Glessner House Museum

(2.5k reviews)

One of the best and biggest art museums I've ever been to…read more I brought my 11-year-old son with me on a Monday morning in August. The only downsides were just how insanely packed it was, and the price of admission - $32 for adults (but free for my son at least). But it's worth it to fork over the cash and brave the crowds. The collections are stunning and expansive and truly breathtaking. The paintings are well spaced out with ample descriptions and information. Like most museums of this size and prestige, the building and the people watching are just as interesting as the art. Definitely hope to return someday as I've barely scratched the surface!

What a fabulous place for various artists and artwork! It was great to see all the different pieces…read moreand styles in this collection. The art institute is huge and covers a wide variety of different styles. It's a big place so expect to spend some time here. Map shows different levels and different stairs and elevators leading to different places. They even have a cafe in the 3rd floor. Really cool place to check out in Chicago while you're here. They do have free lockers for large backpacks and items near the front.

Field Museum

4.2

(1.6k reviews)

I was REALLY looking forward to this place and it did not disappoint. I was there for the animals…read moreand dinosaurs... I really don't care about a lot of other items but it still had a great display for what I was interested in. I did buy tickets on Groupon. I think I saved about $30ish dollars in total doing that so I highly recommend checking there before buying on their website. I could be wrong on the amount but definitely saved a good amount of money. I also bought the tickets ahead of time which is HIGHLY recommended. This place was packed. The Pokemon exhibit was sold out which is fine with me - I was not interested but definitely drew a bigger crowd. In regards to dinosaurs, Sue the Tyrannosaurus is the best part. You cannot go there without seeing Sue. The museum has a huge gift shop which is great but the 'Sue' items were not great from the gift shop. I didn't buy anything which was very surprising. There were the taxidermy animals too which were nice to see how many different species of animals there are in the world. I definitely enjoyed my time here and highly recommend. I love the History Museum in NYC, Washington DC and London and this is right up with those!

Awesome museum if you like natural history- culture, artifacts, fossils, and most recently Pokémon!…read moreI've been a fan of Pokémon for many years, so I really wanted to see the fossil Pokémon exhibit at the Field! Came here a few days ago with one of my friends - who is also a fan of Pokémon. Tickets are 48$ for adults. Since the Pokémon exhibit requires times entry, it means you'll have to usually buy your tix ahead of time online. This means you'll also have to pay online fees for tix, and you'll have to forgo any discounts such as student discounts if you qualify. Student discounts require that you purchase tix in person, as you can't buy a Pokémon tix separately online without the entry tix to the Field. Now onto the good stuff... the exhibits! I shall discuss the Pokémon museum first. I knew for a long time that many of the fossil type Pokémon were based on true animals from the past. The exhibit did a good job bringing the magic of Pokémon and tying it in with real life. So while the exhibit was very cute, it was also informative. Great for young kids and Pokémon adults (like myself)! Pokémon featured included Kabuto, Omanyte, Pikachu (of course!), Aerodactyl, Tyrunt, etc. At the end of the exhibit you get a voucher for purchasing items at the popup store. They had most things in stock- so I was able to buy a hat, a t shirt and an excavator Pikachu plush. There is a 5 item max including 1 max Pikachu plush. They had a really cute hoodie, but sadly they didn't have any in S or M size. They had plenty of clothes for larger sizes L and up. I spent about an hour in the Pokémon exhibit and another 20 minutes or so in the popup store. Afterwards, I spent the next couple of hours perusing the other exhibits - including stones/gems, prehistory (dinos and big mammals), Tibet, China, plants and modern day animals (taxidermy). There was a lot to see, but after a while things started to look the same. For those thinking about doing the Pokémon exhibit- if you're not that into Pokémon, it might not be worth it. But if you're a Pokémon fan, I think it's worth it, especially if you want the event exclusive merch!

Museum of Illusions

4.1

(150 reviews)

Figured the kid would like this, and she did. And so did we…read more Kind of expensive, I think $40 for adults and $30 for kids, but worth it. Very nice space packed with illusions, many classics but some unusual ones. And staff were great, from the front desk to the manager to the lady who helped us fully experience the exhibits with hints on how to see them best, and ideas (plus some had photos nearby with suggestions.) Kind of small, we spent about an hour, but had a lot of fun. We went right when they opened on a Sunday and it wasn't crowded then, but things picked up by the time we left. So come early to have a bit more freedom to roam.

Miana, was amazing. She took pictures. She gave us some good feedback and a lot of education. She…read moremade the experience one notch above other experiences!! Thank you Miana!!!! Carla Work

Chicago Architecture Center

(564 reviews)

A neat small place to learn about Chicago architecture and it's development, with short…read more timelines on the walls and miniature model of the city and another ofWrigley Field. I bought a perfect, sturdy canvas bag labeled Chicago Architecture Center.

The museum has great models of Wrigley field and downtown. There is a video that discusses the…read moreevolution of the city. There are interactive displays that describe prominent buildings, architects , and architectural styles in Chicago. A good place to learn about Chicago architecture!

Shit Fountain

4.3

(72 reviews)

The heart of the city. Better and less crowded than the Bean…read more This fecal fountain is a fun little photo op when you're in the city, and it's right down the street from Kasama, making them an unlikely but excellent pair.

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.

Driehaus Museum

(161 reviews)

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.

