30 Best Sights in Chicago, Illinois

Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, this multipurpose skyscraper is distinguished by its tapering shape and enormous X braces, which help stabilize its 100 stories. Soon after it went up in 1970, it earned the nickname "Big John." No wonder: it's 1,127 feet tall (the taller east tower is 1,506 feet counting its antennae). Packed with retail space, parking, offices, a restaurant, and residences, it has been likened to a city within a city. Like the Willis Tower, which was designed by the same architectural team, this skyscraper offers views of four states on clear days. To see them, ascend to the 94th-floor observatory—now dubbed 360 Chicago ($30). While there, visitors can grab a cocktail, beer, wine, hot drink or nonalcoholic beverage at Bar 94, which can only be accessed with a General Admission ticket. Thrill seekers can pay an additional fee to take advantage of the tower's most exciting feature, The Tilt ($8), which has eight windows that tilt downward to a 30-degree angle, giving you a unique perspective on the city below. Those with vertigo might prefer a seat in the bar of the 96th-floor Signature Lounge; the tab will be steep, but you don't pay the observatory fee and you'll be steady on your feet.

Taking you on a journey through the stars to unlock the mysteries of our galaxy and beyond, the Adler tells amazing stories of space exploration through high-tech exhibits and immersive theater experiences. Artifacts and interactive elements bring these fascinating tales of space and its pioneers down to earth. The Grainger Sky Theater gives an up-close view of stunning space phenomena, and the magnificent imagery is so realistic that it might only be surpassed by actual space travel. The newest permanent exhibit is "The Universe: A Walk Through Space and Time." A spectacular projection showcases the enormity of the universe, and touch screens let you investigate diverse and beautiful objects from deep space. Journey through space in the Definiti Space Theater, or don 3-D glasses to view celestial phenomena in the Samuel C. Johnson Family Star Theater.

Just north of Uptown there's a neighborhood that feels like a small town and still shows signs of the Swedish settlers who founded it. Andersonville has some great restaurants and bakeries, many of which pay tribute to its Scandinavian roots. In winter months, be sure to drop by Simon's Tavern, at 5210 North Clark, for a glass of glögg (mulled wine)—it's a traditional favorite. Helping anchor the area is the Women & Children First bookstore, at 5233 North Clark, which stocks an extensive selection of feminist tomes and children's lit.

Come for the sterling collection of old masters and impressionists (an entire room is dedicated to Monet); linger over the extraordinary and comprehensive photography collection; take in a number of fine American works; and discover paintings, drawings, sculpture, and design spanning the ancient to the contemporary world.

With its flanking lions and marble lobby, the Michigan Avenue main building was once part of the World's Columbian Exposition. It opened as the Art Institute on December 8, 1893. While the collection is best known for its impressionist and postimpressionist pieces, visitors will find works from a vast range of periods and places, including Greek, Roman, Byzantine, European, Asian, African, and Native American art. Such iconic works as Grant Wood's American Gothic and Edward Hopper's Nighthawks can be found in the American galleries. Chicago favorites like the Thorne Miniature Room and Chagall's stained-glass American Windows are must-sees as well.

After the Renzo Piano–designed Modern Wing opened in 2009, the Art Institute became one of the largest art museums in the country. The 264,000-square-foot building contains the finest 20th- and 21st-century art in many mediums.

"Hands-on" is the operative concept at this brightly colored Navy Pier anchor. Kids can tinker with tools, climb through three stories of tunnels, play at being a firefighter, dig for dinosaur fossils, and create a masterpiece in the Art Studio.

Seeking to bring Chicago's often complicated history to life, this museum has several strong permanent exhibits, including "Chicago: Crossroads of America," which celebrates homegrown cultural contributions from urban blues to the skyscraper and demystifies tragedies like the Haymarket Affair, in which a bomb thrown during a labor rally in 1884 led to eight anarchists being convicted of conspiracy. In "Sensing Chicago," kids can feel what the city was once like—they can catch a fly ball at Comiskey Park (now U.S. Cellular Field), dress up like a Chicago-style hot dog, and take a spin on a penny-farthing bicycle. “City on Fire: Chicago 1871” immerses visitors in the destruction and aftermath of the notorious inferno that displaced one-third of the city’s residents in just two days.

Sitting alongside the lagoons of Washington Park, the DuSable Museum, a Smithsonian Institution affiliate, offers an evocative exploration of the African American experience. The most moving display is about slavery—rusted shackles used on slave ships are among the poignant and disturbing artifacts. The museum also has a significant art collection. Rotating exhibits showcase African American milestones, achievements, and contributions.

