Art
10 art exhibitions in Chicago to look forward to in 2026
Chicago’s art scene has never been accused of subtlety. One minute you’re contemplating Matisse’s cut-paper reveries, the next you’re...
Museums
Your guide to the best Chicago museums, exhibitions and shows
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Chicago's 12 best museums
These are out favorite institutions devoted to art, history and science.
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Free museums and galleries
If you're exploring on a budget, check out these free-to-visit spots.
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The best Chicago art museums
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Art Institute of Chicago
Flanked by iconic bronze lions, this encyclopedic institution owns more than 300,000 artworks and artifacts from all over the world
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Mary & Leigh Block Museum of Art
Situated on the Northwestern University campus, this museum’s permanent collection boasts 4,000-plus works
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DePaul Art Museum
Hop off the Red or Brown Line at Fullerton and take in an eclectic exhibit at the DePaul Art Museum
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Museum of Contemporary Art
The MCA houses one of the largest collections of modern art in the nation and frequently hosts major touring exhibits
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Museum of Contemporary Photography
See a brilliant mix of archival and new photos at Columbia College's picture-perfect museum
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Smart Museum of Art
The University of Chicago's fine art museum hosts a mixture of contemporary pieces and antiquities from its collection
Top art exhibits in Chicago
Art
Theaster Gates: "Unto Thee"
Until February 2026, the University of Chicago's Smart Museum of Art hosts “Unto Thee,” Theaster Gates's first solo museum exhibition in his...
Art
Mutuality
“Mutuality” a group exhibition of new works created during the 11th year of the Hyde Park Art Center’s biennial Center...
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The best science and history museums in Chicago
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Adler Planetarium
Take a virtual-reality trip through time and space or enjoy the stars at this lakefront planetarium
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The Field Museum
This massive natural history museum still packs ’em in with more than 30 permanent exhibitions covering 300,000 square feet
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Chicago History Museum
Cull through thousands of archived photographs and curi and take in several permanent and temporary exhibits
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Shedd Aquarium
This 75-year-old institution houses enduring favorites such as piranhas, frogs and snakes of the Amazon
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Museum of Science and Industry
If you’re into exhibits loaded with interactive bells and whistles, this expansive Hyde Park locale is your ticket
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The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
From prairie and river ecosystems to the biology of Ice Age–mammals, the focus at this Lincoln Park museum is vast and varied