Best Arts and Culture Places in Chicago

We've collected top 10 mentioned arts and culture places in Chicago from other articles such as 10Best, New York Times' 36 hours column, Thrillist.

Best Arts and Culture Places in Chicago

The Art Institute of Chicago
The Art Institute of Chicago
4.8 (23445 ratings)5 (22413 ratings)
Renowned art museum holding nearly 300,000 works from all over the world, spanning many centuries.
111 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60603, USA
MuseumArt museum
Navy Pier
Navy Pier
4.6 (50660 ratings)4 (13593 ratings)
Former Navy training center draws crowds with carnival rides, restaurants, shops & fireworks.
600 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
Sights & LandmarksAmusement centerCultural centerEvent venuePiers & BoardwalksTheme Parks
Mentioned by Chicago 3 days itinerary
Chicago Itinerary – 3 Days in Chicago for First Timers
"A few of the highlights of your tour include the Museum Campus, Navy Pier, Water Tower Place Mall, Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower), and more. You’ll be able to disembark at most landmarks, so it’s easy to use this your to further your itinerary (although traffic can be a factor, so don’t rely exclusively on this for transportation)."
Mentioned by Tripster Travel Guide
32 Totally Free Things to Do in Chicago
"This iconic Chicago attraction is bursting with attractions. However, many of them charge a fee. Believe it or not, though, there are several free things to do in Chicago at Navy Pier."
Museum Of Contemporary Art Chicago
Museum Of Contemporary Art Chicago
4.5 (4061 ratings)4 (792 ratings)
Downtown museum showcasing post-World War II paintings, sculptures, photos, videos & performances.
220 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
Modern art museumMuseumsArt museum
Mentioned by Choose Chicago
Free Museum Days in Chicago | Free Admission to Chicago Museums
"Installation view, Duro Olowu: Seeing Chicago, MCA Chicago Feb 29-May 10, 2020 Photo: Nathan Keay, © MCA Chicago. The Museum of Contemporary Art is always free for visitors under age 18, visitors with disabilities and their caregivers receive free admission, members of the military and police and fire departments and veterans, and Illinois elementary and high school teachers. To encourage more people to visit and visit often, the MCA has a pay-what-you-can policy — no one will be turned away."
Chicago Cultural Center
Chicago Cultural Center
4.7 (4856 ratings)4.5 (2824 ratings)
Free art & shows in an 1897 Beaux-Arts building with vaulted lobby, mosaics & 2 stained-glass domes.
78 E Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602, USA
Cultural centerShoppingArt centerArt GalleriesArchitectural Buildings
Chicago History Museum
Chicago History Museum
4.6 (2042 ratings)4.5 (1035 ratings)
Photos, artifacts, newsreels & dioramas bring to life historical events, architecture & more.
1601 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
History museumMuseumsCultural centerLocal history museum
Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art
Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art
4.7 (132 ratings)4.5 (17 ratings)
Museum focused exclusively on folk & outsider art, also offering performances & lectures.
756 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60642, USA
Art museumShoppingArt centerArt galleryCultural centerEvent venueGift shop
Mentioned by Holidify
Art Galleries in Chicago
"Intuit: The centre for intuitive and outsider art is the only non-profit organization in the United States that presents intuitive, outsider and contemporary self-taught art. The Henry Darger Collection holds a permanent spot in this gallery, which also features a permanent collection containing more than a thousand artworks. There is a study centre at the gallery: Robert A. Roth Study Center, which conducts educational programs and is open for the public."
Mentioned by Expedia Viewfinder
The Best Galleries and Art Museums in Chicago
"This is a term coined by its founders to describe art created by self-taught artists or those without any formal training. The focus here is on artists who for any number of reasons exist outside of mainstream art. The permanent collection features artists including Minnie Evans, Miles Carpenter, and William Hawkins."
Mentioned by Kev's Best
5 Best Art Galleries in Chicago 🥇
"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."
Chicago Truborn
Chicago Truborn
4.8 (47 ratings)
1741 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, USA
Art galleryArt dealerArts organizationBoutique
Mentioned by Holidify
Art Galleries in Chicago
"Founded in 2011, the Chicago Truborn Gallery is a small community–based non–a traditional gallery dedicated to supporting the art of the neglected mediums of artistic creation, emphasising street, urban and graffiti art. At this gallery, exhibitions keep rotating every five weeks, so there is always room for something new and fresh on the walls. The gallery has also won the title of “Best Gallery” thrice, for being highly innovative, approachable, and affordable but at the same time maintain a great degree of taste in art."
Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA)
Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA)
4.3 (90 ratings)4.5 (59 ratings)
Medieval, Renaissance & baroque art collections that reflect the faith of various cultures.
820 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
Art museumMuseums
National Cambodian Heritage Museum
National Cambodian Heritage Museum
4.9 (19 ratings)
2831 W Lawrence Ave, Chicago, IL 60625, USA
MuseumCultural centerHeritage museum
Mentioned by Your Chicago Guide
AMAZING Free Things To Do in Chicago
"This museum and memorial tells the story of Khmer Rouge and the Killing Field through multimedia displays, archives, narratives, and a collection of monumental and authentic artifacts. Guided tours are available so you can learn more about what happened during the Cambodian Civil War. Hours are subject to change, so they advise that you call prior to visiting (773-878-7090)."
Jackson Junge Gallery
Jackson Junge Gallery
4.7 (83 ratings)
1389 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, USA
Art gallery
Mentioned by Preview Chicago
Top 5 Art Galleries In Chicago Neighborhoods
"Jackson Junge Gallery was established by artist Jackson Junge as a way to exhibiting art from established and emerging artists. The gallery features a wide range of mediums of contemporary art and hand-made crafts."

