10 Things to do in Lincoln Park That You Shouldn't Miss

The 12,000-square-foot space first served this purpose for the Chicago presentation of the groundbreaking national touring exhibition, Art AIDS America, which was on view from December 1, 2016 to April 2, 2017. Our new exhibition Then They Came for Me: Incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII and the Demise of Civil Liberties will be on view from June 29 until November 19, 2017.

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Chay Yew, Victory Gardens is dedicated to artistic excellence while creating a vital, contemporary American Theater that is accessible and relevant to all people through quality productions of challenging new plays and musicals. Victory Gardens Theater is a leader in developing and producing new theatre work and cultivating an inclusive theater community. Victory Gardens’ core strengths are nurturing and producing dynamic and inspiring new plays, reflecting the diversity of our city’s and nation’s culture through engaging diverse communities, and in partnership with Chicago Public Schools, bringing art and culture to our city’s active student population.

Now in our 20th Season, Remy Bumppo Theatre Company is an ensemble based theatre company that believes in the power and beauty of language, and we know that conversation is an agent of change. As our motto "think theatre" suggests, the plays we produce will make you think - actively - about the complex issues we face as people, as a community, and as humankind. Remy Bumppo Theatre Company produces theatre that thrills the ear, stirs the heart, feeds the mind, and sparks a conversation. As an ensemble-based producer of intellectually and emotionally inspiring plays that reveal the power and pleasure of language, we explore timeless ideas in timely productions that celebrate our common humanity; and we invite audiences to converse directly with the art and the artists.

Wrightwood 659 is a new exhibition space conceived for the presentation of exhibitions of architecture and of socially engaged art. It is designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Tadao Ando, who has transformed a 1920s building with his signature concrete forms and poetic treatment of natural light. In a city rich with art institutions and internationally known for its architecture, Wrightwood 659 is designed as a site for contemplative experiences of art and architecture, and as a place to engage with the pressing social issues of our time. Located at 659 W. Wrightwood Avenue, in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, it is a private, non-commercial initiative envisioned as an integral part of the cultural and civic fabric of Chicago, as well as a new kind of arts space and cultural resource.

From Chicago's sports to politics, the Union Stockyards to the Great Chicago Fire - there's so much to explore at the Chicago History Museum. Dive right in with the Museum's exhibitions and programs or get out and explore the city through guided tours and events. Founded in 1856, the Chicago History Museum shares Chicago's stories, serving as a hub of scholarship and learning, inspiration and civic engagement. If you live in Chicago or visit here and are curious about the city's past, present and future, the museum should be your first stop.

There's always something new to explore at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. Bask in the warmth of our Judy Istock Butterfly Haven, home to more than 1,000 butterflies. Touch a live snake. Meet gorgeous exotic birds. See scientists engaged in real conservation and more. With over 15 exhibits to discover, the Nature Museum is the ideal family getaway, right in Chicago!

Established in 1868, this 35-acre, beautifully landscaped zoo is one of America's last free-admission zoos. The Great Ape House has one of the best assemblages of gorillas and chimpanzees in the world.

Home to the Lincoln Park Zoo, this popular park is also located in a neighborhood called Lincoln Park.