On the banks of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan is Chicago, the third biggest city in the United States. As a cultural hub and diverse metropolitan area, there’s a thriving, proud, and long-standing art pedigree to the city. It is recognized internationally as a design and art center, and as a result there are more than a few galleries and exhibitions for enthusiasts to enjoy.

The city has grown, and many neighborhoods have transformed into their own mini art districts, each with its own distinct style. The result being that you are completely spoiled for choice when trying to pick which to go and see.

Here are our 10 favorites that you simply cannot miss on your next trip.

The Art Institute of Chicago (ARTIC)

As the second largest art museum in the US, The Art Institute of Chicago has to be on this list. Its collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Art is second in size only to the Louvre, and it’s home to more than 300,000 pieces of art.

There are numerous pieces that you simply cannot miss while visiting, including ARTIC’s selection of Claude Monet, which consists of 33 paintings and 13 drawings – the largest collection of his work outside of Paris. Georges Seurat’s A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte is one of the most viewed paintings at the museum, even though also boasts pieces by Édouard Manet, Paul Cézanne, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Mary Cassatt. It’s also home to Grant Wood’s legendary painting, American Gothic.

MUSEUM/ GALLERY	The Art Institute of Chicago (ARTIC)
URL	www.artic.edu
ADDRESS	Michigan Avenue Entrance: 111 South Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL 60603 Modern Wing Entrance: 159 East Monroe Street Chicago, IL 60603
HOURS	Monday – 11am–5pm Tuesday – Closed Wednesday – Closed Thursday – 11am–5pm Friday – 11am–5pm Saturday – 11am–5pm Sunday – 11am–5pm
ENTRY FEE (GENERAL ADMISSION)	Adult – $25 Seniors, Students, Teenagers: $19 Children & Members: Free

The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA)

Initially opened in 1967 as a “Kunsthalle” (a gallery that focuses on mounting temporary exhibitions rather than building its own collection), MCA prioritizes experimental art and education programs. Today it hosts some of the biggest touring exhibits in the world, is now home to one of the US largest collections of modern art and is widely known to be one of the largest contemporary art museums in the world. Its collection comprises thousands of pieces and objects of postwar visual art.

The museum is still run like a gallery. A calendar of curated exhibitions run throughout the year. In the past it’s also been host to notable events such as Frida Kahlo’s first American solo exhibition, the first solo museum show of Dan Flavin in 1967 as well as Jeff Koons in 1988.  You simply cannot miss the MCA if you’re in Chicago.

MUSEUM/ GALLERY	The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA)
URL	mcachicago.org
ADDRESS	220 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
HOURS	Monday – Closed Tuesday – 10am–9pm Wednesday – 10am–5pm Thursday – 10am–5pm Friday – 10am–5pm Saturday – 10am–5pm Sunday – 10am–5pm
ENTRY FEE (GENERAL ADMISSION)	Adult – $15 Seniors, Students, Teachers: $8 Children & Members: Fee

Zhou B Art Center

Located in Bridgeport, the Zhou B Art Center is where contemporary art engages in vibrant cultural dialogue with an international scope. “Promoting the contemporary convergence of Eastern and Western visuality in the United States,” Zhou B was established to serve as a venue where local artists can interact and engage with the global art community. The center is home to galleries, studio spaces, and a bustling community of artists, creators and curators, nurturing the resident creatives while also providing the public with memorable and unique exhibitions.

MUSEUM/ GALLERY	Zhou B Art Center
URL	zhoubartcenter.com
ADDRESS	1029 W. 35th St., Ste. 403 Chicago, IL 60609
HOURS	Monday – 10am–3pm Tuesday – 10am–3pm Wednesday – 10am–3pm Thursday – 10am–3pm Friday – 10am–3pm Saturday – 10am–3pm Sunday – Closed
ENTRY FEE (GENERAL ADMISSION)	N/A

Kavi Gupta Gallery

Having been in existence for almost 25 years, Kavi Gupta Gallery is a commercial contemporary art gallery. The gallery opened in 2000 and has been home to a number of revered exhibitions and artists. Some notable artists currently represented by Kavi Gupta include Jeffrey Gibson, Beverly Fishman, Gerald Williams, Jae Jarrell and Wadsworth Jarrell, Tony Tasset, Richard Hunt, Roxy Paine and Clare Rojas.