More than 400,000 square feet of exhibit space fill this gigantic museum, which explores cultures and environments from around the world. Interactive displays examine such topics as the secrets of Egyptian mummies, the art and innovations of people living in the Ancient Americas, and the evolution of life on Earth. Originally funded by Chicago retailer Marshall Field, the museum was founded in 1893 to hold material gathered for the World's Columbian Exposition; its current neoclassical home opened in 1921. The museum holds the world's best dinosaur collections but the star of the show is 65-million-year-old "Sue," the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex fossil ever found.

Don't hesitate to take toddlers to the Field. In the Crown Family PlayLab, kids two to six years old can play house in a re-created pueblo and compare their footprints with a dinosaur's.

Escape winter's cold or revel in summer sunshine inside this huge "landscape art under glass" structure, which houses tropical palms, spiny cacti, and showy blooms. A children's garden has climbable leaf sculptures and a tube slide that winds through trees. The "Sugar from the Sun" exhibit focuses on the elements of photosynthesis—sunlight, air, water, and sugar—in a full-sensory environment filled with spewing steam, trickling water, and chirping sounds. Don't miss the historic Jens Jensen–designed Fern Room with its lagoon, waterfalls, and profusion of ferns. On-site events include botanical-theme fashion shows, seasonal flower shows, and great educational programing.

At this urban enclave near Lake Michigan, you can watch snow monkeys unwind in the hot springs of the Regenstein Macaque Forest or ogle gorillas and chimpanzees in the sprawling Regenstein Center for African Apes, which has three separate habitats complete with bamboo stands, termite mounds, and 5,000 feet of swinging vines. Brave big cats (separated by a window, of course) outside the Pepper Family Wildlife Center, a 2021 redesign of the zoo’s lion habitat conceived with input from an app that collected data on the star residents’ behavior. Animals both slithery (pythons) and strange (sloths) reside in the glass-domed Regenstein Small Mammal and Reptile House, while the big guys (hippos, giraffes, and black rhinos) are in the Regenstein African Journey.

Bird lovers should make a beeline to the McCormick Bird House, which contains extremely rare species—including the Bali mynah, Guam rail, and Guam Micronesian kingfisher, some of which are extinct in the wild. Families with little ones in tow will also want to see Farm-in-the-Zoo (with its barnyard animals and learning centers), and the Lionel Train Adventure ride. Be sure to leave time for a ride (or two) on the AT&T Endangered Species Carousel, featuring a menagerie of 48 rare and endangered animals.

Michigan Avenue, or Mag Mile as some call it, is a potpourri of historic buildings, upscale boutiques, department stores, and posh hotels. (It is also the city's most popular place for people-watching.) Among its jewels are the Tribune Tower, the Wrigley Building, 875 North Michigan Avenue (formerly the John Hancock Center), the Drake Hotel, and the Historic Water Tower.

With Anish Kapoor's giant, polished-steel Cloud Gate sculpture (affectionately known as "The Bean"), the fun fountains, and a Disney-esque music pavilion—all the pieces of this park quickly stole the hearts of Chicagoans and visitors alike when it opened 2004. The showstopper is Frank Gehry's stunning Jay Pritzker Pavilion. Dramatic ribbons of stainless steel stretching 40 feet into the sky look like petals wrapping the music stage. The 1,525-seat Harris Theater for Music and Dance provides an indoor alternative for fans of the performing arts.

In the park's southwest corner, the Crown Fountain features dozens of Chicagoans' faces rotating through on two 50-foot-high glass block–tower fountains. When a face purses its lips, water shoots out its "mouth." Kids love it, and adults feel like kids watching it. More conventional park perks include the lovely Lurie Garden (a four-season delight) and the seasonal McCormick Tribune Ice Rink, which opens for public skating each winter.

The MSI is one of the most-visited sites in Chicago, and for good reason. The sprawling space has 14 acres of exhibit space on three floors, with new exhibits added constantly. The museum's high-tech interior is hidden by a Classical Revival exterior, designed in 1892 by D.H. Burnham & Company to house the Palace of Fine Arts for the World's Columbian Exposition. Beautifully landscaped Jackson Park and its peaceful, Japanese-style Osaka Garden are behind the museum.

One of the most popular aquariums in the country, the Shedd houses more than 32,500 creatures from around the world. "Amazon Rising" houses piranhas, snakes, and stingrays in an 8,600-square-foot exhibit that resembles a flooded forest and re-creates the rise and fall of floodwaters. A shark-filled 400,000-gallon tank is part of "Wild Reef," which explores marine biodiversity in the Indo-Pacific. The exhibit also has colorful corals, stingrays that slide by under your feet, and other surprising creatures, all from the waters around the Philippines. Whales and dolphins live in the spectacular Oceanarium, which has pools that seem to blend into Lake Michigan. The aquatic show here stars dancing belugas, leaping dolphins, and comical penguins. Be sure to get an underwater glimpse of the dolphins and whales through the viewing windows on the lower level, where you can also find a bunch of information-packed, hands-on activities.

