Attractions
From its world-class attractions and museums, to cutting edge theatre and music venues, Chicago, ‘The City of Big Shoulders,’ more than supports its reputation as a well-cultured city. Whether it's indulging in retail therapy, visiting one of Chicago's renowned museums, or taking a trip to the newest lakefront addition, Millennium Park, there's something for everyone in Chicago.
Museums
Few cities can boast as many museums and cultural institutions as Chicago. Only here can you bask in the cobalt glow of Marc Chagall, then come face-to-face with the largest Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton ever discovered. Come discover our endless treasures. Here are just a few:
- Art Institute of Chicago - This world-class institution holds the largest collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings outside of Paris. You'll also see Marc Chagall's extraordinary stained glass windows and such classics as Grant Wood's American Gothic, Georges Seurat's A Sunday on La Grande Jatte and Edward Hopper's Nighthawks.
- National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum - Paintings, sculpture, photography, and poetry created exclusively by Vietnam War veterans. The only museum of its kind in the United States.
- Field Museum - Meet Sue, the world's largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, and discover an extensive exhibition of objects illustrating art, archaeology, natural science and history in this natural history museum.
- Shedd Aquarium - The largest indoor aquarium in the world. Watch whales, dolphins, harbour seals, sea otters and penguins cavort at the extraordinary Oceanarium. In the Wild Reef exhibit, floor-to-ceiling windows provide a diver's view of sharks and other predators in 26 interconnected habitats.
- Chicago History Museum - The history of Chicago, Illinois and America is explored in permanent and visiting exhibitions.
- Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum - Head to beautiful Lincoln Park and step into the Judy Istock Butterfly Haven-a 28-foot tall greenhouse aflutter with butterflies from seven countries around the world.
Architecture
From Daniel Burnham (who designed the "White City" of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition) to Frank Lloyd Wright to Mies van der Rohe's famous steel and glass skyscrapers, Chicago's landmark buildings are unforgettable.
The Great Fire of 1871 played a pivotal part in the architecture of the city. No one knows for certain how it started, although folklore seems to point to a barn on the city's west side. The blaze began early on a Sunday morning on October 8, 1871. By early Monday morning it had jumped the river and reached the business district. The fire burned until late Monday when rain helped douse the flames. By then it had destroyed 17,000 buildings and caused $200 million in damage.
After the fire, Chicago was a blank slate and the city reinvented itself as the great modern metropolis it is today. Architects and landscape designers flocked here from around the country and the Chicago School of Architecture was born. Here are a couple of popular tour options:
- Take one of the acclaimed tours and discover Chicago's architecture! Marvel at Chicago's soaring towers while enjoying a 90-minute, narrated river cruise. This tour spotlights more than 50 architecturally significant sites where you will discover a new perspective on the city. Come aboard the vessels of Chicago's Finest Fleet.
Architecture River Cruise - The Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust offers a variety of guided and self-guided tours of these landmark buildings and their architecturally rich neighborhoods. All tours support the Preservation Trust's education, restoration and preservation programs. Frank Lloyd Wright Tours
Shopping
You will be staying on the Magnificent Mile...with four shopping centers, world-renowned boutiques, and dozens of locally-acclaimed designers, this one-mile stretch of Michigan Avenue is a shopper's paradise. As you stroll along the "Mag Mile," run into Niketown, the Apple Store, Tiffany, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Ralph Lauren's flagship boutique, or any of the other high-end shops that line this beautiful tree-lined boulevard. Here are some of the key stops along the avenue:
- Chicago Place - Eight levels of luxurious shopping including Saks Fifth Avenue and 45 other eclectic boutiques. 700 N. Michigan
- 900 North Michigan - A remarkable collection of 70 distinctive shops and restaurants including Bloomingdale's, Gucci, Max Mara and Mark Shale. 900 N. Michigan
- Water Tower Place - Named for one of the only buildings that survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 (the original is now a museum one block north), Water Tower Place is an eight-level atrium with Macy's and over 100 other shops and restaurants. 835 N. Michigan
- The Shops at North Bridge - Home to Nordstrom department store and 50 world-class specialty shops, including 20 great restaurants. 520 N. Michigan