Top Art Museums in Chicago, IL
Art Museums in Chicago
- Traveller favouritesThings to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.
- Traveller rankingHighest rated attractions on Tripadvisor, based on traveller reviews.
Category types
Types of Attractions
Museums
Museums
Traveller rating
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29 places sorted by traveller favourites
Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.
Speciality Museums • Art Museums
Near North Side
Art Museums
Near North Side
Admission tickets from HK$120.69
Speciality Museums • Science Museums
West Loop
Art Museums
Near North Side
Art Museums • History Museums
West Town
Art Galleries • Speciality Museums
Grant Park
Art Galleries • Art Museums
Hyde Park
Art Galleries • Art Museums
Grant Park
Speciality & Gift Shops • Art Museums
North Center
Art Galleries • Art Museums
Grand Boulevard
Art Museums
Near North Side
Art Galleries • Art Museums
West Loop
Speciality Museums • Art Museums
Far North Side
Art Galleries • Art Museums
West Loop
Art Museums
Art Museums
Northwest Side
What travellers are saying
- CultureVulture60657Chicago, IL8,404 contributionsThe Cezanne retrospective now at the Art Institute through early September is stupendous. The curators have gathered works from the AIC's own large holdings of Cezanne plus other museums across Europe and the U.S. for a comprehensive look at the life work this important late 19th Century painter. Cezanne revisited the same subjects time after time over the course of decades. To see several in one room is a rare opportunity. I also loved the video in which the curators dissected 3 paintings, even using infrared technology, to explain how, using color, Cezanne built up his images. It's a large show, about 130 works, plus notebooks and other items, so plan to spend a couple hours with it.Written 13 May 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
- Jaime L5 contributionsThis museum is very well organized and maintained. From reception to end you can find staff that can answer your questions regarding the collections. Tiffany!!Written 2 May 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
- pollyanywhereNew York City, NY537 contributionsSurprised how good this museum quality is!! It’s even free. I caught Frida’s photograph exhibit by accident. So fabulous!!Written 27 April 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
- BastianCopenhagen, Denmark111 contributionsThe museum is not very large compared to other contemporary art museums but it makes good use of the space. You can easily see all exhibitions in a couple of hours. There is a good mix of different artistic styles on display.Written 23 February 2020This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
- Porsche S2 contributionsDefinitely should come down on the price point, maybe 10-15 worth of exhibits to really see. Kinda bored but made the most of the money spentWritten 3 May 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
- Mikey2 contributionsthis is a fun small museum with an interesting collection. We take all our visitors here. You need a couple hours here and it is something a bit different in the city.Written 10 January 2020This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
- jtfrancoNew Bern, NC171 contributionsWith over 40 murals to see walking the Wabash Corridor was pretty amazing. It's just a few blocks with all these murals crammed in. Go online and download a map. Beautiful!Written 31 December 2019This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
- kmz88Chicago, IL362 contributionsIt's a small but nice museum. The people who run it are very friendly. They are eager to tell you about the culture and history of Ukraine, which is very nice. The museum is free. They do take donations. You will see and learn a lot about Ukraine. The egg collection is beautiful!Written 12 September 2021This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
- Taylor BChicago, IL7,535 contributionsMy wife and I have browsed the Thorne Miniature Rooms at the Art Institute of Chicago on previous occasions. But after seeing the display of the Thorne collection at the Phoenix Art Museum during our recent two-week vacation in Arizona, we decided to make another visit to larger Thorne collection in Chicago. It is an exhibit unlike any other, a child's dream. Thorne Miniature Rooms are a set of about 100 miniature models of rooms created between 1932 and 1940 under the direction of Narcissa Niblack Thorne, who was born in 1882 in Vincennes, Indiana. As a child, she began to collect miniature furniture and household accessories. Her uncle, a U.S. Navy vice admiral, sent her many antique dollhouse miniatures from around the world. When she was 19, she married Montgomery Ward department store heir James