what to see in chicago
Image Courtesy of The Art Institute of Chicago, June/July 2008
- Chicago Local Attractions
- The Art Institute of Chicago
- 111 South Michigan Avenue
(312) 443-3600 Like the Met, but far more manageable (though queues can be considerable). When I visited, I saw an impressive exhibit of Ed Ruscha photographs from around the world. The permanent collection of Thorne Miniature Rooms is brilliant—more than 68 lavish historic re-creations, from a Georgian English drawing room, c. 1800, to a Rhode Island parlor, c. 1820. The bookstore at the back of the museum shop is wonderful. Bonus: Millenium Park, a 24 ½ acre green space featuring Frank Gehry's music pavilion, is across the street.
