AREA ATTRACTIONS
Daley Plaza
Chicago's first major public building to be constructed in a modern architectural style, it was intended to house court and hearing rooms, the Cook county Law Library, the City and Cook County. Its Picasso sculpture was the Loop's first monumental sculpture and its installation began the transformation of downtwon with works by world-renowned artists.
Cloud Gate
A reflective steel Sculpture Built by artist Anish Kapoor and inspired by liquid mercury, Made of 168 stainless steel plates welded together to form a highly polished exterior with no visible seams, The Bean's surface reflects and distorts the city's skyline.
Millennium Park
Hailed as Chicago's premier green space and considered the world's largest rooftop garden due to its 25 acres of awe-inspiring landscapes, architecture and public art, Millennium Park hosts dozens of free events including art installations, outdoor concerts, film screenings, alfresco workouts.
Pritzker Pavilion- Summer Concert Series
A bandshell that hosts the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra & Chorus and the Grant Park Music Festival; it offers its stage to mainstream rock bands, classical music, opera, but also physical fitness activites such as yoga.
Grant Park
Located in Chicago's central business district, between the downtown Chicago Loop and ake Michigan, and originally known as Lake Park, Grant Park is often called 'Chicago's front yard'. It contains performance venues, gardens, artwork, sporting, and harbor facilities and it hosts public gatherings and several large annual events.
Chicago Riverwalk
Located on the south bank of the Chicago River and spanning from Lake Shore Drive to Franklin Street, it is open pedestrian waterfront with resturants and seating, popular for boat rentals and other water-related activities. Plans for its expansion include floating gardens, a bridge and fishing piers.
Crown Fountatin
Jaume Plensa's The Crown Fountain is an interactive work of art and video sculpture composed of a black granite reflecting pool placed between a pair of transparent 50 feet glass brick towers that use light-emitting diodes behind the bricks to display digital videos on their inward faces.
Art Institute of Chicago
Founded as a free art school and gallery, the AIC is an encyclopedic art museum featuring a collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art in its permanent collection that includes American art, Old Masters, European and American decorative arts, Asian art, modern and contemporary art, architecture, industrial and graphic design.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
One of 5 American orchestras commonly referred to as the 'Big Five' and hailed as one of the greatest in the world. It performs well over one hundred concerts each year at its downtown home, Symphony Center, and at the Ravinia Festival where it is in residency each summer.
Lyric Opera Of Chicago
One of the world's greates opera companies, founded in 1954, the Lyric has distinguished itself by presenting the finest international singers, directors, and designers in classic and less-familiar operatic repertoire and in world-premiere productions. The orcherstra comprises of 75 musicians considered among the finest in the world.
Nederlander Theatre
Located at 24 West Randolph Street and built in 1926 as a deluxe movie place, it was closed in the 80s to reopen in 1998 with the Chicago preiere of Ragtime. It housed a sit-down production of Wicked between 2005-2009, making it the most popular stage production in Chicago history.
Cadillac Palace Theater
Located at 151 West Randolph Street, it opened as part of vaudeville's Orpheum Circuit, but was converted into a movie palace in 1931. It is home to pre-Broadway tours and world premieres since the opening of Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida in 1999.
Bank of America Theater
Located at 18 West Monre Street, it opened in 1906 as the Majestic Theatre and has hosted an astounding array of classic plays and musicals. Formerly known as the LaSalle Bank Theatre and the Sam Shuber Theatre, it has been home to many pre-Broadway tours and World Premieres.
Chicago Theater
Built as part of a large chain of opulent motion picture houses and located on North State Street, its distinctive marquee appears frequently as an unoffical emblem of the city. Currently it serves as a landmark performing arts venue for stage plays, magic shows, comedy, speeches, and popular music concerts.
Joffery Ballet
World-class ballet company and dance education organization committed to artistic excellence and innovation, it was hailed as 'America's Company of Firsts'- the first dance company to perform at the White House, to appear on TV, on the cover of Time Magazine, to inspire a movie and to livestream a rehearsal video on Youtube.
Goodman Theatre
Founded in 1925, the city's oldest currently active nonprofit theater organization is committed to producing classic and contemporary workds and giving voice toa wide range of artists and visions. The Quality of productions, the depth and diversity of artistic leadership, and the excellence of its community and educational programs are renowned.
Harold Washington Library Center
Built in the 1980s, it is the central library for the Chicago Public Library System, names in honor of Harold Washington, the city's first African American mayor. It is located just south of the Chicago Loop 'L', at 400 S. State Street and it is a full-service library with free wifi interent service.
Chicago Cultural Center
Opened in 1897, it is considered one of the most comprehensive arts showcases in the United States. As the nation's first free municipal cultural center, it features more than 1,000 programs and exhibitions covering a wide range of the performing, visual and literary arts yearly.