Lines for the Shedd often extend all the way down the neoclassical steps. Buy a ticket in advance to avoid the interminable wait, or spring for a CityPASS.

You don't have to be Swedish to find this tiny and welcoming museum interesting. Permanent displays include trunks immigrants brought with them to Chicago and a map showing where in the city different immigrant groups settled. On the third floor, in the only children's museum in the country dedicated to immigration, kids can climb aboard a colorful Viking ship.

Similar to New York City’s High Line, this abandoned elevated rail line—open since 2015—is now a fun place to walk and take in art all at once. Edgy, splashy and bright murals are depicted along the 2.7-mile route, which you can access by hopping on the CTA’s Blue Line and getting off at the Western or Damen stops. The route runs through the Wicker Park, Humboldt Park, Bucktown and Logan Square neighborhoods. Take along some water and sunscreen; on summer days the more exposed stretches of the trail get rather sunbaked. 

Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in 1974, the former Sears Tower was the world's tallest building until 1996. The 110-story, 1,730-foot-tall structure may have lost its title and even changed its name, but it’s still tough to top the Willis Tower's 103rd-floor Skydeck—on a clear day it offers views of Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Indiana. Enter on Jackson Boulevard to take the ear-popping ride up.

Check the visibility ratings at the security desk before you decide to ascend.

Video monitors turn the 70-second elevator ride into a thrilling trip. Interactive exhibits inside the observatory bring Chicago's dreamers, schemers, architects, musicians, and sports stars to life; and computer kiosks in six languages help international travelers key into Chicago hot spots. For many visitors, though, the highlight (literally) is stepping out on the Ledge, a glass box that extends 4.3 feet from the building, making you feel as if you're suspended 1,353 feet in the air.

The nation's second-oldest major league ballpark—venerable, ivy-covered Wrigley Field—hosted its first major league game in 1914 and has been home to the Chicago Cubs since 1916. The original scoreboard is still used (score-by-innings, players' numbers, strikes, outs, hits, and errors are all posted manually), and though renovations have modernized the park, the character that makes this place so special remains intact. If you look up along Sheffield and Waveland Avenues beyond the bleachers, you can see the rooftop patios where baseball fans pay high prices to cheer for the home team; devoted "ball hawks" sit in lawn chairs on Sheffield, waiting for foul balls to fly their way. While you're here, check out the Harry Caray statue commemorating the late Cubs announcer; at the seventh-inning stretch, fans sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" in his honor. Tours of the park and dugouts are given from April to October. Note that big-name concerts by the likes of Elton John and Bruce Springsteen are also staged here when the team is out of town.

Film buffs shouldn't leave Lincoln Park without visiting this nonprofit movie theater, which presents an eclectic selection of films from around the world. Each year, Facets also hosts the Chicago International Children's Film Festival: one of the only Academy Award–qualifying children’s film festivals in the world, it showcases the best in culturally diverse, value-affirming new cinema for kids.

Bordered by Lake Michigan to the east, a spectacular skyline to the west, and the Museum Campus to the south, Grant Park serves as the city's front yard and unofficial gathering place. This pristine open space has walking paths, a stand of stately elm trees, and formal rose gardens, where Loop dwellers and 9-to-5-ers take refuge from the concrete and steel. It also hosts many of the city's largest outdoor events, including the annual Taste of Chicago, a vast picnic featuring foods from more than 70 restaurants.

The park's centerpiece is the gorgeous, tiered Buckingham Fountain (between Columbus and Lake Shore Drives, east of Congress Plaza), which has intricate pink-marble seashell designs, water-spouting fish, and bronze sculptures of sea horses. Built in 1927, it was patterned after one at Versailles but is about twice the size. See the fountain in all its glory between early May and mid-October, when it's elaborately illuminated at night and sprays colorfully lighted waters. Linger long enough to experience the spectacular display that takes place every hour on the hour, and you'll witness the center jet of water shoot 150 feet into the air.

On Wednesday and Saturday morning from May through October, the market takes over a large swath of grass at the south end of Lincoln Park. Farm stands showcase locally grown fruits and vegetables, as well as meats, cheeses, and pastas. Visitors can also dine at food booths and watch cooking demonstrations by local celebrity chefs. 

