The Art Institute of Chicago

One of the Windy City’s most iconic attractions, the Art Institute of Chicago houses an encyclopedic collection of 300,000 pieces spanning more than 5,000 years and representing some of the most recognizable artists in the world. Flanked by a pair of bronze lion sculptures at its Michigan Avenue entrance, the landmark museum continuously rotates its 10,000 items on display, making each visit a new experience even for longtime members.

The world-renowned institution was founded as the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts in 1879, a time during which Chicago was trying to rebuild from the Great Fire of 1871 that decimated the city. The Chicago Art Institute moved into its current Beaux-Arts building just after the World’s Columbian Exposition concluded in 1893. The museum’s Modern Wing opened in 2009 (one of eight major expansions the building has undergone). In recent years, the museum has updated its lobby, added new European galleries and has plans to unveil its new Grainger Center for Conservation and Science in 2027. 

Tucked within the sprawling maze of gallery spaces, a few of the museum’s most popular holdings include instantly recognizable masterpieces, such as George Seurat’s wall-size “A Sunday on La Grande Jatte,” Claude Monet’s “Water Lilies,” Edward Hopper’s “Nighthawks,” Pablo Picasso’s Blue Period work “The Old Guitarist” and Grant Wood’s “American Gothic.”

It’s easy to spend an entire day exploring and admiring with a lunch break in the middle at the on-site cafe. For those who are on a bit of a tighter timetable, the self-guided “What to see in an hour” tour option hits the highlights of this incredible art collection. 111 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60603, 312/443-3600, artic.edu