Driehaus Museum is beautiful! It is a smaller museum that features stunning art and architecture. I…read morewas able to get a student discount for my ticket, so I only paid $13. If I had paid more, I think I would have been a little disappointed. They offer tours throughout the day and I wish I had joined one. There is a little bit of signage throughout, but I think I would have gotten more out of it with a guide. The bathrooms are located in the basement and they are spotlessly clean. There is a small gift shop on the third floor which has a variety of nice Chicago and gilded age themed gifts. Driehaus Museum was truly a feast for the eyes. I'm not sure I'll come back, as I feel like I've seen what I needed to see, but I'm glad I stopped in. It is beautiful!

Museum of Contemporary Art - Chicago

3.9

(628 reviews)

•$$

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!

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.

Color Factory

4.5

(119 reviews)

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.

Chicago History Museum

4.1

(410 reviews)

I wish I had the time to actually stop and fully experience each of the exhibits more clearly. I'll…read morehave to take another trip. The kiddos enjoyed the sensing Chicago exhibit. I enjoyed learning more about the Chicago fire, the world fair & about the history of Uptown Theater. There is a cafe with coffee and other Chicago staples. I didn't eat there but I love the attention to detail on their menu offering. The kiddos said they love seeing the old trains & thought they looked better than the current or new ones.

If you've been to Field Museum, MSI, Institute of Art, Shedd Aquarium, and are looking to satisfy…read moreyour museum craving, this is a great option. You can get a discounted ticket on Groupon, and they also offer free tours to the public. The museum has two levels - the first one is mainly a theater and a diorama exhibit, while the second floor has a lot of artifacts about the history of Chicago from 1600-1700's and into the 21st century. What I liked in particular is that it covered multiple aspects - immigrants, industry, fashion, art, commerce, civil rights, architecture, famous people, and so much more. You'll definitely learn a lot - plan at least 3 hours. The only thing that could have improved the experience would be better designed plaques with text (or lighting). Some of them were hard to read because it was either too dark in the room or the text was white color on yellow / pale-blue background which didn't provide enough contrast. Other than that, this museum is definitely worth visiting!

Thompson Farm

4.2

(56 reviews)

U pick strawberries were a blast. The strawberries were red and juicy. Lots of strawberries to…read morechoose from.

Beautiful huge sunflower farms & pumpkins in the fall. Have got to catch the sunflowers at peak to…read moresee large blooms. Not when I was there. Great friendly service. Worth a visit. Bees around but dress the right colors, don't swat or move abruptly, leave them alone and they will give you the same respect.

Merrillville Farms

4.9

(16 reviews)

5/5 Awesome experience! Ginger (owner) was super friendly, talkative, and kind! Got taken on a…read moresurprise date here by my gf and had a great time! We came at 4 pm on a Tuesday - literally nobody else on the farm, had it completely to ourselves! We got our buckets from her and got sent off to pick blueberries! Lots of bushes, beautiful farm, cool chickens (a lot of them, off to the side of the field), cute cat, bee hives off to the side, old machinery - honestly just a gorgeous setting. Highly recommend as a date idea, or just to go for fun! Affordable, and very tasty blueberries (and shamrocks )

Always a pleasant visit Everyone is very kind and always a good selection! I usually take my…read moreGrandchildren and it encourages them to try new things!

Tacos Y Tamales Festival

3.2

(13 reviews)

2025 Review! Same Fest, New Location! Tacos & Tamales Fest…read moreis now on Blue Island Ave between Wolcott & Ashland. Their new location is so much better to space out the crowd, offer better street parking/access to public transportation, and allows for more vendors! They had the similar mix of local businesses, corporate freebies, artist tents, and (3) music stages; but, I'm already looking forward to seeing how they continue to grow next year.

I usually skip food festivals because I hate crowds, but this is one I'd been looking forward to…read morefor weeks. I don't eat good tamales very often and it was very convenient to have one location with all of the local venders so that I could try multiple restaurants at once. -Narrowing down which restaurant was my favorite to avoid future disappointments. Hands down, Yvolina's was my favorite. The chicharron tamale with green mole sauce was still in my mind when I woke up this morning. But sadly, I had to eat a grapefruit instead. ::sad face:: They run about $10 each, but are very large. I did also enjoy Yvolina's Chicken Tinga tamale, but the chicharron is the one I'd go back for. Didn't love the churros from Xurro, but I'm a pastry chef and make churros quite often. Maybe I just prefer my own. I ordered the churro s'more and wouldn't order again. It was all way too dry. Not enough chocolate either. There were many kinds of venders. If tamales aren't your thing, you aren't out of luck. With tacos, tortas, burritos, quesadillas etc.. sold up and down the streets, there's something for everybody. My only regret was not ordering the street corn that everyone seemed to me walking around eating. As much of a pain it was to be raining, it was the perfect time to go. The crowds were very minimal. It was still a lively bunch though. Many people dancing in the streets as the music blasted in the air. I very much enjoyed my evening and will definitely return next year. Parking is a bit of a beast. Prepare to have to park a bit far and walk.

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Natalia C.

0

7

1

17 years ago

This is an amazing place to host a wedding. There's a big courtyard in the back where you can have the ceremony which is really nice in the summer. I was there for my friend's wedding last summer and everything was beautiful ! I really recommend the Glessner House for your wedding ! read more

Ted W.

0

1

0

14 years ago

Rude staff. This is not something to add on your list of family outings. We felt more like trespassers rather than guest.

Glessner House Museum - landmarks - Updated August 2026

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