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Chicago: must-see places to explore the city thoroughly

Chicago is explored as a mosaic of neighborhoods, parks, and towers, each telling a part of its story. The city reveals itself through reflections on Lake Michigan, glass facades rising above the river, and museums among the richest in the United States. The journey takes you from a public garden resembling an art gallery to a platform attached to a tower, then to a shopping avenue with architecture competing with storefronts. Cultural centers, iconic stadiums, and ethnic neighborhoods add further dimensions to this urban landscape. Here is a selection of places that show Chicago as it is lived, amidst height, culture, and daily energy.

Navy Pier

Chicago, USA

Navy Pier

Leisure complex situated on Lake Michigan. The site includes a sixty-meter Ferris wheel, dining areas, shops, and a lively pier hosting concerts and seasonal events.

Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago, USA

Art Institute of Chicago

Major museum displaying over three hundred thousand works. It features prominent impressionist collections, American masterworks, and collections ranging from Antiquity to modern movements.

Millennium Park

Chicago, USA

Millennium Park

Large public space in the city center. The park features the Cloud Gate sculpture, well-maintained gardens, a concert pavilion, and several art installations that serve as meeting points for visitors.

Willis Tower Skydeck

Chicago, USA

Willis Tower Skydeck

Platform located on the 103rd floor. Suspended glass boxes allow visitors to step out over the void to observe the city and the lake shores in a circular panorama.

Chicago Riverwalk

Chicago, USA

Chicago Riverwalk

A developed path of two and a half kilometers along the river. Restaurants, terraces, and boarding points line the route to explore the city from the water.

The Field Museum

Chicago, USA

The Field Museum

Natural history museum housing over forty million specimens. Dinosaur fossils, Egyptian mummies, and objects from cultures around the world make up an exceptional collection.

Grant Park

Chicago, USA

Grant Park

Large urban park covering 130 hectares bordering the city center. It features the Buckingham Fountain, gardens, and areas designated for public events and festivals.

Shedd Aquarium

Chicago, USA

Shedd Aquarium

Aquarium established in 1930. The tanks house marine mammals, tropical fish, and other species displayed in nearly nineteen million liters of water.

North Michigan Avenue

Chicago, USA

North Michigan Avenue

Highly frequented shopping district. Shops, restaurants, and landmark buildings line thirteen blocks along one of Chicago's most well-known avenues.

Lincoln Park Zoo

Chicago, USA

Lincoln Park Zoo

Free zoo founded in 1868. It hosts more than two hundred species, an educational farm, and year-round educational programs.

Chicago Cultural Center

Chicago, USA

Chicago Cultural Center

Building from 1897. Its two stained glass domes host exhibitions, concerts, and free events accessible to everyone.

Buckingham Fountain

Chicago, USA

Buckingham Fountain

Landmark fountain from 1927. Its two hundred jets project light displays in the evening in Grant Park, becoming a regular gathering spot.

John Hancock Center

Chicago, USA

John Hancock Center

Black skyscraper measuring three hundred forty-four meters. The platform on the ninety-fourth floor provides an unobstructed view of the city and the lake.

The Chicago Theatre

Chicago, USA

The Chicago Theatre

Historic hall from 1921 with a capacity of over three thousand people. The venue hosts concerts, shows, and screenings in the city center.

Adler Planetarium

Chicago, USA

Adler Planetarium

Established in 1930. Astronomical instruments, meteorites, and digital representations of the night sky make up the main exhibits.

Wrigley Field

Chicago, USA

Wrigley Field

Baseball stadium opened in 1914. It hosts forty-one thousand spectators and features a manual scoreboard that has become a symbol of the arena.

Garfield Park Conservatory

Chicago, USA

Garfield Park Conservatory

Large horticultural complex comprising eight indoor gardens. Over two thousand species grow under glass domes spanning eighteen thousand square meters.

Museum of Contemporary Art

Chicago, USA

Museum of Contemporary Art

Institution dedicated to international creation since 1945. The modern building inaugurated in 1996 presents a collection of two thousand five hundred works.

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

Chicago, USA

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

Museum dedicated to Illinois nature. Visitors explore interactive exhibits and a large greenhouse where hundreds of butterflies fly.

Jane Addams Hull-House Museum

Chicago, USA

Jane Addams Hull-House Museum

Place depicting Jane Addams' activities. Furniture, photos, and documents from the era illustrate the development of social work in the early twentieth century.

Dusable Museum of African American History

Chicago, USA

Dusable Museum of African American History

Institution dedicated to the history and culture of African Americans. Paintings, documents, and objects illustrate the contributions of Black communities in the United States.

Chinatown Square

Chicago, USA

Chinatown Square

Shopping center in Chinatown. Traditional restaurants, shops, and decor inspired by classical architecture are arranged around a large plaza.

Marina City

Chicago, USA

Marina City

Two circular towers built in 1964. Their distinctive outline has become an architectural landmark on the shores of the Chicago River.

Chicago History Museum

Chicago, USA

Chicago History Museum

Museum that traces the city's development. Items, archives, and exhibitions tell the story of Chicago from its beginnings to the present day.

Robie House

Chicago, USA

Robie House

Residence designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1910. The building exemplifies the Prairie School style with its horizontal lines and open interior layout.

Promontory Point Park

Chicago, USA

Promontory Point Park

Green area along the lakeshore. The observation points provide views of the skyline, and the stone features date back to the 1930s.

Pilsen Neighborhood

Chicago, USA

Pilsen Neighborhood

Lively neighborhood characterized by Mexican culture. Murals, Latin restaurants, and small shops make up its core identity.

Thalia Hall

Chicago, USA

Thalia Hall

Restored theater from 1892. It hosts concerts, performances, and various cultural events in a preserved historic setting.

The 606 Trail

Chicago, USA

The 606 Trail

An old railway converted into a landscaped path over more than four kilometers. Cyclists, walkers, and residents use it as an urban promenade space.

Pullman National Monument

Chicago, USA

Pullman National Monument

Historic district with industrial buildings and workers' housing from the nineteenth century. The site illustrates industrial history and the beginnings of the American labor movement.