Mordern, Free, Best Art Museums in Boystown

"Get a little bold and adventurous at the Museum of Contemporary Art, located just one block east of historic Water Tower Placeon The Magnificent Mile. Browse the museum’s permanent collection, which includes more than 2,500 works, displayed in rotation, spanning media and movements from the 1920s to the present. Over the summer, Tuesdays on the Terrace brings you free, live jazz in the museum gardens, while morning visitors are greeted with weekly farmer’s markets at the museum’s monumental front steps."

"Dedicated to art from 1945 to the present, the Museum of Contemporary art is endowed with a serious collection, spanning surrealism, conceptual art, pop art and minimalism. You’ll get to see works by Chuck Close, Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, Francis Bacon, René Magritte, Alexander Calder, Ann Hamilton and Richard Serra. When we wrote this article in 2018 there was a haunting exhibition by the Nigerian multidisciplinary artist Otobong Nkanga, combining installations, photography and textiles."

"Description: The MCA was the first project in the United States by Josef Paul Kleihues, the German architect behind Berlin’s reconstruction after the fall of Berlin Wall. The Museum of Contemporary Art of Chicago opened its doors in 1996 with an exposition of Frida Kahlo, the first in the US!. Don’t miss a remarkable aspect of the museum: the stairwell."

"National Museum of Mexican Art is a museum that is ideal for your toddlers and preteens. Located in the Pilsen neighborhood, the museum has a permanent collection of 10,000 pieces. These pieces are a vibrant curation of Mexican history and culture."

"Head to the National Museum of Mexican Art for one of the best collections of Latin works in the country. Mexican culture is celebrated with art spanning over 3,000 years and a whopping 10,000 piece permanent collection."

"When you want a touch of culture during your visit to Chicago, stop by the Museum of Contemporary Photography. This art museum features six photography shows each year, and you can easily get through everything in a couple of hours. You may see noteworthy work from emerging artists or breathtaking archives from the museum’s own collection."

"The Museum of Contemporary Photography is part of Columbia College Chicago|© Jonathan Castillo / Courtesy of Museum of Contemporary Photography. Curious about the latest in photography?. Add the Museum of Contemporary Photography to your itinerary."

"If you want to see masterpieces but don't want to spend a long day wandering around one of the major art museums, the Smart may be just…"

"The Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art is a modern art museum in Chicago's Ukrainian village. The UIMA, founded in 1971, hosts exhibits, book readings, film screenings, recitals, and theater. The UIMA has been a fixture in its neighborhood for more than 40 years and is one of 25 members of the Chicago Cultural Alliance."

"Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art in Chicago is a non-profit with a mission to share the work of outsiders. The center defines an outsider in the art world as "the work of artists who demonstrate little influence from the mainstream art world, and who instead are motivated by their unique personal vision." Since its inception in 1991, Intuit has become a leader in the field of promoting outsider and intuitive art. The museum's permanent collection, which they began amassing in 2002, has come to include more than 1,1000 works of art."

"It is actually the only nonprofit organisation in the USA that is fully devoted to ‘outsider’ art and self taught art. It’s more than just an art gallery or museum – it’s somewhere to come for inspiration, and it’s actually used a lot by art students in the city of Chicago. There are over 1000 works of art here, so plenty to see!"

"Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art features a large number of artworks presenting intuitive and outsider art. They have been featuring various artworks since 1991. Their world-class exhibitions give an opportunity for the public to explore this kind of art."

"If you’re looking for a quiet place to unwind, Welles Park can offer a respite from all of the lights, noises and crowds of Chicago. It isn’t without amenities. Its centerpiece is an ornate, wire-topped gazebo where bands can play outdoor concerts and community leaders can give rallying speeches."

"Welles Park is a 15.84-acre park located in the heart of Lincoln Square. It is a gathering place for musicians and sports & fitness enthusiasts. The park was created in 1910 and named after Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy from 1861 to 1869."

"This park is a 119-acre, man-made peninsula with excellent spots for fishing and walking paths. This urban nature sanctuary has prairie grasslands, a five-acre pond and walking paths for wildlife watching. Northerly Island is also home to 12th Street Beach and Huntington Bank Pavilion."

"The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum is a natural museum based in Chicago, Illinois. It is under the Chicago Academy of Sciences and was opened to the general public in 1999. It is located at the intersection of Fullerton Parkway and Cannon Drive, Lincoln Park."

"This center dedicated to the famous artist is located in Jefferson Park, and with its bright mural you can’t miss it. You can check out an iPod at the front desk for a self-guided tour, or visit the first Thursday of the month at 2pm for a thirty-minute guided tour."

"The best deep dish in Chicago is a hotly debated topic, but it really comes down to whether you prefer your ‘za saucier or cheesier. Personally, I’m a coat that pie in as much tomato sauce as possible kind of girl. If you’re all about that cheese life, Lou Malnati’s will be more your style."

"If you’re a true Chicagoan, chances are you know about the not so tiny pizza rivalry. Giordano’s is home to the original Chicago-style deep dish pizza. Choose from toppings that are actually baked into the cheese."

"After we were done at the MSI (Museum of Science and Industry) or I should say once they kicked us out when they closed ."

"Harold’s, in its many, many incarnations, is the fried Chicago natives crave the most when forced to move. There’s a certain serenity to things when walking inside, placing an order, and waiting for cooks to fry up an order. Of course, don’t forget to order mild sauce, a condiment that Chicagoans go bezerk for."