The Art Institute of Chicago

The Art Institute of Chicago

The Art Institute of Chicago
5
Monday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
Closed
Wednesday
Closed
Thursday
11:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
See why the Art Institute of Chicago is the only museum in the world to be top-ranked by TripAdvisor four years in a row! Experience the greatest Impressionist collection outside Paris, and view contemporary masterpieces in the spectacular Modern Wing. Stand before classics like Nighthawks, and travel the globe through galleries devoted to the art of ancient Greece, Japan, Africa, and the Americas.
Duration: 2-3 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience The Art Institute of Chicago
Are you currently on your trip?
Help us find experiences available for you.
The area
Address
Neighborhood: Grant Park
How to get there
  • Adams/Wabash • 3 min walk
  • Monroe • 5 min walk
Reach out directly
See what travelers are saying
  • Diane Elam
    Columbia, Missouri
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Can’t wait to come back
    When doing research for this trip, I underestimated the size of this place!! Could have easily spend all day here. I wandered around in random directions so I am sure I missed some good pieces. Can’t wait to go back!
    Visited March 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written February 29, 2024
  • Stu_L0nd0n
    London, United Kingdom
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Surely one of the best galleries in the world
    It's a truly amazing museum. We expected a visit of 2 or 3 hours, but were there most of the day. So many world famous paintings. Particularly enjoyed viewing A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte and so many others. It was our favourite day in Chicago.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written March 3, 2024
  • 5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sublime museum
    Museum extremely rich in works. Incredible works of varied origins. A wing with a collection of impressionist paintings which is probably the most beautiful after the Musée d'Orsay. Well located in the city center and easy to access. Obligatory passage in Chicago.
    Visited September 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written March 16, 2024
  • 5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Artistic Marvel: The Art Institute of Chicago
    The Art Institute of Chicago is a must-visit cultural gem. Its vast collection spans centuries and continents, showcasing masterpieces from renowned artists like Van Gogh, Monet, and Picasso. The museum's impressive exhibits, beautiful architecture, and engaging events make it a top destination for art lovers worldwide.
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written March 19, 2024
  • sanju_222323
    New Jersey
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    The diverse collection spans thousands of years
    The expansive Art Institute of Chicago features nearly 300,000 works worldwide in its permanent collection. Home to one of the country's most impressive collections of impressionist and post-impressionist art. The diverse collection spans thousands of years and includes pieces from a variety of media including painting, prints, photography, sculpture, You'll find here - pieces created in the Byzantine era, paintings completed just a few decades ago. Jacob Lawrence's "The Wedding," Georgia O'Keeffe's "Sky above Clouds IV" and Grant Wood's "American Gothic" From European armor to the Thorne Miniature Rooms It sits just south of Millennium Park and beside Grant Park in downtown Chicago. Driving to the Art Institute is not recommended due to the limited number of parking options within walking distance.
    Visited September 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written March 28, 2024
  • Ptorresmx
    Monterrey, Mexico
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A full day is not enough
    Wonderful place. There is a lot to cover and perhaps one day is not enough. Although some employees are very friendly. There are others at the entrance who are a bit rude. The price is high. They have a cafeteria that has quality food, although it is also expensive. There are temporary exhibitions and its collection has quite valuable pieces that you cannot miss.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 6, 2024
  • Quinten Jiskoot
    Amsterdam, The Netherlands
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The most beautiful museum I ever visited!
    In my twenties I minored in art history in college. I thought about that again as I walked through this beautiful museum. Here you will be taught art history in a concise 6, 7 hours. What a collection! Very complete, from the ancient Egyptians via the Greeks and Romans to the Middle Ages, to Asian and pre-Columbian art, to impressionist and expressionist painting, and then on to the present. I really enjoyed it, suddenly it was 5 pm and I had to leave the museum, but I was far from done. In short, a reason to return to Chicago.
    Visited September 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 7, 2024
  • Felicia B
    Morrisville, North Carolina
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A Sight Worth Viewing
    OH MY GOODNESS!!! This was such a wonderful way for us to end our visit/vacation! Thank you SO MUCH Ms. Darlene King and Leneese for the welcome, we appreciate you both! This was our last day of vacation and we decided to visit The Art Institute of Chicago, it was the right decision. I do have to admit that I have a new phone and I was "that person" that snap the flash photo on the tomb. I was embarrassed (as I should have been, I should have checked to see if the flash was on) and frustrated with myself when Ms. Tam and another associate yelled out "NO FLASH"! Please forgive me! From this day forward, I will have my husband to take ALL photos! LoL! We look forward to visiting and seeing the new exhibits next year/two years from now, thank you for all that you do! The art is exquisite and worth the view, the experience is priceless! In regards to parking, there is a parking garage across the street. Getting out of the parking garage was like a maze to us, however, we probably didn't pay close attention. The parking fee was not bad at all. If time permits and the weather is good, you may want to also check out the local areas nearby, we will most certainly visit during our next vacation.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 30, 2024
  • Phoenix DAWG
    Phoenix, Arizona
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Art History at its best.
    Great way to catch up on your art history. The highlights for us were the Impressions wing. I'd skip the Egyptian section if you've been to other museums and their exhibits. Overall this is a great way to spend a few hours.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written May 5, 2024
  • laziesttraveler
    Surrey, Canada
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Time well spent
    I only had a few hours before my plane so I signed up for a guided tour of the Art Institute of Chicago. Lucky I did as Marlin was a knowledgeable and charming tour guide that made sure the group I was with saw the things that were of particular interest. The art collection is outstanding with a wide variety of impressionist works, including a whole gallery of Monets as well a some famous contemporary American pieces. without a guide I would not have seen half the stuff I was interested in. the next time in Chicago I will definitely be back to the Institute.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written May 6, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles24,670 reviews
Excellent
20,867
Very good
3,214
Average
429
Poor
101
Terrible
60

