The heart of the city. Better and less crowded than the Bean…read more This fecal fountain is a fun little photo op when you're in the city, and it's right down the street from Kasama, making them an unlikely but excellent pair.

Exactly what you'd expect: a statue that looks like poop. There was also a super friendly outdoor…read moreorange cat nearby named Mister that made my entire day. He was so cute and so worth the visit to the Shit Fountain. It's also near Kasama, so you can definitely make a trip out of this or take a quick detour if you're in the area.

I feel a little catfished by this mural project. Looking online, there appeared to be more to it…read more But it's literally about a mile of murals, up and down the overpasses, in Rogers Park, a neighborhood of Chicago. The murals focus mainly on Chicago history, history of the Rogers neighborhood, Audubon birds, and a few other subjects. The murals are nice overall, though some are poorly kept. I don't think they've been updated in a long time. My favorite was the Barack Obama mural. It's easier to walk them than drive them because there is very little parking and a ton of one way streets. I drove quite a ways out to this neighborhood, through Lakeshore Drive traffic. If you're in the area, go for it. There is a cute little pedestrian only street with a tavern and quaint shops. But don't drive from the outskirts just for this.

The Mile of Murals is a unique work of art in Rogers Park. Started in 2007, over the years the…read moreproject has commissioned a number of works: There are several that span the entire block, and there are several viaducts that have murals as well. The goal of this project is to paint from Estes to Pratt, covering the retaining wall along the Red Line in artwork. There are still five block-long sections of this project remaining to complete. All of the works are cool. My favorite, however, is "Connect Origins to Destinations: The History of Rogers Park". It tells the story of Rogers Park from its early days as a home to Potawatomi. The Indian Boundary Line, for which Indian Boundary Park is named, is located at Rogers & Clark... unfortunately, there's a commemorative plaque praising the negotiation skills of white men with the native peoples to cede Chicago to them, but that's a story for another time. I loved learning things about this neighborhood I never knew before through this large -scale art project.

There it was! The giant bean that Chicago is very known for. Loved that it was accessible and ADA…read morefriendly so everyone could enjoy it. We came early on a Monday to beat the crowds. The later it got, the more people showed up. I was lucky to snap this photo before more people started to come in. Really cool sight to see. It's a giant mirror and has two sides, the park side and the city reflection side. So the view from both and don't forget to check out the middle.

Cloud Gate, otherwise known as the Bean, sits in the middle of Millennium Park in downtown Chicago…read moreand is one of those public art installations that consistently surprises people who encounter it for the first time despite being one of the most photographed objects in the city. I walked up to a seamless polished stainless steel form that reflects everything around it without a single visible seam or joint across its entire surface. That engineering achievement alone is worth appreciating before I even started engaging with what the reflections actually do. The reflections are the experience. I watched the Chicago skyline curve and distort across the surface in a way that shifted constantly depending on where I was standing, and walking slowly around the perimeter gave me a different composition every few steps. Walking underneath the concave arch in the center, which locals call the omphalos, produced a funhouse mirror effect that reflected me and everyone else from overhead in a way that was consistently disorienting and engaging regardless of how many times I have seen it. On a clear day with blue sky the effect was particularly strong, with the skyline wrapping around the sculpture against a bright background. On overcast days the palette shifts toward silver and grey and produces its own version of the thing. Admission is free and the park is open and accessible, which made Cloud Gate an easy addition to my Chicago itinerary without any planning required. It gets crowded, particularly on weekends and during summer, and the area immediately around the sculpture fills with people taking photos throughout the day. Early morning visits before the crowds build give you a more relaxed experience and better light for photography. It is one of the few landmarks in any city that genuinely lives up to what people say about it.

Got to see this classic piece of art in the United Center. It happens to be a statue of His Airness…read moreabout to make a slam dunk. The Michael Jordan Statue is actually one of Chicago's most famous in a city where there's tons of statues. A newer feature is that it's now inside the atrium. You can still get in free to see it at least Cool story of how it got made. It's been around for quite a while, ever since his first retirement. This was originally outside the United Center when it first opened, but after an expansion it was moved inside the new atrium the fans go through. Also here is the gift shop where you can get Bulls clothing and gear. There's no charge to get in when there's not a game or other activity happening. Have to see this piece of art. It's located in the atrium of the United Center. This is a popular place for fans to get selfies before games or other things.

Visited in mid June, still accessible, all staff was very nice. Entering thru the gift shop and the…read morestatue standing alone, no workers or anyone present. Such a surreal statue to see, for me anyway.

Currently off view whilst renovations are being done on the Chase Tower. Possibly for lat next year…read moreviewing.

I really enjoy Chagall. The America Windows are my favorite exhibit in the Art Institute; my…read moreworkplace has reproductions of some of his works, and then there's The Four Seasons. It certainly helps too that I love murals and mosaics. It depicts the seasons in Chicago, which truly is a city that can experience them all (although I feel like spring and sometimes fall get the short shrift). This work was made in Europe and shipped here for installation, which I was surprised to learn. It also continued to be modified by Chagall after the installation, with bits of brick from Chicago also added at times to make it even more native to this space. It's one of a kind, and we're fortunate to have so much public art by world-reknown artists littered about our downtown.

