Wheeeew, grab a map when you walk in!! We tried to go without and it didn't end well. Not only did…read moremy boyfriend and I lose each other very early on, but we also lost track of what sections we had been in. Eventually we reconvened in the main area and consulted the visitor guide to ensure we maximized our time here, but it was still impossible to see everything. We happened to arrive right before noon, so we were able to peep in Fullerton Hall, which was cool. We also combed through the impressionism area and I enjoyed all the Monets. I then went on a MISSION to find American Gothic, which ended up being in an entirely different wing -- eventually I found it though. Paradise Lost was another highlight of course, as well as the Chicago Stock Exchange room recreation. We wrapped things up in the modern wing, and I was hyped to see several pieces from Andy Warhol, plus a Dali. If we didn't have a flight that night, we easily could've spent 2-3 more hours here.

Visiting the Art Institute of Chicago had long been on my bucket list ever since taking an art…read morehistory class in high school, so it was a dream come true to finally see it in person. I booked my tickets in advance on the morning of my visit and walked over from River North in the afternoon. Upon entering the galleries, I went up the central staircase and immediately found myself in a room with my favorite Impressionist masterpieces, including works by Monet, Seurat, Caillebotte, Van Gogh, and Matisse...just to name a few. I wandered through the other galleries and continued to spot my favorite paintings from other art periods. I even found a mummy! The museum layout was a little confusing, but the galleries were well-labeled, and the staff was very friendly and knowledgeable in helping me find my way. Thinking that I would only spend about an hour in the museum, I ended up staying almost until closing. Before leaving, I stopped in at the gift shop to pick up some postcards to commemorate my visit. I highly recommend the Art Institute of Chicago to anyone visiting the city, and I would definitely consider coming back when I have more time on my next visit.

Terrace Tuesday was amazing even though the music was inside today. The weather was perfect. Plenty…read moreof tables and great company. We will be back!

If the Art Institute is where we went to stand in front of paintings I'd already studied for years,…read morethe MCA was where we went to be surprised. Set on the Near North Side near Water Tower Place, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago picks up almost precisely where the Art Institute's historical collection ends, devoting itself entirely to art made since 1945. https://lisaefreedman.com/the-museum-of-contemporary-art-chicago/?

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.

Color Factory was definitely a hit with Lani and the girls! From the moment we walked in, there was…read moresomething for everybody. The candy was a HUGE hit -- the girls were excited about that one! The Taste the Color room was really cool and gave the experience a fun twist. The ball pit was another favorite -- the girls had a blast! The Save Her Hut was a fun stop along the way and made for some great memories. And of course, we had to hit the gift shop, where we even got $5 off, which is always a win!

Be prepared to WNDR…read more After eight years of basic sciences, Step 1 (being scheduled and rescheduled and scheduled and rescheduled and scheduled due to the pandemic), clinical rounds, Match Day and a PhD defense, my daughter definitely earned the right to celebrate curiosity. Such a fun place to be surrounded by family and friends. Ordered catering. Had a candy bar set up with bottles with a prescription for happiness. Brought chocolate brains from Texas. Fun to go through the WNDR Museum. Love the rooms filled with so many interesting artistic expressions. Cakes with inspiring messages. Neon signs. An eye-catching display room (good for the future ophthalmologists in the crowd.) Set up a bar with cocktails and mocktails themed for the occasion. Have a: Med School Mule. Dip(a)loma. Action Potential. Fun to explore the rooms after hours. 3-D glasses required. Smile. Walk through the lights. See your reflection. Imagine. Everyone has an artist within. Life is full of choices. The secret is there are no wrong ones.

WNDR Museum will be permanently closing and I think their last day open to the public was this past…read moreMonday, September 7th. Sad because it has been around since 2018! I've always thought about going, but never got around to it because I'm not a really big fan of these interactive/photo op type art museums. When I saw they were closing, I had to finally check it out. I think it's a little more than $30 for adults, which is pretty pricey considering the Art Institute is about the same price and way bigger. This museum is pretty small and it only took less than an hour to walk through. The interactive aspects were all super fun though!! I even bought some of our photos at the end, and I was glad they were 50% off (everything in store was). They will be having a party at the end of this month if you want to go one last time!

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

Super Dope, I really enjoyed my experience at the Sneaker University !!. I highly recommend this…read moreexperience for any fellow Chicagoan's or tourists. Customize T-shirts. Sweatshirts and tote bags. Great way to remember your trip to Chicago. They have a ton of stickers to choose from the represent all over Chicago. The process to get your custom gear. Should take about an hour or two hours. Please note the line is extremely long. So if it's a hot summer Chicago day, Bring some water with you. The wait time outside alone could be up to an hour I slightly longer.

