Free Museums in Oak Park

"Installation view, Duro Olowu: Seeing Chicago, MCA Chicago Feb 29-May 10, 2020 Photo: Nathan Keay, © MCA Chicago. Now openIn The Magnificent Mile area, Museum of Contemporary Art presents provocative and thought-provoking exhibits by local and global artists. With an emphasis on contemporary works, the museum presents a variety of compelling exhibitions, performances, collections, and educational programs throughout the year."

"Another great family-friendly art museum is the Museum of Contemporary Art. Their belief is that it’s never too early to enjoy contemporary art and they have two great programs to help accomplish their mission. On the second Saturday of the month, the museum hosts Family Day with open-ended activities inspired by current art exhibits."

"Museum of Contemporary Art With an ever-changing set of temporary exhibitions, you never really know what you’re going to get at this museum. It’s good for modern art lovers but sometimes verges on just being weird."

"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."

"Head to the National Museum of Mexican Art for one of the best collections of Latin works in the country. Mexican culture is celebrated with art spanning over 3,000 years and a whopping 10,000 piece permanent collection."

"This child-friendly museum in Lincoln Park presents the natural history of the Chicago region in smart and interactive ways. As an institution the museum was founded back in 1857 and moved into a new home in the park in 1999. The old museum, now used by the zoo, was known for its detailed static dioramas, and while these are still here, they’re joined by spellbinding living environments like the astonishing Judy Istock Butterfly house, where 1,000 butterflies flutter in a 250-square-metre greenhouse."

"As buildings continually go up, nature gets pinched, so a visit to the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum is an ideal respite from the concrete landscape. Explore the region's only year-round butterfly sanctuary where as many as 40 species of native and exotic butterflies flutter. Get the news about the ooze at Mysteries of the Marsh."

"Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum is one of the top things to do in Chicago with kids. Located in Lincoln Park museum, this is a great museum that creates hands-on experiences for the kids to enjoy themselves as well as learn something along the way. The museum is an informative curation of Illinois’ natural history and ecology."

"Ongoing weekend programs at the museum include workshops for kids to learn about identifying rocks and minerals or learning how to make jewelry. Collections include gemstones, fossils and an ornate castle. Online activities include virtual jewelry classes and rock identification classes."

"Restaurants Contemporary American Little Italy, UIC. We can appreciate the mission that fuels this Douglas Park restaurant: "Make fine dining cuisine and service approachable and fun instead of pretentious and stuffy." Inside the unmarked building, guests are treated to a multi-course experience that's part dinner party, part performance, which makes for a deliciously entertaining night out. Though menu components shift with the seasons, diners can expect to taste the restaurant's playful spin on French fries and ice cream, which is inspired by none other than McDonald's."

"Diners who have managed to snag a rare reservation at El Ideas should prepare for anything – if they can even find the restaurant. Directions to the restaurant read, “Turn down the dead-end street; EL ideas is the only business whose windows look out onto the street. There is no signage.” The next line should read, “Good luck."

"It's evident the moment you walk into Goosefoot, one of the best places to eat in Chicago. French techniques enhance each dish, carefully prepared wi..."

"There are two stories here, and if you come at weekends you’ll be able to dance and drink on both of them. Weeknights are when just the main floor is in action. It’s in the Fulton Market area of town and can get very busy, so we recommend arriving early to grab your place in the line."

"Restaurants Vegan South Shore. What started as a private catering company has blossomed into a brick-and-mortar empire that acts as a beacon for Chicago's vegan community. With locations in South Shore, the South Loop and inside One Eleven Food Hall, Majani keeps our mouths watering with meat-defying creations like the stacked barbecue roast sandwich, which is slathered in tangy sauce and served with roasted sweet potatoes."

"Majani Restaurant is a fast-casual vegan restaurant serving plant-based southern cuisine. As a doze to their African heritage and rural upbringing, Chefs Tsadakeeyah and Nasya Emmanuel develop every recipe with fresh local ingredients and mouth-watering spices. The husband and wife team started Majani as a private catering company acknowledged nationally for their exceptional service and innovative menu options."

"I visited the South Shore location today and was very disappointed with the quality of the food. The cauliflower bites and the oyster sandwich was satura..."

"And as always, you can find more photos of our adventures on Instagram @VoyagingHerbivore and to get updates straight to your inbox, enter your email below in the footer, or to the right on the sidebar. If you want to help us out even more, you can buy us a bit of fuel!. If you have any questions, comments, or other vegan restaurant recommendations for Chicago, be sure to comment below."

"Working from home all day and eager to get out of the house?. Hop off the Brown Line at Armitage and post up at this tucked-away spot. You’ll forget your work blues quickly when you call your quarantine pod to share some pizza, beer and—most important—late-afternoon sunshine."

"Because Chicago has non-deep dish pizza too and it is just as heavenly. Their pizza selections are rivaled by none, so good luck choosing just one."

"The outdoor patio at Homeslice is newly redone and looks better than ever, with clever signage and a converted Airstream for your private parties."

"Of the numerous buildings that Frank Lloyd Wright designed around Chicago, none is more famous or influential than Robie House. Because its horizontal lines resembled the flat landscape of the Midwestern prairie, the style became known as the Prairie style. Inside are 174 stained-glass windows and doors, which you'll see on the hour-long tours (frequency varies by season, but there's usually at least one tour per hour). Advance tickets are highly recommended."

"Named one of the 10 most significant buildings of the 20th century by the American Institute of Architects, the 9,000-square-foot Robie…"