One of the best and biggest art museums I've ever been to…read more I brought my 11-year-old son with me on a Monday morning in August. The only downsides were just how insanely packed it was, and the price of admission - $32 for adults (but free for my son at least). But it's worth it to fork over the cash and brave the crowds. The collections are stunning and expansive and truly breathtaking. The paintings are well spaced out with ample descriptions and information. Like most museums of this size and prestige, the building and the people watching are just as interesting as the art. Definitely hope to return someday as I've barely scratched the surface!

What a fabulous place for various artists and artwork! It was great to see all the different pieces…read moreand styles in this collection. The art institute is huge and covers a wide variety of different styles. It's a big place so expect to spend some time here. Map shows different levels and different stairs and elevators leading to different places. They even have a cafe in the 3rd floor. Really cool place to check out in Chicago while you're here. They do have free lockers for large backpacks and items near the front.

We came to check out the Pokemon Fossil exhibit, as several people I know are crazy for Pokemon and…read moreone of my young cousins loves it a lot. You will definitely want to buy the ticket a week in advance as they sell out quickly. The exhibit itself is composed of fossils they made of Pokemon, paired with actual fossils, which is intended to elicit interest from children in archaeology. It didn't appeal as much to me (a fossil enthusiast, but not a Pokemon enthusiast). The ticket allows you to enter the gift shop which you can buy some pokemon merch, and you get a pokemon card when you enter the exhibit as well. The rest of the museum was also great, and I don't think I had enough time to see everything! I especially liked the sue exhibit and the sue store. The gem stones and taxidermy exhibits were also quite nice! I would definitely return again, but this museum will definitely need at least a whole day to explore!

I've been coming here for years. I do think the main exhibit with dinosaurs is the best one, and…read moresince they moved Sue (trex) to her own room and did some digital things, it's better. The VR experience right outside is not worth the price. $12 per person and it's a 5-6 minute ride. But it's very bumpy, the headsets are for 4 people but one wasn't working. When I put mine on, the vision was blurry in one side, and then the bumpy nature of the movement caused me to get motion sickness. My teens said it wasn't worth it. We did see younger kids enjoy it though. The special exhibit was sold out for several days, so we didn't get to see the Pokémon. I do think though that most of the regular exhibits need to be updated. It's pretty old and worn down. Also, not sure who wants to tour plant varieties and old jewelry. Sure it's okay to see because everyone is curious about expensive stones and cool designs, but for teens and kids nothing interactive.

Figured the kid would like this, and she did. And so did we…read more Kind of expensive, I think $40 for adults and $30 for kids, but worth it. Very nice space packed with illusions, many classics but some unusual ones. And staff were great, from the front desk to the manager to the lady who helped us fully experience the exhibits with hints on how to see them best, and ideas (plus some had photos nearby with suggestions.) Kind of small, we spent about an hour, but had a lot of fun. We went right when they opened on a Sunday and it wasn't crowded then, but things picked up by the time we left. So come early to have a bit more freedom to roam.

Miana, was amazing. She took pictures. She gave us some good feedback and a lot of education. She…read moremade the experience one notch above other experiences!! Thank you Miana!!!! Carla Work

A neat small place to learn about Chicago architecture and it's development, with short…read more timelines on the walls and miniature model of the city and another ofWrigley Field. I bought a perfect, sturdy canvas bag labeled Chicago Architecture Center.

The museum has great models of Wrigley field and downtown. There is a video that discusses the…read moreevolution of the city. There are interactive displays that describe prominent buildings, architects , and architectural styles in Chicago. A good place to learn about Chicago architecture!

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.

This is the Nickerson Mansion huilt in 1883 which was bought and restored over several years by…read moreRichard Driehaus. It has several items original to the home, plus some of Driehaus' collection. There was an art exibit of satirical prints from London and Dublin on display when we went through. Beautiful Tiffany lamps and chandeliers, marble, tile, woodworking throughout the whole home. Learned more about the history of Chicago and what it was like at the time the mansion was first built.

Driehaus Museum is beautiful! It is a smaller museum that features stunning art and architecture. I…read morewas able to get a student discount for my ticket, so I only paid $13. If I had paid more, I think I would have been a little disappointed. They offer tours throughout the day and I wish I had joined one. There is a little bit of signage throughout, but I think I would have gotten more out of it with a guide. The bathrooms are located in the basement and they are spotlessly clean. There is a small gift shop on the third floor which has a variety of nice Chicago and gilded age themed gifts. Driehaus Museum was truly a feast for the eyes. I'm not sure I'll come back, as I feel like I've seen what I needed to see, but I'm glad I stopped in. It is beautiful!

Finally visited this River North museum during my return to Chicago. Since I wasn't a CHI/IL…read moreresident, the adult ticket price was $22, however you can also opt for the Pay As You Wish option, which is essentially Suggested Donation. While the museum is 4 floors, the exhibits weren't as plentiful. The 1st floor is basically their cafe. The 2nd and 4th floors are prob the floors with more artwork. The 3rd fl felt like an "in-between" floor. Thankfully, the Yoko Ono exhibit was on display, which featured several interactive activations, like a Wish Tree or writing on a wall, which were fun. Their Museum Shop also spans from floors 1-2. I wouldn't say that this museum has the popular artists. The overall artworks are a mix of abstract, photography, and mixed media. I wouldn't recommend it as a "Must See" for tourists, personally. However, I'm an art enthusiast and still thought it was a decent museum to walk through. Perhaps opt for the Suggested Donation for this one.

I loved my experience! I really appreciate the free Tuesday nights for Illinois residents. That's…read moresuch a treat! Beautiful museum with multiple floors, excellent customer service, plenty of comfortable seating, cool gift shop, and a cafe and restaurant too. It has everything I need! The vibes are good here. I enjoyed all the floors and saw an impressive variety of art. I also wanted to see the Yoko Ono exhibit and I really enjoyed it. I appreciated how interactive it was. There were a few writing stations with activities, such as writing about your mom and taping it to the wall, and writing a wish on a tag and tying it to the wish tree. One room was blue and there were blue markers available and people were encouraged to add to it. Fabulous venue!

This was the most wonderful experience! I highly recommend it if you're in Chicago. It's located in…read morethe Willis Tower, so if you're going to the Skydeck it's a quick little jaunt over before or after. I wasn't sure what to expect, and it ended up being so much better than I imagined! All the people working were friendly, knew what they were doing, and helped us have the best experience we could have. I loved every part of it, and it was awesome tying in all the senses to color! The tasting one was so fun, I ended up guessing mine right! I think my husband and I had the most fun with the partner drawing activity, that's a keepsake for sure, haha! Other faves were the poem and balloon exhibit and of course, the ball pit. We came with our 6 year old nephew but I think the adults had more fun than he even did! It was fun to let loose and be a kid again. I was thankful for all the fun photo ops, it made it easier to get great pics without having our phones out the whole time. The only bummer was the ice cream. We paid $1 per person for it and it was just one tiny little ball with a wooden spoon, and I could taste the spoon more than the ice cream.

When we first visited Color Factory two years ago, my daughters did not want to leave. On our most…read morerecent trip back to the city, they wanted to see it again. We still had a good time, but the venue was pretty much the same, so there was nothing new for them to get as excited about. We still enjoyed walking through the rooms, etc. Hopefully, the CF team can develop some new experiences in the space to get us to go back on our next visit to the city.