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Welcome to Chicago
Gay Chicago
Getting Here & Around
Sightseeing
Arts & Entertainment
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Sightseeing
Chicago offers such a staggering array of sights and attractions; you may find yourself struggling to decide what to see first. The city is truly a living museum, with so much to see and experience inside and outdoors. Most of the attractions are located along the lakefront, but there is plenty to see inland.
Perhaps the largest concentration of museums can be found in Grant Park, where history, art and science converge. Mummies, Native American artifacts and fossilized dinosaurs including the famous Tyrannosaurus rex named Sue are just part of the internationally renowned collections of The Field Museum of Natural History (above). Those who prefer living, swimming specimens will enjoy one of the world's largest indoor collections of aquatic mammals, reptiles, fish and more at the John G. Shedd Aquarium and Oceanarium. After the seas, look to the stars at the Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum, where the StarRider Theater transports visitors to planets, moons and distant galaxies.
Renowned collections of impressionist and post-impressionist collections and works from around the globe can be viewed at The Art Institute of Chicago. Visitors can study classics such as Seurat's A Sunday on La Grande Jatte-1884, Hopper's Nighthawks, Dali's Inventions of Monsters and Wood's American Gothic. Nearby, the Museum of Contemporary Photography displays some of its 7,000 images by 900 artists, many of whom are lesbian and gay.
One of the city's most popular attractions, the Museum of Science and Industry features a 3,500-foot railroad exhibit, a 16-foot model of the human heart and a simulated space shuttle ride and view of the Apollo 8 spacecraft. The Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum is the largest museum of its kind in the U.S. The DuSable Museum of African-American History presents the history and culture of Africans and African Americans through art and artifacts, music, dance and film.
On the north end of the Magnificent Mile, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) welcomes visitors to experience works of various media and genre. A diverse mix of permanent collections and special exhibitions, as well as musical, theatrical, cinema and dance performances, presents a dynamic cultural experience. In Lincoln Park, the Chicago History Museum collects and interprets the city's rich multicultural heritage, including that of the LGBT community. The Museum's program "OUT at CHM: Exploring the LGBT Past" works to inform the public about Chicago's LGBT community and includes LGBT history in its collections.
Head east on Grand Avenue and visit historic Navy Pier, a gigantic complex of shopping, dining, culture and live entertainment, and the most-visited site in Chicago. Navy Pier is home to the Chicago Children's Museum as well as an IMAX theater, Ferris wheel and over 40,000 square feet of retail and dining. You'll also find the Crystal Gardens, a breathtaking indoor botanical park that hosts events year round. Visitors can catch fireworks at the Pier Wednesdays and Saturdays in the summer. Trolleys provide free transportation between Navy Pier and State Street along Grand Avenue and Illinois Street, and some sightseeing buses stop and pick up at the Pier's front entrance. During the summer, catch a water taxi between Navy Pier and the Museum Campus.
No visit to Chicago is complete without a walk among the awesome creations in Millennium Park. From the glimmering Cloud Gate affectionately dubbed "The Bean" to the inspiring Crown Fountain to the Frank Gehry-designed Jay Pritzker Pavilion (which hosts a series of free events), Millennium Park is a treat for the senses. To learn more about the park, visit the Millennium Park Welcome Center at 201 E. Randolph Street.
For an in-depth look at the city's outdoor art and iconic architecture, spend a couple of hours on a Chicago Architecture Foundation tour. Hear the stories behind the landmark skyscrapers and ornamental facades and learn about the different architectural styles and influences that give the city its character. Tours are available on foot, by bike, on the "L," via Segway, and on incredibly popular boat tours.
Chicago's neighborhoods are rich in history, culture and diversity. Visitors can explore the distinctive histories and flavors of these enclaves on Chicago Neighborhood Tours, informative and fun guided outings into various communities. Half-day bus tours depart from the Chicago Cultural Center. For an insider's look at Chicago, the Chicago Greeter Program matches knowledgeable locals with a visitor for a two-to-four-hour informal orientation. To sign up for a Chicago Greeter, register seven days in advance at www.chicagogreeter.com or call 312-744-8000.
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