I asked him to print a poster on glossy paper, and the quality turned out excellent. The price was…read morethe lowest I could find in Chicago, which was a great bonus. He even replied to my email over the weekend, which I really appreciated. Highly recommended!

Highly recommended. The business made me static-cling vinyl race car number decals. They came out…read moreperfect, within the tight deadline I needed, at a very reasonable price, and pickup time was super flexible.

Wings of Mexico…read more Beautiful wings. Gold. Always a line for taking picture. Nice. Clean place. Lots of people. They placed the wings in the perfect place. Highly recommended

You will find this pair of gold wings in the front of The Plaza of America. They tempt you to hop…read moreup there and take a photo with them. The wings are made of bronze with cement and iron bases and were installed in the Plaza in May 2022. They are the work of renowned Mexican artist Jorge Marín, who intended the piece to proudly symbolize the immigrant journey. Marin partnered with the Consulate General of Mexico in Chicago and Visit Mexico for the piece. The wings are well traveled. They were actually made in 2010 and before reaching its current home in Chi-town, it began it journey in Mexico City, with stops at 25 other locations, from California to Dubai. It was scheduled to be moved to Brookhaven, Georgia in October 2022, but for some reason still remains in Chicago as of April 2023. I like the concept of the wings and its backstory. It takes all of those wing murals popping up across the county to the next level. It is rare to see them in sculpture form. I really like these wings, even though they are pretty basic. They are still very detailed, eye catching and they are definitely worth checking out if you are in the area. Parking to get a closer look at this sculpture is difficult to do, as is most parking in the Windy City. This sculpture is not a destination piece and most of its viewers will be passerbys such as myself. Anyway, as with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is probably not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. Also, be very careful if you are going to get a closer look, as i previously mentioned, this is located at a busy roundabout. With that being said, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

Created by Jaume Pensa. It's a water feature with two glass towers that projects faces of folks…read more Very cool thing to see. Interactive art installations are some of my favorite pieces to see. In addition, if you're feeling like you need a cool down from that hot Chicago summer weather...you can take off your shoes and soak your tootsies. To me, the splash pad has no age limits. It's worth the quick walk from The Bean to see it.

Gorgeous! Refreshing to spend time here on a hot day. Relaxing and peaceful atmosphere, while also…read morevibrant people watching as kids and adults run through the water. Beautiful interactive fountain and I love seeing the changing and details of the faces. A lovely part of Millennium Park.

Almost walked past this. Opposite side of The Riverwalk. Great detail. Great background view of…read moreChicago skyline! Worth the stop!

This is an amazing piece of work by Taiwanese Artist and Sculptor Ju Ming. It is located in the…read moreAMA Plaza and outdoor seating is offered for individuals to sit and admire and discuss the sculpture of the eleven men cast in Bronze who are dressed in business suits, trench coats and some with umbrellas...obviously as if they were on their way to work in a modern city environment. Upon a close-up inspection recently, I noticed that the eyes were not pronounced and that they seem to be expressionless as the grayness of their cast figures suggest. Almost as if it was just another day going through the same routine- wake up, go to work, eat, sleep---REPEAT. It reminds me in a way of Andy Warhol's Campbells Soup Can-we live from one meal to the next. About the Artist: Ju Ming (1938-) was originally trained as a woodcarver; however, his work evolved into sculpting in bronze in addition to other materials such as styrofoam, stainless steel as well as other mediums. He became well known in Taiwan during the 1970s and later in 1983 in New York City when he had individual exhibition of Living World Series: A Pair of Classical People at the Max Hutchinson Gallery. This piece in particular, is regarded as one of the most important works among the early production of the Living World Series. Ming's Living World Series appears or suggests that his work may evolve from his perception of the world around him; however, he has been quoted as saying that there is no one interpretation or set interpretation designated in his intention to create his sculptures. There are other parts of The Living World Series including "Imprisonment"which has drawn attention to his style of thought provoking sculpture. FYI-This Public Piece of art was purchased by Eagle Holdings, which is the parent group of the Langham Hospitality Group.

This stretch of murals, also called the B_Line, is an ongoing work. It was created in 1971--and…read moreyes, you heard that correctly; it's over 50 years old. Ricardo Alonzo was an SAIC graduate and started the project with an environmental focus, but over time they have evolved. The organization that assumed responsibility for murals selects artists from around the world to paint them, and flies them out here to create their work. While most of the original murals from 50 years ago have faded away with time, they try to preserve what they can and create new art when they can't. It's an interesting stretch of about a mile, and is not a city project. The organization has an arrangement in perpetuity with the railroad for which the embankment is built. It will be interesting to see how this evolves and what new works are created.

These murals make a reason to visit in an otherwise bland elevated rail infrastructure,separating…read morethe Fulton market neighborhood. Each segment, uniquely different, are an homage to the city and its people. Colorful and vibrant, it paints a picture of unique individualism and whimsy countering a gentrifying area of the city.