Mentioned by Tripster Travel Guide
11 Entertaining Things to Do in Chicago with Toddlers
"Get a little bold and adventurous at the Museum of Contemporary Art, located just one block east of historic Water Tower Placeon The Magnificent Mile. Browse the museum’s permanent collection, which includes more than 2,500 works, displayed in rotation, spanning media and movements from the 1920s to the present. Over the summer, Tuesdays on the Terrace brings you free, live jazz in the museum gardens, while morning visitors are greeted with weekly farmer’s markets at the museum’s monumental front steps."
"Another among the best museums in Chicago is the Museum of Contemporary Art. It’s located in the city center, next to the historic building and Water Tower Place shopping mall. It has an incredible collection and pieces developed by talented and internationally recognized artists, such as Cindy Sherman, Kara Walker, and Andy Warhol."
"From folk art to photography to textiles, the National Museum of Mexican Art capitalizes on its galleries and exhibitions with ongoing and family-friendly events (for instance, during an exhibit about weaving, patrons were invited to learn to crochet to start their own traditions). Family Weekend workshops include all-ages art activities and events throughout the year highlight the Mexican culture, like Day of the Dead Xicágo, the Folk Art Festival and Día del Niño Health Walk and Family Festival."
"Located in Pilsen, the National Museum of Mexican Art is the only museum dedicated to Latino culture that’s a member of the American Alliance of Museums. The museum has over 9,000 examples of Mexican art from ancient Mexico to the present as well as special exhibitions. While technically free, they do ask for a donation if you can spare it."
"The art was so beautiful and I would say the artist extremely talented. It’s a beautiful museum that discusses and shows the beauty and story of Mexican culture. Came here on a field trip and had a tour guide walk us through the art."
"The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum has the most hands-on activities of any museum in the city. They offer suggested donation days on July 22, July 29, August 5, August 12, August 19, and August 26."
"Children under 3, active-duty military, veterans, and Illinois K-12 teachers are always free. Thursdays are suggested donation days for Illinois residents. Meet the fish at the Shedd Aquarium."
"Now open Located just across from Millennium Park, the Pritzker Military Museum & Library is dedicated to educating the public about military history. The unique museum hosts a permanent exhibition on the Medal of Honor and is currently showing a special exhibit about Allied forces during World War II."
"The Pritzker Military Museum & Library in Chicago is dedicated to highlighting and studying military history. Founded in 2003, the museum now has more than 115,000 objects, 67,000 books, and 9,000 photos. The collection includes rare military memorabilia, glass negatives, posters, artwork, and videos."
"Museum admission is always free for anyone with an active military ID, the Chicago police and fire departments and children under 18. General free admission days for 2020 are:. April 6 – Centennial of WWI"
"Just beyond the aquarium is the Adler Planetarium, which when constructed in 1930 became America's first planetarium. The building is more than a museum; it is a laboratory, a classroom, and a community exploring the Universe together. Each year half a million visitors experience the museum's interactive exhibitions, live planetarium shows, hands-on educational programs, and world-class collections."
"Art Institute of Chicago* – Fast PassOR Adler Planetarium* – VIP Entry *Your CityPASS tickets include the option for you to choose between two attractions. There’s no need to decide upfront where you’d like to visit. You can choose when you get there."
"Taking you on a journey through the stars to unlock the mysteries of our galaxy and beyond, the Adler tells amazing stories of space…"
"Eden Chicago is a delightful offering on Chicago's West Loop dining scene, opened in 2016 by restaurateur Jodi Fife and her husband, executive chef Devon Quinn. The charming Mediterranean-style eatery serves up excellent brunch and dinner fare from the week, pulling from a variety of regional culinary traditions, including Israeli, Lebanese, and Spanish cuisines. Diners can enjoy delicious selections like baked shrimp paccheri, curried lentil brik, cumin-grilled lamb with couscous and merguez, and mushroom matzo ball soup with miso corn broth."
"At Eden, fresh, local, and sustainable fare is the focus, an approach that chef Devon Quinn accomplishes with the help of an onsite greenhouse, which stocks everything from arugula and oregano to fennel and figs. See them employed in a range of daytime dishes, such as breakfast bowls with Spanish fried eggs and jasmine rice, smoked ham crepes with gruyere and caramelized onions, and a Philly cheesesteak torta with peppers and provolone."
"Another restaurant with an appealing exterior facade, Eden goes for a more nature-filled ambiance to help you forget for a minute that you’re actually surrounded by skyscrapers, not trees."
"The huge, globally inspired menu of this Albany Park spot is filled with craveable items, like the Buffalo Cauliflower Wings, Fried Mac-and-Cheese Balls, and the Caesar Avocado Wrap. It’s all about vegetarian comfort food here, and there are many vegan (and gluten-free) options as well. Never tried jackfruit, touted as a great meat substitute?"
"With menu sections called, “I’m not really hungry but I’m gonna eat anyway” to “Wrap it up”, “Side chick”, and “It’s Mexico somewhere” you know you’re in for a treat. Location: 3300 W Montrose Ave, Chicago IL 60618"
"Such a sweet respite in the middle of our on-going saga of the pandemic; in the middle of a neighborhood; in the middle of the city (Chicago;) in the mid..."
"If you’re looking for a quiet place to unwind, Welles Park can offer a respite from all of the lights, noises and crowds of Chicago. It isn’t without amenities. Its centerpiece is an ornate, wire-topped gazebo where bands can play outdoor concerts and community leaders can give rallying speeches."
"Welles Park is a 15.84-acre park located in the heart of Lincoln Square. It is a gathering place for musicians and sports & fitness enthusiasts. The park was created in 1910 and named after Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy from 1861 to 1869."
"The Burnham Wildlife Corridor is a 100-acre area of urban wilderness running through Burnham Park. There is a bird sanctuary, a bioretention basin, nature paths, and a centennial prairie. Native prairie grasses, savanna, and woodland ecosystems create the largest natural area along the lakefront, according to the park district."
"For the art lovers coming to visit the city, this is one of the can’t-miss stops. The Hyde Park Art Center is always free and open to the public and hosts visual works from a variety of the world’s top artists. While some exhibits are permanent, others rotate throughout the year with a number of other museums in the country."
"Jonathan Castillo, Will, Ni Yi Xuan Gift Shop, Chicago(Chinatown), 2019, Archival pigment print, 23 x 34.5 inches. Courtesy of the Artist..jpg. Now openThe Hyde Park Art Center is a community hub for contemporary works, that typically offers dozens of exhibits and hundreds of classes each year."
"Chicago’s oldest alternative art exhibition space, Hyde Park Art Center focuses on emerging and fringe artists, as well as those from underrepresented communities."
"The Renaissance Society is a kunsthalle-style museum that presents about 4 exhibits a year from international artists. It focuses on contemporary art and is located at the University of Chicago."