The AIC is one of the great museums of the world and the preeminent arts institution of the Midwest. Its collections span 5,000 years and draw on the cultures of Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas, and its collection of Impressionist and post-Impr..

Affectionately called the Bean, the gate (by sculptor Anish Kapoor) will draw you like a moth to flame. The gleaming "kidney bean" of stainless steel creates fantastic reflections of the city skyline and the crowds. Step under it for an eff..

The granddaddy of Chicago's historic theaters, this classic venue, which opened in 1889, makes for theatergoing at its best. Its fine acoustics and lovely, renovated spaces are a delight. Programming varies from local dance troupes such as the Joffre..

Crowned by a metallic proscenium arch designed by Frank Gehry, Pritzker Pavilion is the scene of free summertime concerts. The "waterproof" lawn is a great place to bring a picnic. The theater accommodates 4,000 in fixed seats and 7,000 on ..

Despite some grumbling about its cost when it opened in 2004, Millennium Park is among the city's nicest assets. Its 24.5 acres are filled with something to see at every turn. With architectural elements designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry, pl..

Looming large along the lakefront, Chicago's busy Loop and its environs have been fertile grounds for architectural innovation since the fire in 1871. Named for the elevated tracks that girdle them, these blocks bustle with workday energy as Chicagoa..

Tallest building in the world for over 20 years, this 110-story feat of engineering cuts an unmistakable profile on the city's skyline. Though its formal name changed from the Sears Tower to Willis Tower in 2009, the structure still holds the title..

Hard by Lake Michigan, the Shedd is the world's largest indoor aquarium. It houses some 8,000 aquatic animals comprising 650 species from around the globe—from tiny, jewel-like spiny lobsters to 1,500-pound beluga whales. The Shedd's exhibits and pro..

This world-class natural history institution occupies a suitably grand place at the south end of Grant Park. Nine acres of exhibit halls and over 20 million artifacts occupy the vast Neoclassical edifice where collections, exhibits and public program..

This promenade along North Michigan Avenue, from the Chicago River north to Oak Street, is the city's most prestigious thoroughfare, blooming with plantings in the summer and twinkling with holiday lights all winter. Lined with exclusive boutiques an..

Muscular and monumental, nothing represents Chicago ("the city of big shoulders") more than this 1,127ft skyscraper (1969). It's the third-tallest building in Chicago, the fourth-tallest in the US and, because of its huge cross-bracing stel..

In addition to its wonderful penguin and bird houses, bear and cat habitats and sea lion pool, this accessible zoo replicates animal environments and presents activities designed to encourage the animals' natural behaviors. Worth a special stop is th..

This noisy hall of wonders and widgets is one of Chicago's most popular attractions. Dedicated to presenting science, industry and technology in an entertaining way, the museum's hands-on displays invite visitors to push, pull, compute and enjoy expl..

The 68 charming rooms in this unique, internationally-renowned collection display a gamut of interior decorative styles ranging from 13C Europe to 20C America. Mrs. James Ward Thorne's childhood interest in miniature decorative objects grew into an o..

For the young and young at heart, the fountain provides not only a cool wadking pool but a wonderful shifting array of 50ft projected faces. Spahish artist Jaume Plensa created the whimsical work of steel, glass and light.

This marvelous Neoclassical palazzo served as the city's first library when completed in 1897. Noteworthy elements include a smooth limestone facade, recessed windows and elaborate Renaissance moldings at the entrance, cornice and balconies. Step ins..

The lobby in this building features a stunning Tiffany glass mosaic illustrating the journeys of French explorer Jacques Marquette

Completed in 1974, this three-building complex is a wonderful example of the steel-and-glass International style for which architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe became so famous. Though unadorned, its beauty depends on its perfect proportions. The restr..

This long, narrow building exemplifies the architectural revolutin that saw bricks replaced by steel. The northern half of the building (1891) is the tallest masonry structure in Chicago, and was designed by Burnham & Root. The southern half of the b..

Years ahead of its time, this building (1895, Charles B. Atwood) anticipated the glass and steel skyscrapers of Mies van der Rohe and the Second Chicago school. The building exemplifies the possibilites inherent in skeletal frame construction. Its fa..