The Art Institute of Chicago

The Art Institute of Chicago Review

Come for the sterling collection of Impressionists (an entire room is dedicated to Monet) and Old Masters; 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. The museum's first level includes the non-European galleries, contemporary and American art to 1890. The second level holds American art from 1900 to 1950, European art from all periods, and Impressionist works. Check out the lower level to see decorative arts and the Thorne Miniature Room.

When the Renzo Piano-designed Modern Wing publicly debuted in May 2009, it made The Art Institute one of the largest art museums in the country. The building's 264,000 square feet houses the finest in 20th- and 21st-century art: modern European painting and sculpture, contemporary art, photography, and architecture. A fine-dining restaurant, Terzo Piano, features nouveau Italian cuisine. Check out the outdoor third-floor Nichols Bridgeway connecting the Art Institute to Millennium Park. It offers stunning views of the skyline and Lake Michigan.

The celebrated Chagall stained-glass windows have been restored and reinstalled in a new exhibit on public art in Chicago in the museum's Arthur Rubloff building. New gallery spaces dedicated to Japanese art, African and Indian Art of the Americas, and Arms and Armor opened in 2010 and 2011.

To make it easier to navigate the four massive buildings, be sure and pick up the Visitor's Guide, available in English and Spanish. For a budget-friendly visit, come on the first or second Wednesday of each month, when admission is free.