museum to walk through. Perhaps opt for the Suggested Donation for this one.

I loved my experience! I really appreciate the free Tuesday nights for Illinois residents. That's…read moresuch a treat! Beautiful museum with multiple floors, excellent customer service, plenty of comfortable seating, cool gift shop, and a cafe and restaurant too. It has everything I need! The vibes are good here. I enjoyed all the floors and saw an impressive variety of art. I also wanted to see the Yoko Ono exhibit and I really enjoyed it. I appreciated how interactive it was. There were a few writing stations with activities, such as writing about your mom and taping it to the wall, and writing a wish on a tag and tying it to the wish tree. One room was blue and there were blue markers available and people were encouraged to add to it. Fabulous venue!

This was the most wonderful experience! I highly recommend it if you're in Chicago. It's located in…read morethe Willis Tower, so if you're going to the Skydeck it's a quick little jaunt over before or after. I wasn't sure what to expect, and it ended up being so much better than I imagined! All the people working were friendly, knew what they were doing, and helped us have the best experience we could have. I loved every part of it, and it was awesome tying in all the senses to color! The tasting one was so fun, I ended up guessing mine right! I think my husband and I had the most fun with the partner drawing activity, that's a keepsake for sure, haha! Other faves were the poem and balloon exhibit and of course, the ball pit. We came with our 6 year old nephew but I think the adults had more fun than he even did! It was fun to let loose and be a kid again. I was thankful for all the fun photo ops, it made it easier to get great pics without having our phones out the whole time. The only bummer was the ice cream. We paid $1 per person for it and it was just one tiny little ball with a wooden spoon, and I could taste the spoon more than the ice cream.

When we first visited Color Factory two years ago, my daughters did not want to leave. On our most…read morerecent trip back to the city, they wanted to see it again. We still had a good time, but the venue was pretty much the same, so there was nothing new for them to get as excited about. We still enjoyed walking through the rooms, etc. Hopefully, the CF team can develop some new experiences in the space to get us to go back on our next visit to the city.

Intuit Art Museum has recently completed a massive renovation that expanded the facility threefold…read moreor so. Intuit features self-taught art by artists many of whom have a Chicagoland connection. My lovely wife and I have been to the "old" museum before, and it was an eye-opener to visit yesterday (Memorial Day) during a special free admission Grand Re-Opening weekend (the regular admission fee has also tripled to $15 from its former $5 ticket price). The star attraction is the recreation of Henry Darger's apartment and studio, along with a celebration of his works and methodologies. There are also spaces for the interesting and diverse Permanent Collection, as well as Special Exhibitions. Also interesting is the fact that the museum featuring self-taught art has bathrooms with fairly posh fixtures. Intuit Art Museum is not far from the Chicago Blue Line station. Check out the compact but cute gift shop before you leave.

A museum that celebrates the self-taught, accepts the "outsider" and values intuitive art. Current…read moreexhibit focuses on the im/migrants of Chicago. At the time of my visit, the entrance fee was $15. I live that I was able to see every piece in the museum display within 2 hours. Worth it

I think all the folks complaining about the experience should try experiencing it with a little…read morekid. I came with my SIL and my 19 month old nephew on a quiet Sunday. He had been cooped up in the house for a few days due to weather and needed to get out and about. My brother had taken him about 6 months ago and he enjoyed it even as a baby so I was hype to see it with him now that he's a little older. Rundown: -SIL paid for the tix so I dunno how much it cost -easy parking -no lines around 11am on a summer Sunday -in and out in about 45 minutes Notable exhibits: -the first one is an eye scan. I have soft tissue injury icks but I survived -the jellyfish mirror room - kids (and adults like me) go wild for this -any of the tactile ones where you touch and music happens -the ball and mirror room. Nephew went crazy for this as balls are his fave thing. -My ABSOLUTE fave was the DJ beats making room. I mixed some sounds while nephew danced. Some of us writing reviews for this place are old, jaded, have "seen it all" and seem to be approaching this from a transactional angle - I spent this so I want such and such experience. But if you watch a child's eyes light up at all the colors and sounds, watch how excited they get when they realize that their movement and their touch changes the floor pattern or the music, then you really get to experience what the place is about - Wonder!

