EXPLORE CHICAGO CULTURE Chicago is renowned for its awesome culture scene. Follow this two-day itinerary to experience some of our most exciting museums, live music, theatre, and beyond. CHICAGO CULTURE WEEKEND Shedd Aquarium BY ROSALIND CUMMINGS-YEATES DAY 1 MORNING Kick off your day with a visit to downtown Millenium Park , an outdoor sanctuary, art gallery, and music space all in one. Be sure to stop by the park’s signature Cloud Gate sculpture — affectionately called “The Bean” — whose shiny surface is the perfect reflection for selfies and the Chicago skyline. Stroll over to the Crown Fountain and splash in the cascading water flowing from two 50-foot towers that flash with videos of Chicagoans’ faces. Enjoy the botanical beauty of the award-winning Lurie Garden , which features a 15-foot hedge surrounding native perennials and a diverse wildlife habitat. Check out the gleaming, architecturally impressive Jay Pritzker Pavilion to enjoy a diverse lineup of concerts and movies. Then, head next door to the internationally renowned Art Institute of Chicago , which is home to the greatest collection of Impressionist art outside of Paris, as well as thousands of works from around the world. AFTERNOON Start your afternoon with a journey through the Chicago Cultural Center , a Loop landmark that showcases the world’s largest stained-glass Tiffany dome, as well as free art, music, dance, and theatrical events. Afterwards, set off for the nearby Museum Campus , home to three acclaimed museums all in one place. At the Adler Planetarium — the country’s first planetarium — do some star and galaxy gazing during the sky shows and get a glimpse inside the Gemini 12 spacecraft. At the Field Museum , size up Máximo the Titanosaur, the largest dinosaur to ever walk the earth, and step inside an Egyptian tomb to see one of the largest collections of mummies in the country. Connect with beluga whales, dolphins, and sea turtles at the Shedd Aquarium , and be sure to visit the sharks and sting rays in the 360-degree Caribbean Reef exhibit. EVENING Spend the night exploring Chicago’s famed theatre scene. Choose a hit Broadway musical presented in the Loop by Broadway in Chicago or experience an evocative play rooted in the African diaspora at Congo Square Theatre in the Gold Coast neighborhood. You can also check out a production in Lincoln Park at the award-winning Steppenwolf Theatre (which counts esteemed actors Gary Sinise, Laurie Metcalf, and John Malkovich among its ensemble) or see an innovative play in Lakeview within the city’s largest concentration of theatres, the Belmont Theater District . Or take in the joy of improv comedy at the genre’s birthplace in Old Town, The Second City . ABEL ARCINIEGA (ALL PHOTOS) Art Institute of Chicago 31
Chicago Visitors Guide 2022: Page 31