This was a cool experience on my vacation trip. We got there on a Sunday right after opening and…read morethere was already a line. We waited maybe 30 minutes or so to get inside. I'm not sure what the limit is but they only let a certain amount in at a time. I think that's a great idea because it keeps from there being a lot of people are walking over each other. They have lots of sticker to choose from. Love a nice wearable souvenir. The staff were all very friendly. They moved fast. The only thing I suggest is to get kids sizes in for the hoodies and crew shirts.

Now that I'm a college grad, there's just less to do on a Friday night. No more house parties, less…read moreof my friends are around, and it's also just less socially acceptable to go wild now that I'm supposed to be an adult. Cue going out with my roommates to classy events like After Dark, where everyone's a little older than I'm used to and where I don't really feel like I fit in just yet, but it's still nice to finally be a part of the grown ups. I would say the average person was in their late 20s, and the crowd was quite dressed up (at least in comparison to my cotton black summer dress and flip flops). We had a great time. Food wise, they had some complimentary snacks consisting of crackers/dip, popcorn, and rice crispy treats, although I wish they had something more substantial to feed us. They also have a drinks line (need to first purchase tickets to buy drinks!) where you can get beer, wine, or cocktails. Entertainment wise, there was a fantastic DJ, a photo booth with a mime, and an arts and crafts stand where you can get stickers to plaster all over you friends. After getting drinks and snacks, we sat around for a bit on the (beautiful) outdoor patio, and afterwards proceeded to walk through the Modern Wing, which was open exclusively for the event. The Roy Lichtenstein exhibit was up, and it took quite awhile to peruse since it was absolutely huge. The artwork was amazing, and I'm really glad I got a chance to see this exhibit that I probably wouldn't have seen otherwise. The price of the event was so worth it since it covers both the art and the h'orderves. Overall, I had a fantastic time and am excited to attend other events similar to this (First Friday's at the MCA, anyone?). Only qualm is still that I wish they had more substantial snacks, since I was starving afterwards.

Eclectic mix of people, something for everybody here…read more Plenty of single people and couples too. It was great to walk around and view the art, which gave the event an added touch. One thing that was annoying was having to pay for drink tickets, it would be much more convenient if they just took cash. Not a black tie event as some people made it out to be. All in, its good for what you make of it, either enjoying your own company or going to meet others. Good vibes!

I would definitely describe The Arts Club of Chicago as hidden in plain sight, located off the…read morebustle of Michigan Avenue, on the corner of Ontario Street. It was only yesterday that I had the opportunity to venture here to attend a CPL library breakfast that was held on the second floor. The service was impeccable and the food (fresh fruit, mini pastries, and a frittata dish) was delicious although, puzzlingly, I could not discern any knives on the breakfast setup. Most importantly, caffeinated beverages (coffee and hot tea) were self-serve and plentiful for that early hour of the morning. The room itself was elegant, with pieces of art placed at tasteful intervals. The first floor gallery space is free and open to the public on selected days of the week. Visitors can also make private appointments to tour the collection. The space is manageable to wander around, so I would probably not opt for the tour, unless I happened to be coming in with a group. Looking at the website, it seems like there are a various events/lectures that are free and open to all, as well as a rotating slate of exhibitions. I am keen on attending these types of events, so I will be checking back on the website, and have signed up for the mailing list.

Designed by John Vinci in 1997, this two-story arts center holds the famous reconstructed steel…read morestaircase designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. It was in the original Arts Club building formerly at 109 East Ontario but demolished in 1995. It was a big deal to preservationists when the original was about to be torn down. The modern stair is the centerpiece of the new interior space, and it is hard to keep your eyes off of it while you are attempting to view the art on display here.

Had a good visit to this small museum of art. It doesn't take long to have a look. Loyola…read moreUniversity Museum Of Art is located on its Water Tower Campus and often is appointment only. Closed a lot and unreliable hours. The museum has a lot of medieval paintings and sculptures. A unique museum that explores the spiritual in art. It has all cultures and faiths. The Martin D'Arcy Collection has art from the Baroque, medieval, and Renaissance. An interesting history about him. He was a British humanist and theologian who collected it at Campion Hall on Oxford University. Collection has over 300 pieces including paintings, sculptures, and other art. This had been in the library of the Lake Shore Campus before moving. Basic looking place but there's a lot packed inside. It's closed Mondays. The hours can be screwy so call before going or check the website.

What an amazing space. I went with some friends to see the Joan of Arc Project and it was amazing…read more They had several other exhibits on display. The space is beautiful. They have a small shop and there is nearby parking After 5 it's 15 dollars And of course there is dining all around

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.