Opened in 1991 and named for Chicago's first African American mayor, this library was primarily designed by architect Thomas Beeby, of Hammond, Beeby & Babka. Gargantuan and almost goofy, the granite-and-brick edifice is a uniquely postmodern homage to Chicago's great architectural past. The heavy, rusticated ground level recalls the Rookery; the stepped-back, arched windows are a reference to the great arches in the Auditorium Theatre; the swirling terra-cotta design is pinched from the Marquette Building; and the glass curtain wall on the west side is a nod to 1950s modernism. The huge, gargoyle-like sculptures atop the building include owls, a symbol of wisdom. The excellent Children's Library, an 18,000-square-foot haven on the second floor, has vibrant wall-mounted figures by Chicago Imagist Karl Wirsum. Works by noted Chicago artists are displayed along a second-floor walkway above the main lobby. There's also an impressive Winter Garden with skylights on the ninth floor. Free programs and performances are offered regularly.

Another Chicago under-the-radar gem, this park was designed by William Le Baron Jenney in the mid-1800s and his work was expanded upon several years later by Jens Jensen. The 1907 Prairie School boathouse is the park’s centerpiece, home to free cultural events and swan pedal boat rentals. The park has a formal garden, tennis courts, baseball fields, bike paths, and the city's only inland beach. In 2019 Humboldt Park temporarily became the subject of local obsession when an immature alligator---likely someone’s illegal pet---was spotted in its lagoon; rest assured Chance the Snapper (as he was lovingly dubbed) was quickly captured and relocated to a Florida gator sanctuary.

This neoclassical building, designed by Daniel Burnham, opened in 1907 as one of the world's earliest department stores, Marshall Field's. Macy's acquired the chain in 2005 and changed the store's name. An uproar ensued, and many Chicagoans still refer to the flagship as Marshall Field's. A visit is as much an architectural experience as a retail one. The building has distinct courtyards (one resembling an Italian palazzo), a striking Tiffany dome of mosaic glass, a calming fountain, and gilded pillars. Its green clock at the State and Randolph entrance is a Chicago landmark. For lunch, try the Walnut Room, and make sure to sample Frango mints—the store's specialty, they were once made on the 13th floor.

Named after former Mayor Richard M. Daley's late wife, this park offers a place to play between Lake Michigan and the city's skyline. Opened in late 2014, it includes 40-foot-high rock-climbing sculptures, an Enchanted Forest with a kaleidoscope and mirrored maze, a Slide Crater, a Wave Lawn, and an area strictly for toddlers. A skating ribbon winds around the park, with ice skates available to rent in the winter months, and rollerblades and scooters in the summer.

No matter the season, Navy Pier is a fun place to spend a few hours, especially with kids in tow. Opened in 1916 as a commercial-shipping pier and part of Daniel Burnham's Master Plan of Chicago, it stretches more than a half a mile into Lake Michigan. Redesigned and reopened in 1995, Navy Pier underwent another major transformation for its 100th anniversary in 2016, which included the opening of the Polk Bros Park, the Fifth Third Bank Family Pavilion, and the Peoples Energy Welcome Pavilion. Other popular activities and venues on the pier include tour boats and cruises, the Centennial Wheel, the Chicago Children's Museum, and the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre.

The beautiful people strut their stuff at this lakefront strand. The beachhouse, which has concession stands, a restaurant, and bike rentals, resembles a steamship, complete with upper decks for surveying the skyline. There are over 50 volleyball courts (rented by the hour), an outdoor fitness center, kayak and Jet Ski rentals, and lots of sand. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards (late May--early Sept.); parking (fee); toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers; sunrise; swimming; walking.

Fans of The Wizard of Oz love getting up close with Dorothy, Toto, and all the other beloved characters assembled here in sculpture form. Author L. Frank Baum lived in Chicago at the turn of the 20th century. The park, located between Webster and Dickens avenues and Burling and Larrabee streets, also has a flowery Emerald Garden and play lot for pint-size visitors.

Walk among hundreds of species of tropical butterflies and learn about the impact of rivers and lakes on daily life at this modern, light-washed museum. Like Chicago's other science museums, this one is perfect for kids, but even jaded adults may be excited when bright yellow butterflies land on their shoulders. The idea is to connect with nature inside without forgetting graceful Lincoln Park outside. Interesting temporary exhibits round out the offerings.

Opened in 1924 as the Municipal Grant Park Stadium, the facility was renamed in 1925 to commemorate American soldiers who died during World War I. Just south of the Museum Campus, the building and its massive columns are reminiscent of ancient Greece. It's the home field for the NFL's Chicago Bears and Major League Soccer's Chicago Fire FC, as well as a venue for college games and concerts. A controversial modern glass expansion, which looks like a spaceship that landed on the arena, was completed in 2003. Behind-the-scenes tours feature the Doughboy Statue, Colonnades, field, South Courtyard, visitors' locker room, the suites, and the United Club.