Wasn't sure what to expect but this place was great to explore. This would be a great time for the…read morewhole family. Interactive rooms, areas where other guests were taking photos, bright and colorful. Staff was very nice and very helpful. Getting through the museum and for guidance. The location was easy to find and there is parking close by.

The museum was simple, nice and fun. Worth the trip. Both museums were interesting and…read moreentertaining.

We came to view the Hokusai & Ukiyo-E: The Floating World exhibit at the Cleve Carney Museum of Art…read moreat the College of DuPage. Ukiyo-e means "pictures of the floating world," and this art style features scenes from everyday 17th - 19th-century Japan, like entertainment, kabuki, geisha, etc. This style had an impact on the Impressionists like Van Gogh. This exhibition has the debut of the Chiossone Collection, 53 paintings and woodblock prints of ukiyo-e. Prior to this exhibit, the only ukiyo-e artwork that I would have been familiar with is the famous "The Great Wave off Kanagawa" by Hokusai. But this exhibit "rides the wave," creating an immersive and multifaceted experience. Not only do you learn about other artists and their works, you can see original paintings and prints, walk-through an Edo-era street, visit an immersive manga/anime exhibit in "2D", make your own print, visit a garden and more. It was a little confusing how to enter the the historical exhibit (we weren't the only ones), but the info is presented in a very approachable way. That Hokusai, what a character -- He changed his name 30 times, He hated to clean so when his living quarters were messy -- he moved -- 93 times! The manga/anime exhibit was very fun -- with the 2D artwork panels created by the 2D restauranteurs. I was also impressed by the many events planned throughout DuPage county -- so many towns participating. The gift shop items were great! The only thing -- we came on a weekday and only ramen and hotdogs were available -- other items available on the weekend. In any case, I was quite impressed with the exhibit -- and I would recommend it for all ages.

I read my brother's comic books when I was a kid (Avengers, X-Men, Spiderman) although I admit I…read morewas more interested in Betty & Veronica and Archie comics during those family road trips. Still, I looked forward to the exhibition "Alex Ross: Heroes & Villains" at the Dunn Museum in Libertyville. Ross painted full size portraits of the well known core characters in the Marvel Universe, as well as characters he grew up with. They are painted in such a way, with the same lighting, so that all of the characters fit together, no matter how they are arranged. There are individual portraits, and then there are two large assemblages -- heroes on one side and villains on the other. He spent 7-10 hours on each piece and the enter project of Marvel heroes took about a year -- the villains project took place a few years later. When we visited, we saw adults and teens, engrossed in the details, and taking pictures with the large murals. Other than two plaques of information, there is not much explanation from the artist. I would have liked to see more about his process, or which heroes and villains were Ross' favorites. Still, the exhibit is fun and quite reasonably priced - $10/adults, $5 seniors/teens on top of the already low ticket for the Dunn Museum admission. The items in the gift shop were great.