These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
This service may contain translations provided by Google. Google disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to translations, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from forgery.

Gabriel
Westminster, CO57 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Solo
I absolutely loved this place so much, every time I come back to visit I will absolutely make time to visit, there is so much to see. I highly recommend going in the early morning so there isn’t such a crowd and you can move at your own pace without people getting in your way. There are plenty of classics, originals, and artists you haven’t heard of, it’s great. A must see for sure and the gift shop has copies of what you have seen so you can bring them home.
Written January 20, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

mr. worldwide charts
52 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2024 • Solo
If you're visiting, know that it's humanly impossible to take in everything in one full day, so don't run yourself ragged trying. I have been to the Art Institute ten times over the last five years and I've just now finished seeing most of the complex.

What I've seen that has stuck with me are:
- how big the Murakami piece at the very top corner of the modern art wing is
- the Egyptian exhibit. I have so many questions
- the brushstrokes on van Gogh's Self-Portrait
- seeing the same Memphis-designed chair at two different exhibits (mood)
- an exhibit on ceramics that looked like trash, alien plants, etc. by Japanese artisans

The maps that I picked up during my latest visit had a suggested path for what to see within two hours, showing the Art Institute is trying to get people to visit if they're short on time. The pieces are mostly uber popular ones (American Gothic, etc). I would use this as a starting point, but please take in the descriptions and feel free to wander - the curators and staff do an amazing job providing context and a sense of place for all the pieces to breathe. It's the reason I never hesitate to come back.

I always enter through the steps featuring the bronze lions - it's two blocks down from the loop CTA and three from the Red Line. There are usually unaffiliated folks drumming on paint buckets outside You can enter from the modern wing as well but it's not as iconic.

Logistically, you will likely need to bag check your bag if you have one, so you should do that before being told by the security team to. It is free, though, as long as you have a ticket. Beyond that, jackets seem to be fine if they're not bulky / large / wet. Water bottles are fine to bring with you, but you should obviously be careful as to when/where you drink. There are refill stations by all the bathrooms. Bathrooms are pretty clean (for a big city downtown bathroom, and for a big tourist attraction bathroom).

I would 100% recommend taking a paper map (they are free!) and looking up what pieces you want to look at on the Art Institute site using their free wi-fi. Every room is numbered, but the numbering is confusing, so you will need to look up where the room where the piece is and then how to get there using your map.

The gift shop is a lot. Even the postcards are overpriced versus other museums downtown, so I've never bought anything in any of my visits. Go to a locally owned bookstore and you'd find a lot of the same stuff outside of the art merch. I haven't eaten at the museum cafe, but considering how many fast casual places there are right outside, you can do a price check and see if it makes sense.
Written October 20, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

PJA070413
Arlington, VA157 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Family
The AIC is a national treasure. There is just so much to see there that one day alone won't be enough time to experience the entire collection, so start with some exhibits of special interest to you. The impressionist galleries are just fantastic and alone would be well worth the trip and price of admission. The arms and armor collection is also magnificent and rivals that of the Met in New York City. If you have to choose, I would prioritize a visit to the AIC over the Field Museum. AIC has a more diverse collection and more space to spread out, which made it seem less overflowing. Buying tickets online will save time, but the ticket line moved pretty fast. There is a nice cafe in the back of the new building -- a bit pricey (paid $85 for lunch for 3 including tip) but the service was fast and the food was pretty good. I hope to return - this is definitely a place to experience more than once.
Written August 19, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SAMURAIABC
Japan3,265 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Solo
It is one of the three major art museums in the United States, and the collection is very large, including famous works. Even beginners to painting can enjoy it.

The admission fee is over $30, and with the weak yen, it is 5,000 yen, so I am not sure whether to go in casually.
Clark is always crowded and you have to wait.
Google
Written October 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bella
1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Family
Very rude gift shop worker. I was on my way out of the museum a few min before closing and I wanted to just pop my head into the store and browse for a min or two. There were probably 20 or 30 people already in the store and more people coming in behind me. They let everyone know that the store was closing and to come to the checkout with their items at about 2 min till closing when I was near the back of the store. I turned around and started working my way to the exit, browsing as I went since there was still 2 min left and there was a long line at the register.

