Mordern, Free, Best Art Museums in Wheaton

"When this museum opened in its new aluminum-lined facility in 1996, it became the country's largest museum of contemporary art. Featured works go far beyond two dimensions and include such diverse media as sculpture, photography, dance, performance and music. Three large exhibition floors showcase more than 7000 objects, including pieces by Sol LeWitt, Alexander Calder, Jeff Koons and Rene Magritte."

"Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art holds one of the world’s largest collections of post-1950 art. You can easily explore the museum by foot in just a couple of hours, making it perfect for an afternoon activity. In addition to world-famous works, they also host exhibits dedicated to local artists and put a lot of care into the local community."

"$15, $8 seniors, students and teachers, free members and age 18 and under; advanced registration required. Family Days on the second Saturday of each month give parents and kids an opportunity to dive into art using different mediums. The program has continued online during the pandemic."

"Founded in 1982, this vibrant museum – the largest Latinx arts institution in the US – has become one of the city’s best. The vivid permanent collection sums up 1000 years of Mexican art and culture through classical paintings, shining gold altars, skeleton-rich folk art, beadwork and much more."

"It was the first Latino museum in the country to be accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. It has built its permanent collection to 10,000+ objects, making it one of the largest collections in the nation. The museum has remained free to all since originally opening in 1987."

"Then, head over to the Mexican Art Museum. This is the largest collection of Latino artwork in the United States. If you’re at all interested in the fascinating, diverse world of Mexican art, it’s worth spending at least two hours here. It even has free admission."

"The Museum of Contemporary Photography, or MoCP, is Chicago's premier photography museum. The museum's permanent collection has an estimated 15,000 items crafted by more than 1,500 different photographers and artists. The American Alliance of Museums-accredited museum is also home to the Midwest Photographers Project, which highlights work by photographers local to the region."

"This museum presents projects and exhibitions focusing on contemporary image-making through both camera and digital forms. Admission is always free."

"Arranged on the University of Chicago grounds in Hyde Park, the Smart Museum of Art was considered as an establishment where researchers could examine expressions of the human experience and foster displays. Today, it’s available to general society (affirmation is in every case free) and is home to the school’s assortment of compelling artwork and artifacts, including parchments and ceramics from China just as contemporary works by any semblance of Kerry James Marshall and Andy Warhol. Investigate shows committed to rambling establishments and neighborhood craftsmanship developments prior to sitting down in the gallery’s yard mold garden."

"5550 S Greenwood AveHours: Galleries are closed for reinstallation until September 11th, 2015. Regular hours (Mon-Fri, 8:30am-3pm; Sat-Sun, 11am-3pm) resume September 12th."

"The Arts Club of Chicago is an art museum with public exhibitions and private tours. The club's first floors are open to the public at no admission cost; private tours of the permanent collection can be arranged. The Arts Club, which opened in 1916, was home to the first United States showing of Pablo Picasso's work."

"The Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art is a modern art museum in Chicago's Ukrainian village. The UIMA, founded in 1971, hosts exhibits, book readings, film screenings, recitals, and theater. The UIMA has been a fixture in its neighborhood for more than 40 years and is one of 25 members of the Chicago Cultural Alliance."

"Source: Photo by Flickr user Patrick Hoesly used under CC BY 2.0. Photo is only for illustrative purposes. Addison is a smaller, cosy mall (fewer than 30 stores), located in the Avondale neighbourhood."

"900 North Michigan Shops is a visually stunning shopping destination stunning 465,000 square feet on 7 floors. With their massive shopping complex, they feature more than 70 luxury retailers and host a 22,000 square-foot food hall. Their food hall includes a wide range of cuisine from street tacos to sushi, coffee to cocktails, bread-bowl chowder to vegan bowls, and many more."

"Shopping at 900 North Michigan is one of the coolest things to do in downtown Chicago. Not only does it offer amazing views from its pillar-like towers, but since it’s all indoors, it’s perfect for a cold or rainy day. Hundreds of retailers call it home."

"900 North Michigan Shops is a visually stunning and highly desired shopping destination that resides on the north end of Chicago's vibrant Magnificent Mile with an exclusive tenant mix including Bloomingdale's, Gucci, J.Crew and more."

"If you’re looking for fresh comedy or considering doing a 5-minute set yourself, the Gallery Cabaret is perfect for you. Located in Bucktown, just north of downtown, the Gallery Cabaret is a fun dive bar with comedy open-mic nights. They offer decent food, great cocktails, beer, and everything you need for making the nightlife in Chicago fun for you and your friends."

"But this is America, and if a Chinese restaurant wants to have sushi and kalbi, and it’s good, who are you to stop them?. Besides that mix, follow’s owner Dee Kang’s journey from a Chinese-Korean family to Japan and then Chicago. Dee’s is no secret to Lincoln Park locals, who have kept the place open since 1983."

"Everything from the spicy seitan to the hummus and vegan cheese is made in-house at Kitchen 17. Find the beloved seitan wrapped in fluffy Greek flatbread in the gyro or griddled with cheese and green peppers in the philly cheesesteak. The rest of the menu reads as vegetized versions of your favorite bar food, such as buffalo cauliflower wings, chili cheese fries, veggie burgers drenched in barbecue sauce and personal pan pizzas strewn with crumbles of soy sausage and vegan mozzarella."

"Fancy Plants Cafe was founded by Kevin Schuder, who started as Kitchen 17’s coffee-and-pastry barista. He found Fancy Plants Cafe, which offers coffee, tea, pastries, gluten-free pastries, sauces, greens, and a fancy five-course dinner option on weekends (Saturday and Sunday). Kitchen 17 is a BYOB eatery where guests can enjoy a vegetarian dessert of Middle Eastern and American dishes."

"If you’re looking for vegan deep dish in Chicago, look no further!. Kitchen 17 near Uptown has got to be one of my favorite vegan restaurants ever. It’s a casual atmosphere with board games galore."

"Upton’s Breakroom is a casual café that serves light vegan fare in a bright, modern setting. Located next to Upton's Naturals seitan factory, the charming little restaurant offers a small menu with a variety of seitan-based dishes such as chick seitan Korean tacos, pastrami seitan sandwiches, bowls of rice, kale, warm seitan chunks, and bright-green nut pesto, and vegan soft serve. Blending natural textures and flavors to create an innovative and satisfying menu, Upton’s Breakroom is the ideal spot for a quick lunch or a languid dinner of exotic vegan fare."

"Restaurants Vegan River West/West Town. House-made seitan is the base for most menu items at Upton’s Breakroom, a bright little café attached to Upton’s Naturals, a company that makes seitan and sells it in stores across the country. The café has a plentiful menu, including a tofu-seitan banh mi, a BBQ jackfruit sandwich and Korean tacos with housemade kimchi."

"Upton's Breakroom sits below Upton's Naturals, a natural-based food business out of Chicago. The company's focus is on vegan diets and meat alternatives, so it's only fitting that the Breakroom's menu would be completely vegan. Fried bacon mac and burgers (all meat-and-cheese free!) await you in West Town!"