Our daughter was invited to the Media Preview of "Alex Ross: Heroes & Villains" special exhibition…read moreat Bess Bower Dunn Museum of Lake County in Libertyville before it opened to the public, and we were thrilled that she invited us, her parents, to join her. The Dunn Museum, operated by the Lake County Forest Preserves, recently expanded with a brand-new 3,000-square-foot gallery designed specifically for large-scale exhibitions.  Alex Ross's special exhibition is the first one to be unveiled there.  I found the new gallery very spacious, comfortable, thoughtfully designed, and professionally executed. Renowned for his use of gouache to paint incredibly lifelike portraits of Marvel and DC icons, Ross has elevated comic book illustration into the realm of fine art.  The exhibition showcases 100 stunning portraits, each reflecting the unique personality and attitude of the character, which naturally shapes their pose. The portraits form two larger-than-life murals that fully immerse visitors, creating a perfect backdrop to step into the world of comics and pose with your favorite characters. We were so grateful and pleasantly surprise that Alex Ross was present at the Media Preview.  Although he is such an iconic artist in the comic world, he is so friendly, warm, and down-to-earth. We were absolutely delighted to meet and chat with him. The museum's slogan is "Arrive curious. Leave inspired." That was exactly how I felt. I have only had casual exposure to the comic universe through superhero movies like Superman, Batman, and Spiderman, and I did not know much about the artists behind the scenes. However, after seeing Ross's work up close, I came away a true fan of Ross, with a newfound respect for his comic art! Although this is a ticketed special exhibit to the public, $5 - $10 in addition to the general admission, it is well worth the price and special trip to see it.  The exhibition runs from June 29 through February 16, 2026.  Go see it if you have a chance! When you go, do stop by the gift shop, which is well-stocked with comic books and merchandise that fans will love.  There are even Heroes books and Villains books signed by Alex Ross available behind the counter for $100 each. Alex Ross: Heroes & Villains is the Dunn Museum's second exhibit featuring the celebrated artist's work, following 2019's Marvelocity: The Art of Alex Ross. This exhibition also supports the Preservation Foundation's "Every Acre Strong" initiative, which raises funds to help maintain and protect Forest Preserve lands, making sure they stay healthy and thriving for generations to come.  I highly recommend this exhibit!

Such a lovely exhibit…read more The location is perfect for this rich, immersive experience. A small vintage building, tucked away on a side street, feels quaint yet grand. The newly renovated lounge is beautiful, with large windows and original hardwood floors. The gift shop offers a ton of lovely items. The staff that I encountered were wonderful. Everyone was very professional, friendly and helpful. Once inside the grand room, excitement is in the air. Spacious and dim, we anxiously await what we know will be special. There is a balcony and small seating areas. The music starts and the images roll across the walls. The sound and visual systems are perfect. It was moving and, detailed yet grand. I wished it would go on forever. Even if you are not a classical music aficionado, you will thoroughly enjoy your experience. This exhibit is perfect to attend as a group or alone.

I was lucky enough to be invited to a private showing before the public tickets went on sale. I…read morehave seen several of the immersive exhibit at the space as well as one in Paris. This was by far one of the best.

This was the first time that we visited the Elmhurst Art Museum.  Our daughter was invited to…read morepreview the exhibition "Picasso: Fifty Years Later" before it opened to the public, Hubby and I were her guests.  The exhibition focuses more on the influence of Picasso fifty years after his death.  So, other than some nice prints from Picasso, there was artwork from his colleagues and contemporary artists as well.  Interestingly, some of the work from other artists might appear to be even more "Picassoesque" than Picasso's work in this exhibit.  All in all, it was a good show and professionally done.   We met the Executive Director John McKinnon as soon as we entered the museum, who was very friendly and professional, and enthusiastically gave us a brief introduction of the exhibition.  John was also the co-curator of the show.  Katie, the publicist of the museum, was also very friendly and welcoming.  She talked about how proud the artists must have been to be able to have artwork exhibited alongside Picasso's art, and that the Director John even improved the air system in order to meet the requirements of the lenders of the Picasso collection!  I like that both John and Katie are very passionate, enthusiastic, and professional about what they do!   The museum itself is rather small.  It's very clean with professional setup.  It would have been nice if the rest of the museum was opened to explore when we visited on the preview day.  However, nothing was opened except for the Picasso exhibit, even the small gift shop was closed.  There is a sculpture named Skycube in the museum courtyard that is worth visiting.  It is a great spot to take interesting selfie.  All in all, Elmhurst Art Museum provides a good opportunity for art museum-goers in the suburbs to visit without driving all the way to the city, and you don't need to worry about parking, as it provides ample free parking as well!

We didn't end up going inside because of a rain storm, but we did enjoy the art on the outside of…read morethe building. Located next to the Elmhurst public library. They have a beautiful outdoor setting. The building is welcoming and from the outside looking in, it looks like a great place to explore some local artists creations. Hope to come back one day and see more.