Then, suddenly, this woman physically steps between me and what I was looking at and starts repeating something along the lines of "thank you good night" with this crazed stare while shooing me toward the exit with a t-shirt that she was holding like a matador cape... Mind you, its not like I am the only one left in the store at this point; there were at least 20 people still browsing on their way out like me, or lining up to check out. I was kind of caught off guard and I tried to step around her but she kept jumping in front of me and blocking me with the t-shirt like she was guarding me in basketball or something. I didn't say or do anything to her but she was acting so intense and strange that it took me as second to even realize that she even worked at the store. It initially crossed my mind that I was dealing with with a mentally ill person and I might need to get an employee or the security guard help me. When I realized that she WAS and employee and she was trying to shoo me out of the store, all that really went through my mind was that the museum really needs to vet their hires better!

It was such an odd and unsettling experience that it honestly ruined my experience with the museum which had been quite nice until then. If in the future I have the opportunity to learn this employee's name I will update this review. I imagine that others have probably experienced this very strange and unbelievably rude behavior from her. If so please like this review so the museum might take the notice and potentially improve their hiring practices or employee conduct policies. I am sure the museum would prefer to have its patrons leave with nice memories and potentially a souvenir than a strange taste in the mouth and an odd story of being harassed and herded out 2 min before closing like a farm animal.
Written August 30, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

The_Coach55
Ruislip, UK1,393 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
The Art Institute of Chicago is a vast art museum situated in Grant Park in the Downtown / Loop area of the city.

It would be almost impossible to view everything in one visit so we concentrated on the Impressionist work and the Van Gogh exhibition.

There was a large collection of great work on show by Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas and Paul Cezanne amongst others.

A showpiece painting - A Sunday on La Grande Jatte - by Georges Seurat was very prominent and I also liked Head of a Guillotined Man by Theodore Gericault.

I found the exhibition Van Gogh and the Avent Garde : the Modern Landscape less good.

It focussed on the work of Van Gogh, Seurat, Signac and Bernard in Asnieres in 1887.

Some interesting work, but probably not Van Gogh’s best, although I did like his pointillist painting.

It was also overly crowded in the exhibition.

Looking back, I was disappointed to miss American Gothic by Grant Wood and Nighthawks by Edward Hopper, although I had seen them both when they came to the Royal Academy in London in 2017.

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit, however the cost at $32 each plus an extra $10 for the Van Gogh exhibition was somewhat high.

The museum is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Written August 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Architellus
Noblesvile, IN31 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Solo
Haven’t been here since my youth but enjoyed 3-4 hours here on recent trip to Chicago. It was amazing but plan to sit and rest every hour or so. The Thorne miniature rooms kept me occupied for a good hour to start. Amazing walk through interior design since the 1700s in America and Europe. The Roman sculpture gallery is almost a religious experience. I spent the most time in the pre 1900 American wing (Winslow Homer and Hudson River School) and the French impressionist gallery.

Food: I initially trekked way up the stairs to the cafe above the Modern wing but it was way overcrowded, no sandwiches and $15 for a snack of grapes and cheese! Instead really enjoyed a late lunch at the marketplace which has a nice view out into the back courtyard —- was excellent but pricey at $35 and enjoyed a a caprese sandwich on ciabatta and French onion soup and a juice. They were closing around 3:30-4 it seemed though.

So many other highlights. Everything was immaculately clean, quiet and patrons were generally polite but expect congregations that move slowly around the iconic works. Better to move on and come back later when they clear out as they seem to go in spurts.

Well worth the price if you are an art lover!
Written November 1, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Robert Camper
Concord, NH105 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Family
We went to Chicago for a week with my wife and 16 year old son. My wife and I wanted to see the Art Institute of Chicago, my son, reluctantly agreed we could add it to the itinerary. I think he ended up enjoying it more than we did! Of course there were some things that we found more interesting, artists we knew of, but we spent about 6 hours there, didn't see it all, and he was still 100% engaged. We finally left because we were hungry and wanted to get dinner. Very much on our todo again list if we get the opportunity to go back to Chicago someday.
Written January 9, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Road_warriorXTRM
Philadelphia, PA506 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Couples
Excellent museum. A full day experience if visiting the city. If you are lucky enough to live in Chicago you could go multiple times for a few hours and see something different each time. The museum is a bit challenging to negotiate and in house cafe / restaurant service was so-so and expensive. We paid more for lunch for 2 than we did for our entry tickets.
Written August 23, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

GINA H
Huixquilucan, Mexico194 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Family
It is an excellent museum with unique paintings. It is too expensive 40 USD per person which is excessive, if you are an art lover you are forced to pay it. You should really consider the price.
Picasso's collection is incredible, van Gogh's incredible, Monet Renoir's, Mondrian Chagall's. unforgettable
Written May 14, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Showing results 1-10 of 21,103
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO (2025) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

All Chicago HotelsChicago Hotel DealsLast Minute Hotels in Chicago
All things to do in Chicago
RestaurantsFlightsTravel StoriesCruisesRental Cars