A beautiful exhibit, it was different, it was sad, it was full of queer joy and romance. It was…read moreeverything every person who identifies with the LGBTQ+ community should see. It was well worth the price of the tickets, it was definitely worth scheduling a slot to go and see all of the pieces. We spent about 2 hours inside looking and taking in all of the work. The docents were knowledgeable and kind, some talked more than others but they were all lovely and polite. You must go see this exhibit if you have time, everyone needs to see queer art!

An amazingly curated and important exhibition- The First Homosexuals: 1869-1939. Our first time at…read morethe gallery. It's beautiful. In a converted apartment complex from the 1920s. Four floors and this exhibit takes up the entire space. Timing of the exhibit goes from 1869 - the first time the word "homosexual" was used in print thru 1939, the start of WWII and includes a nice coverage of Magnus Hirschfeld and his Institute for Sexual Science and includes a recast of his bust (destroyed during the n*zi book burning of his institute) and even his passport.

I think all the folks complaining about the experience should try experiencing it with a little…read morekid. I came with my SIL and my 19 month old nephew on a quiet Sunday. He had been cooped up in the house for a few days due to weather and needed to get out and about. My brother had taken him about 6 months ago and he enjoyed it even as a baby so I was hype to see it with him now that he's a little older. Rundown: -SIL paid for the tix so I dunno how much it cost -easy parking -no lines around 11am on a summer Sunday -in and out in about 45 minutes Notable exhibits: -the first one is an eye scan. I have soft tissue injury icks but I survived -the jellyfish mirror room - kids (and adults like me) go wild for this -any of the tactile ones where you touch and music happens -the ball and mirror room. Nephew went crazy for this as balls are his fave thing. -My ABSOLUTE fave was the DJ beats making room. I mixed some sounds while nephew danced. Some of us writing reviews for this place are old, jaded, have "seen it all" and seem to be approaching this from a transactional angle - I spent this so I want such and such experience. But if you watch a child's eyes light up at all the colors and sounds, watch how excited they get when they realize that their movement and their touch changes the floor pattern or the music, then you really get to experience what the place is about - Wonder!

Wasn't sure what to expect but this place was great to explore. This would be a great time for the…read morewhole family. Interactive rooms, areas where other guests were taking photos, bright and colorful. Staff was very nice and very helpful. Getting through the museum and for guidance. The location was easy to find and there is parking close by.

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!

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.

We stayed in theater district for the weekend ... and walked couple blocks for brunch. As we walked…read morei was drawn to the mosaic art in the doorway and someone said the shop opened soon . We stopped back on way to hotel. Great concept ... gives kids a place to be safe and creative.. learn to hone an art outlet. Then they sell some of the art that is created.

Gallery 37 is a feel-good shopping experience. They host free youth programs, in which students…read morecreate art or learn skills such as packaging design. After leaving the Chicago Cultural Center across the street, I thought I would check the place out. There is a small shop adjoining the gallery and classroom. Most of the art (paintings and sculpture) and jewelry (beaded stuff) didn't pique my interest - not my style. There was a display in back of the store with several handmade soaps, lotions, and lip balms. I purchased an all-natural lip balm, cleverly named "Chappucino," for only $2. It smells wonderful and is very moisturizing - a purchase I don't regret with this early on-set of winter. And I love the adorable label - a cappucino mug with a smiling face and a mustache. While I was here, there was a class in session. At the back of the store there's a large window so you can look in and observe. I only spent $2 here, but the nice lady working here gave me a free tote bag with their logo on it. Gallery 37 is certainly worth a look if you're in the loop area or looking for a way to get your child involved in the arts without spending lots of money on expensive lessons.

We attempted to go to the bookstore and there was NO ADA access available which violated Chicago…read moremunicipal code. Elevators were out of order and were forced to walk with a broken foot up three flights of stairs. Will never come again. And while attempting lay my foot for a rest I was yelled at.

I have seen three shows here are is such a great event space for live theatre…read more The building is very easy to get to and we parked right around back. They had a very very basic and simple drinks and maybe 6 packages of snacks to purchase. I love the variety of fun shows with a mix of family friendly children's theater as well.

Great place to stop in to check out and support work from local artists. Owners and staff are very…read morefriendly. Prices are very reasonable.

Most favorite local art spot to shop at, I've found so many gifts here already just living down the…read morestreet. Everything is reasonably priced and honestly SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL ARTIST DUH! They have pop ups every now and then to display different vendors and artists as well.

I can't say enough good things about this gallery. The space itself is stunning, and their online…read morestore is incredibly user-friendly. I purchased a piece I never imagined would fit my budget, but the founder, Matthew, was kind, responsive, and went above and beyond to make it possible. Artist Replete offers a diverse collection that suits different price points and speak to a wide variety of tastes and perspectives. Highly recommend! Thank you, Artist Replete!

Some traditions were made to be broken…read more With a mantra like this, you know that the art is going to be unique. Artist Replete showcases so many different mediums. Digital designs. Street art. Literature. Paintings. Sculptures. So interesting to visit their first official flagship store in the Water Tower Place. The art is so interesting. Love the use of toy soldiers and Lego people to create portraits. Artist Replete also gives more back to the artists as they take substantially less than the traditional 50% commission charged by most art gallery owners. Worth a stop. Located on the second floor near the Lego Store.

This is a great asset for the neighborhood. There are better children's museums in the city for…read moreout of towners looking for a destination place, but for locals this is a great place for kids. Place was empty when I brought my boy in, so he had the run of the place. Some cool interactive exhibits representing life in Sweden and the U.S. for Swedish immigrants 100 years ago. Price is on par or better than neighborhood play rooms ($10 for family or $3 for kids over 1 and $4 for adults) and annual memberships are reasonable (family is $50, which includes admission to the regular museum also). The museum has child focused activities (story time, etc.) occasionally also. Free parking is available in the museum's lot but it is up the street from the museum itself (an easy walk, but not right next to the museum so look up where it is located if you are driving). Only major drawback is that the hours are a bit goofy and not the most convenient for two nap kids.

This is a separate, hands on part of the Swedish American Museum in traditionally Swedish…read moreAndersonville. Although I think that it has interesting exhibits, it has different hours than the bigger museum (after school hours), and can sometimes be inundated with excited kids, so factor that in. The kids I brought got a lot out of it, but it may not be a destination spot for you without the rest of the museum's exhibits.