6 historic sites to see in Chicago

Historic sites in Chicago

Museum · The Loop

1.Art Institute of Chicago

Highlights include Seurat's A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, Hopper's Nighthawks, Grant Wood's American Gothic, a deep Impressionist collection with several of Monet's Stacks of Wheat, Chagall's America Windows and the Thorne Miniature Rooms. Renzo Piano's Modern Wing holds 20th-century art.

Time needed

3–4 hours

Cost

Mid-priced

• Iconic
• Art
• Rainy day
• History

Museum · Museum Campus

2.Field Museum

It shares the lakefront Museum Campus with the Shedd Aquarium and the Adler Planetarium.

Time needed

3–4 hours

Cost

Mid-priced

• Kids
• Rainy day
• History
• Iconic

Landmark · Wrigleyville

3.Wrigley Field

The season runs from about April to September, and ballpark tours run on many non-game days.

Time needed

3–4 hours for a game

Cost

Mid-priced

• Iconic
• History
• Kids

Museum · Hyde Park

4.Museum of Science and Industry

Highlights include U-505, a German submarine captured in 1944, a replica coal mine reached by a mine-shaft lift, the streamlined Pioneer Zephyr train and a huge model railroad running from Chicago to Seattle.

Time needed

Half a day

Cost

Mid-priced

• Kids
• Rainy day
• History

Architecture · The Loop

5.Chicago Cultural Center

It sits directly across Michigan Avenue from Millennium Park.

Time needed

45 minutes

Cost

Free

• Free
• Architecture
• Rainy day
• Off the beaten path
• History

Architecture · Hyde Park

6.Frederick C. Robie House

Guided tours by the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust show the restored interiors, and the house is part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing for Wright's 20th-century architecture.

Time needed

1 hour

Cost

Mid-priced

• Architecture
• History
• Art

Grouped by area

Booking and timing

Of these 6, 1 free, 5 mid-priced. Book ahead for Wrigley Field, Museum of Science and Industry and Frederick C. Robie House. The longest visit is Art Institute of Chicago; group the rest by area to save travel time.

• Wrigley Field: Weekend and rivalry games sell out; buy through the Cubs' official ticketing rather than street resellers.
• Museum of Science and Industry: The U-505 on-board tour and the coal mine need separate timed tickets that sell out on busy days; add them when you book entry.
• Frederick C. Robie House: Tours have limited capacity; reserve a slot in advance.

How to fit them into 4 half-days

Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.

• Half-day 1 (The Loop): Art Institute of Chicago → Chicago Cultural Center, at least 4 hours.
• Half-day 2 (Museum Campus): Field Museum, at least 3 hours.
• Half-day 3 (Wrigleyville): Wrigley Field, at least 3 hours.
• Half-day 4 (Hyde Park): Museum of Science and Industry → Frederick C. Robie House, at least 4 hours.

The quietest months for queues

• February: highs of 2°C (36°F), about 9 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Still deep winter, with snow likely; a good month for museums, theatre and the Garfield Park Conservatory.
• January: highs of 0°C (32°F), about 11 rainy days, very quiet crowds. The coldest month, with wind off the lake pushing wind chills far below freezing; museums are quiet and hotel rates are among the lowest of the year.
• November: highs of 9°C (48°F), about 10 rainy days, quiet crowds. Grey and cooling fast, but holiday lights and markets arrive late in the month; good hotel value outside Thanksgiving.

The neighbourhoods they are in

• The Loop — Elevated L tracks, skyscraper canyons, Millennium Park and the State Street theatres
• Hyde Park — University of Chicago quads, Robie House and the Museum of Science and Industry

More of Chicago

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