Best Dessert in Chicago

Club Lucky
Club Lucky
4.6 (763 ratings)
Old-school Italian cooking & martinis in a mid-century-themed supper-club setting with a lounge.
1824 W Wabansia Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, USA
Italian restaurantDessert restaurantGluten-free restaurantHamburger restaurantDelivery RestaurantTakeout RestaurantRestaurantSeafood restaurantSteak houseVegetarian restaurant
Warm Belly Bakery
Warm Belly Bakery
4.5 (106 ratings)
Modern, colorful sweet shop with a rotating cookie menu, plus shakes, ice cream & gourmet coffee.
1148 W Monroe St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
BakeryCafeCoffee shopCookie shopDessert shopIce cream shopWholesale bakery
George's Ice Cream & Sweets
George's Ice Cream & Sweets
4.7 (789 ratings)
Comfy neighborhood ice cream shop serving classic & unique flavors, plus sundaes, cupcakes & coffee.
5306 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, USA
Ice cream shopDessert shop
Mentioned by Time Out Chicago
The 14 best ice cream shops in Chicago
"Restaurants Ice cream parlors Andersonville. Scooping ice cream for more than a decade, George's has long been considered a community gathering place for fans young and old. There are many reasons to love this sweet, family-owned shop, and among them is the Geor-Gantic, a five-scoop masterpiece that's loaded with brownie bits, waffle chips, chocolate pretzels, hot fudge, caramel and rainbow sprinkles."

Cheap Places to Eat in Chicago

Go 4 Food
Go 4 Food
4.6 (82 ratings)
212 W 23rd St, Chicago, IL 60616, USA
Chinese restaurantAsian fusion restaurantChinese takeawayDelivery Chinese restaurantSeafood restaurant
Chicago's Dog House
Chicago's Dog House
4.6 (537 ratings)
Chicago-style hot dogs plus creative specialty dogs, gourmet sausages & more in a cool-casual space.
816 W Fullerton Ave, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
Hot dog restaurantTakeout RestaurantRestaurant
Big City Chicken
Big City Chicken
2.9 (88 ratings)
Counter serve on the pier doling out traditional fried chicken, sandwiches, french fries & floats.
600 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
Fast food restaurantBarChicken restaurantFood court

Best & Cool Science and Space Museums in Chicago

Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago
Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago
4.7 (19637 ratings)4.5 (9557 ratings)
Sprawling, hands-on museum full of informative, child-friendly scientific & industrial exhibits.
5700 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
Science museumMuseums
Field Museum
Field Museum
4.7 (15781 ratings)4.5 (8089 ratings)
State-of-the-art museum of science & invention, with the world's largest Tyrannosaurus Rex.
1400 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60605, USA
MuseumNatural history museumScience museumSpecialty Museums
Mentioned by Curbed Chicago
The 26 best things to do in Chicago with kids
"This Grant Park natural history museum offers dinosaurs like Maximo the titanosaur and SUE, the world’s largest, best-preserved, and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex. You can also see a real mummy, experience an array of hands-on activities in the Crown Family Play Lab, and watch a rotating schedule of 3D movies. View this post on Instagram"
Chicago Botanic Garden
Chicago Botanic Garden
4.8 (1759 ratings)5 (1073 ratings)
385 acres of landscaped gardens displaying millions of plants & flowers in a variety of settings.
1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL 60022, USA
Botanical gardenSights & LandmarksArt schoolCafeCoffee shopEducational institutionMuseumNature preserveNon-profit organizationPreschoolScience museumGardensScenic Walking Areas
Mentioned by Fodor's Choice
Sights in Chicago
"Among the 26 different gardens here are the three-island Malott Japanese Garden, the 5-acre Evening Island, and the Grunsfeld Children's…"

Vacation Rentals, Airbnb, Hotels & Cabins near Chicago

Moxy Chicago Downtown
Hotel
$217.55 /night
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2BR/2BA Brand New Executive Luxury Suite w/ Rooftop Pool, Gym and Balcony by ENVITAE
Apartment
$249 /night
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Kinzie Hotel
Hotel
$299 /night
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