A beautiful exhibit, it was different, it was sad, it was full of queer joy and romance. It was everything 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! read more

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I had to go because my husband is an architect. Even though some of the staff was friendly, the vibe is so pretentious. You have to be buzzed into the gate, and when my husband touched the corner of a concrete wall, he was admonished- my eyes about rolled out of my head. It wasn't a white wall, and wow, this place is that precious, eh? The exhibits were fine if the subject matter is your jam, but the vibe just reeks of snobbery, which just turned me off. read more

An amazingly curated and important exhibition- The First Homosexuals: 1869-1939. Our first time at the 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. read more

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I have been twice now, this is both an eye-catching space which externally looks more "square" but internally is filled with a lot of angles and perspectives which change as you explore the space. The galleries are intimate and allow you to view the collections closely with a small timed-entry crowd, and the staff working the galleries actually know quite a bit about all the art, you can ask them anything and they seem to know it. There isn't too much parking since it's on a city street but I've been able to find spaces on the nearby major street paid parking and walk there. They have only had amazing exhibitions so I plan to see them all going forward! read more

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Such a hidden gem in Lincoln Park. The gallery has four floors of thought-provoking, beautifully curated exhibits -- when I went, it was "The First Homosexuals" and it was incredibly moving. It's quiet, spacious, and the perfect place to wander and take it all in. Highly recommend booking a visit, especially during a cool exhibition. read more

Great museum. Beautiful building and space. Wonderful exhibitions. Interesting location in neighborhood of Lincoln Park. Unassuming side street. Lots restaurants and cafes in area for before or after. Go on website to purchase tickets ahead of time. The exhibit we attended was timed entry. Definitely a great way to spend a rainy day. read more

My love and I have really enjoyed our visits to Wrightwood 659 since it opened. It is a hidden gem of a gallery designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, who is one of my favorite architects and who also happened to have designed the contemporary home next door. The exhibitions of art and architecture are always stimulating, and they seem to play very well with the stunning architectural design of the interior spaces. The gallery is generally open only a few days a week, so it is a good idea to book your free tickets in advance. You can also purchase tickets, but we all know free is better. The coat check is also free to visitors, and the timed entry on the tickets make sure that the gallery is not overrun with people. Enjoy a cultural experience by visiting Wrightwood 659. read more

Absolutely gorgeous space! Art is subjective of course, but I thought the current exhibit featuring the architect Ando was wonderful. He's the person who designed the museum and the residence next door. There's incredible light, a mix of modern and warm finishes and somehow this huge expansive sense of space in a relatively small footprint. The story of how the museum was created as a passion project of the man who lives next door and his intentions to keep it always admission free is really amazing. I noticed one reviewer didn't realize that you had to reserve the free tickets in advance, but understanding the fact that this is a privately individually funded museum helps you understand why. I'm guessing it's not always staffed. Great indoor activity for our Chicago winters read more

Wrightwood 659 - Art Galleries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here to view Michiko iTatani exhibit It was awesome and it was 2 floors filled with awesome art. Also the first homosexuals global depictions of a new identity was also exhibited. Wrightwood 659 is located in a residential neighborhood. Bldg is nice and very modern. read more

Wrightwood 659 - Wrightwood 659 - Art Galleries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The building is designed by Tadao Ando. An exhibition dedicated to his work is on the second floor. There is a reconstruction of an island in japan in which his many buildings stood. His designs incorporate and interact with nature; those who find Frank Lloyd Wright's prairie style to be of interest would appreciate Ando's work as well. The current exhibition, Dimensions of Citizenship, was part of Venice Biennial. The curation is very accessible; you won't need a background in art or architecture to appreciate the exhibition. Each piece challenges different aspect of practical applications of citizenship. For example, there's a map of the water reservoirs along the American-Mexico border that made me realize the naïveté of drawing lines on land because natural resources often don't align neatly as such. Online reservations only. They don't accept walk-ins. If possible, go during the day to see details of the exterior from inside the top floor. It took us about an hour to walk through all the exhibits though I wish I had another hour to take everything in. read more

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I went here with some photo buddies to see the China exhibit. It was very interesting and made for some great textural photos. The building is amazing with 4 floors and open space. It was designed by Ando, a japanese architect. The space is minimal and very pleasing. We ordered tickets on a Tuesday for a Friday, so we got in free. That was good... but I wouldn't be adverse to paying to bring these unique exhibits to such an accessible venue. read more

In today's lesson on racial bias and inclusion. We're calling 659 out on their staff's behavior this past Saturday afternoon. My daughter was with a group and was the only black kid, she was singled out to put her bag away, which was a small back pack purse, after leaving the restroom 3x before she could even make it to the lockers. She was holding on to it due to her girls time (her period). The issue is that she was the only one told to put her bag away from her group and another group of 3 white women that were all carrying bags. In order to rid shared spaces of these inherent racial biases they need to be called out no matter how small. My child was the ONLY black person in the space at the time and instead of making her feel welcomed, 659's staff made her feel further OTHERED. The rules need to apply to EVERYONE, not just the black. CHECK YOUR BIAS! read more

We were really excited to come check out this new museum, and glad we did, but overall, didn't find it too interesting. The building isn't especially architecturally interesting, and the exhibits were okay... I suppose if you're super super into architecture you might like it. Tix are free but must be reserved in advance. No parking--have to find street parking in the neighborhood. read more

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Advance tickets ONLY!! They really need to put this info in ALL CAPS as the FIRST thing everyone sees on their web page so as to NOT just show up thinking you can leisurely walk in without having a reservation. I get the look and design intent of the main web page, however, when design doesn't relay the most important information about the museum, then it has FAILED. I'm sure I'm not the only person who showed up thinking I could enter the museum. To my dismay, I couldn't even pass their gate. On a very small sign it says you have to have a reservation to enter. Finding this out when I got there was highly disappointing. I called to make certain before turning around to head somewhere else. Do not make the mistake that I made!!!! read more

Wrightwood 659 - Art Galleries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

An unbelievably beautiful museum and piece of architecture. Well curated and accompanied by knowledgeable docents that help explain everything going on throughout the museum. Nestled in residential Lincoln Park, the museum does an exceptional job complementing the nearby area while still making its presence known. I highly recommend visiting if you're looking for a unique way to spend two hours or are a lover of niche museum exhibits. read more

This exhibit space is amazing. They took an old apartment building and kept only the exterior facade - the interior is a truly unique place to exhibit artworks. I took the elevator to the 4th floor and walked out into the most amazing views of the Lincoln Park neighborhood. The windows are truly "floor to ceiling" and the building is high enough to clear all the neighboring buildings. You can also get a nice peak into the house next door - designed by the same architect. Reservations must be made in advance and they e-mail you a ticked for a specific entrance time. The exhibit I saw was free if you signed up in advance. A fantastic way to spend an hour or two. read more

awesome space. fabulous exhibitions. get a tix and get in there!