3 Best Sights in Chicago, Illinois

You don't have to be Swedish to find this tiny and welcoming museum interesting. Permanent displays feature items that tell the story of Swedish immigration to America and about Swedish culture in the States. On the third floor, in the only children's museum in the country dedicated to immigration, kids can climb aboard a colorful Viking ship and trace the journey of a young immigrant from a Swedish farmhouse to a cabin in Minnesota. 

For a walk into history, stop by the Blues Heaven Foundation, which occupies the former home of the legendary Chess Records. Breathe the same rarefied air as blues (and rock-and-roll) legends Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Chuck Berry, and the Rolling Stones, all of whom recorded here. Check out the Chess brothers’ private offices, the recording studio, and the back stairway used only by signed musicians. During the summer, groove to a free weekly concert in the Blues Garden.

Founded in 1977, the Mitchell Museum houses more than 10,000 Native American artifacts from the Paleo-Indian period through modern times. Permanent exhibits focus on tribes in the Plains, Southwest, Northwest Coast, Woodlands, and Arctic areas. Guided tours, lectures, and kids' craft mornings (weekends only) are a regular part of the programming here.