Ward Thorne, whose fortune helped to finance her hobby. Ninety-nine of the rooms are still believed to be in existence. The majority of them, a total of 68, are on display at the Art Institute of Chicago, located at 111 South Michigan Avenue. We saw 20 of them at the Phoenix Art Museum. The Art Institute's rooms document European and American interiors from the late 13th century to the 1930s and the 17th century to the 1930s, respectively. Constructed on a 1:12 scale, the rooms are largely made of the same materials as full-sized rooms and some even include original works of art, including paintings and sculpture, silver bowls and crystal chandeliers. They are among the most popular attractions at the Art Institute with an authentic appearance and attention to detail that boggles the mind.Written 20 November 2019This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
- LostALot22Chicago, IL10,492 contributionsThis was a very different art gallery in the Water Tower place. If you like Dr Seuss you will like it. Although it’s very expensive.Written 27 January 2020This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
- Taylor BChicago, IL7,535 contributionsThe world-famous Art Institute of Chicago gets most of the publicity, and deservedly so, but if you are trying to avoid crowds (remember the Normal Rockwell exhibit?), a wonderful alternative is the David and Alfred Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago. Located at 5550 South Greenwood Avenue, it is an art museum that features more than 15,000 objects, is open to the general public and admission is free. Established in 1974, the Smart Museum of Art and the adjacent Cochrane-Woods Art Center were designed by architect Edward Larrabee Barnes. The Smart collection is displayed in four permanent galleries dedicated to modern art, Asian art, European art and contemporary art. One of the most notable items in the collection is the original dining room furniture designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for the Robie House. The museum also maintains an archive of artwork, sketchbooks, letters, tools, original woodblocks and other personal material related to the life and work of H.C. Westermann. The museum's founders, brothers David and Alfred Smart, were the Chicago-based publishers of Esquire magazine and founders of Coronet Films.Written 23 August 2019This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
- CityHiker73near Milwaukee, WI451 contributionsWe happened to be visiting a relative nearby, and this museum was recommended to us. It is on the second floor, so you do have to be alert to find it. We were greeted warmly. It is art by all veterans, though more by Viet Nam vets. Many thought-provoking drawings and photographs. Some sculptures. One area highlights work by Kurt Vonnegut, and another is inspired by Tim O'Brien's books. The O'Brien room is filled with stuff brought by soldiers.Written 29 October 2019This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
- globetrottergirl196Fort Lauderdale, FL8 contributionsArrived to museum at 12:15PM on a Tuesday, but a closed notice was posted at entrance. I didn’t get to visit but give high rating because I didn’t see anywhere to update on TripAdvisor with temporary closed status.Written 28 September 2021This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
- Megan StephensonChicago, IL2 contributionsThere's some nice exhibits on the different floors. It's free if you're a DePaul student. The opening times vary.Written 30 May 2021This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
- lauralei99Chicago, Illinois24 contributionsThe Museum admission fee is $5.00, an unbeatable price. Prepare to walk up two flights of stairs to begin the experience, in which you'll watch an old Channel 11 Chicago video about the the Union, and how it was formed. The details are very interesting, especially since we had thought we knew a lot about the Brotherhood. There are great photos of porters, their wives, and their workplaces. There is plenty of memorabilia along the way, and a place to purchase souvenirs of the visit.Written 8 January 2020This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Frequently Asked Questions about Chicago
- These places are best for art museums in Chicago:
- The Art Institute of Chicago
- Richard H. Driehaus Museum
- National Museum of Mexican Art
- Museum of Contemporary Art
- wndr museum
- These are the best places for couples seeking art museums in Chicago:See more art museums for couples in Chicago on Tripadvisor
- These are the best places for budget-friendly art museums in Chicago:
- The Art Institute of Chicago
- National Museum of Mexican Art
- Museum of Contemporary Art
- Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA)
- Smart Museum of Art