What to do and see in Theater District, Illinois (IL): The Best Museums

August 26, 2021 Janean Rudisill

The windy city is a cornucopia of modern art, fine dining, cutting edge comedy, and die-hard sports fans. Snap a photo of your reflection in the silver Cloud Gate sculpture at Millennium Park before heading to Grant Park to get hit with the refreshing spray of Buckingham Fountain. There are dozens of museums and theater companies in Chicago, so a cultural experience is never hard to find. You’re sure to laugh your head off at the Second City Theater, the professional launch pad of many famous comedians.
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1. American Writers Museum

180 N Michigan Ave 2nd Floor, Chicago, IL 60601-7401 +1 312-374-8790 [email protected] http://www.americanwritersmuseum.org
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5.0 based on 377 reviews

American Writers Museum

Visit the American Writers Museum today! Through innovative and dynamic state-of-the-art exhibitions, as well as compelling programming, the American Writers Museum educates, enriches, provokes, and inspires visitors of all ages. Special exhibits FREE with paid admission; My America: Immigrant and Refugee Writers Today (through Spring 2021), and Tools of the Trade (through June 30, 2020).

Reviewed By FelicitySpike - Scarsdale, United States

The American Writers Museum features well organized and engaging exhibits for lovers of reading and writing. A special exhibit of Bob Dylan demonstrates some of the reasons Dylan received the Nobel Prize for Literature. There was also an exhibit of old typewriters used by well-known American writers.

2. Museum Of Illusions Chicago

25 E Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602-1708 +1 312-722-6780 http://chicago.museumofillusions.us/
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5.0 based on 18 reviews

Museum Of Illusions Chicago

Reviewed By carolinephauser - Evanston, United States

This was a very cool experience with my teenage daughter. The staff was super helpful explaining how to get the most out of the different exhibits. We really had fun, and it was the perfect birthday outing during covid. Highly recommend for people of all ages. The staff took all Covid precautions. It was very well done.

3. Chicago Cultural Center

78 E Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602-4801 +1 312-744-3316 http://www.chicagoculturalcenter.org/
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4.5 based on 2,992 reviews

Chicago Cultural Center

The Chicago Cultural Center is the nation's first free municipal cultural center and one of the most visited attractions in Chicago. The stunning landmark building, opened in 1897 as the city's first public library, is home to two magnificent stained-glass domes, and annually presents hundreds of free cultural exhibits and performances. Admission is free.

Reviewed By pookala - Philadelphia, United States

Aside from being a beautiful building filled with finely executed mosaic work, a lovely marble staircase and an always interesting array of changing exhibits; the Cultural Center also has a free weekly recital under the largest Tiffany glass dome in the world. The 45 minute Wednesday concerts take place in the Preston Bradley Hall at 12:15 pm. Be sure to get there early (20-30 minutes) if you want to sit up front. The space fills up quickly. If you have nothing planned afterwards go to the Randolph St entrance after the concert and go on a tour of the building. Space is limited for this tour and they start at 1:15 pm daily. Check out their calendar of events before planning your Chicago itinerary to take advantage of this excellent cultural institution.

4. The McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum

376 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60601-3807 +1 312-977-0227 [email protected] http://bridgehousemuseum.org/home/
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4.5 based on 148 reviews

The McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum

Celebrating the Chicago River and its world-famous movable bridges. Note: We are closed for the 2015 season. We will reopen in May 2016!

Reviewed By skenyon1995 - Hoffman Estates, United States

A friend of mine sent me a snail mail article from the Chicago Tribune about the Chicago Bridge Museum. Chicago has made an actual museum inside one of their 4 story Chicago River bridge towers. You can take a tour below ground and actually see the gears & inner workings of the DuSable(formerly Michigan) Ave double decker four lane bridge lift machinery. Lots of history in the upper levels. A tour guide came down to the lower level when the boats were passing above & the bridge was lifting to explain things & answer questions. The gigantic counterweight weighs an amazing 12,000 tons! The 100 yr old bridge is so superbly balanced that it only takes about a 150 HP motor & a LOT of BIG gears to lift & lower it in one minute. Amazing what they could design back then with slide rules instead of software. You can go through on your own self guided tour fairly quickly, access is from the Riverwalk area. I believe an adult ticket was $12 or so. Didnt know that boats have the right of way over cars, since the Chicago river is a federal waterway. Sorry, you have to wait for the Skipper & Gilligan!

5. Design Museum of Chicago

108 N State St 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60602-1608 +1 312-894-6263 http://designchicago.org
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3.0 based on 6 reviews

Design Museum of Chicago

6. Sullivan Galleries

33 S State St 7th Floor, Chicago, IL 60603-2804 +1 312-629-6635 [email protected] http://www.saic.edu/sullivangalleries/
Sullivan Galleries

The Sullivan Galleries represent 32,000 square feet of contemporary exhibition space in the Chicago Loop. Located in the Sullivan Center at 33 S. State Street, the historic site of Louis Sullivan's masterpiece Carson Pirie Scott & Co. building, the galleries feature exhibitions, performances, lectures, and screenings by SAIC students, faculty, and guest artists.

7. Foodseum

109 N Dearborn St Block 37, Second Floor, Chicago, IL 60602-1501 http://foodseum.org
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4.0 based on 1 reviews

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