In the past year or so I have written extensively about Chicago being an ideal family-friendly travel destination. From restaurants to monuments, kids’ activities to seasonal festivities, it’s hard to find a place that offers parents so many kid-friendly options than the Windy City.
That being said, as I looked through my article archives I noticed that I have neglected to write about some of the city’s incredible cultural attractions. So without further adieu, here are some of my family’s favorite places to have fun and learn a few lessons in the process.
Art Institute of Chicago
You can’t miss this Chicago landmark—-just look for the famous pair of bronze lions guarding the front steps. This is where you want to take your first souvenir shot (everyone does). Save the rest of your roll for when you are inside gazing at the more than 300,000 works of art. The museum is home to one of the most extensive collections of impressionist and post-impressionist works in the country. Nothing quite compares to seeing American Gothic by Grant Wood and 33 paintings by Claude Monet in one afternoon. Admission is $12 for adults and $7 for children over 12. You can also opt to take part in a guided gallery talk.
Chicago Cultural Center
Across the street from the city’s amazing Millennium Park music pavilion sits another architectural marvel, the Chicago Cultural Center. The building once housed the Chicago Public Library, but now it is better known as the “people’s palace.” Take a step inside and you’ll see why. The structure boasts intricate marble mosaics, a majestic grand staircase climbing up to the world’s largest Tiffany glass dome, and classic Romanesque architecture. It’s where the city hosts hundreds of free cultural events each year, including traveling photo exhibits and poetry readings.
The Museum of Contemporary Art
It’s one stop viewing for visitors at the Museum of Contemporary Art. The building boasts pictures, paintings, and sculptures dating back to the 1940s. Its permanent collection includes work by Andy Warhol and Francis Bacon, but also features temporary exhibits, which often take over the entire building. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. every Tuesday, and is closed Mondays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. Admission is $10 for adults, $6 for students and seniors, and free for kids under 13. Admission is also free on Tuesdays.
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