MUSEUM/ GALLERY	Kavi Gupta Gallery
URL	kavigupta.com
ADDRESS	Principal site (n.b. Kavi Gupta now occupies 4 sites): 835 W Washington Blvd floors 1-3, 835 W Washington Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607
HOURS	Monday – Closed Tuesday – 11am–6pm Wednesday – 11am–6pm Thursday – 11am–6pm Friday – 11am–6pm Saturday – 12–5pm Sunday – Closed
ENTRY FEE (GENERAL ADMISSION)	N/A

Rhona Hoffman Gallery

The gallery was founded in 1976 as the Young Hoffman Gallery, and specializes in international socio-political contemporary art across all media. Aimed at launching young and emerging artists’ careers towards the end of the 1970s, including Cindy Sherman, Barbara Kruger, Jenny Holzer, and Silvia Plimack Mangold. When Young and Hoffman decided to establish separated galleries, Rhona Hoffman carried on showing young and emerging artists alongside more established and known veterans. The list of exhibitors at the Rhona Hoffman Gallery is extensive, however some of the more notable names include Vito Acconci, Spencer Finch, Luis Gispert, Leon Golub, Robert Heinecken, Jenny Holzer, Barbara Kruger, Sol LeWitt, Gordon Matta-Clark, Robert Ryman, Fred Sandback, Lorna Simpson, Nancy Spero, Richard Tuttle, Brian Ulrich, Carrie Mae Weems, and Kehinde Wiley.

MUSEUM/ GALLERY	Rhona Hoffman Gallery
URL	rhoffmangallery.com
ADDRESS	1711 West Chicago Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60622
HOURS	Monday – Closed Tuesday – 10am–5pm Wednesday – 10am–5pm Thursday – 10am–5pm Friday – 10am–5pm Saturday – 11am–5pm Sunday – Closed
ENTRY FEE (GENERAL ADMISSION)	N/A

Corbett vs Dempsey

Founded by Jim Dempsey and John Corbett in 2004, Corbett vs Dempsey exhibits a range of artists who are connected to both the contemporary and historical legacy of Chicago. With a mission to explore artists across the board, from the widely known to emerging artists, whilst being a champion for artists of critical significance to post-war Chicago like Margot Bergman, Dominick Di Meo, Edward Flood, Philip Hanson, Thomas H. Kapsalis, Robert Lostutter, Christina Ramberg, Diane Simpson, Karl Wirsum, and Jimmy Wright.

Both Corbett and Dempsey have a generous list of plaudits and achievements, and collaborate on a number of projects that dive deeper into Chicago’s art scene, artists and movements.

MUSEUM/ GALLERY	Corbett vs Dempsey
URL	corbettvsdempsey.com
ADDRESS	2156 W Fulton St, Chicago, IL 60612
HOURS	Monday – Closed Tuesday – 10am–5pm Wednesday – 10am–5pm Thursday – 10am–5pm Friday – 10am–5pm Saturday – 10am–5pm Sunday – Closed
ENTRY FEE (GENERAL ADMISSION)	N/A

Zolla/Lieberman Gallery

In 1976 Zolla/Lierbeman gallery moved into what was, at the time, a desolate industrial neighborhood to found what is today known as the River North Gallery District. The same year, the gallery also gave a solo show to the then unknown artist Deborah Butterfield. Butterfield is now internationally reputed, with work selling for almost half a million. The gallery shows a wide range of artists, genres and media but continues to maintain the quality of contemporary artwork on which it built and expanded its reputation.

MUSEUM/ GALLERY	Zolla/Lieberman Gallery
URL	zollaliebermangallery.com
ADDRESS	325 W Huron St Chicago, IL 60654
HOURS	Monday – Closed Tuesday – 10am–5pm Wednesday – 10am–5pm Thursday – 10am–5pm Friday – 10am–5pm Saturday – 11am–5pm Sunday – Closed
ENTRY FEE (GENERAL ADMISSION)	N/A

Gray Chicago

In 1963 Richard Gray founded Gray in Chicago. Since then, one gallery has become three, with a second in Chicago plus one in New York. Gray specializes in first and secondary works by renowned artists that include: Magdalena Abakanowicz, Alberto Giacometti, David Hockney, Alex Katz, Willem de Kooning and a full roster of blue chip art world names.

MUSEUM/ GALLERY	Richard Gray Gallery
URL	richardgraygallery.com
ADDRESS	875 N Michigan Ave Fl 38 Chicago, IL 60611
HOURS	Monday – Closed Tuesday – 10am–5pm Wednesday – 10am–5pm Thursday – 10am–5pm Friday – 10am–5pm Saturday – 11am–5pm Sunday – Closed
ENTRY FEE (GENERAL ADMISSION)	N/A

Carl Hammer Gallery

Carl Hammer deals in modern and contemporary art, with a heavy focus on its roster of artists specializing in outsider and self-taught artists. These include Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley, Marcos Bontempo, Henry Darger, William Dawson, Howard Finster, Lee Godie, Frank Jones, Simon Sparrow, Bill Traylor, Eugene Von Bruenchenhein, Joseph Yoakum, Albert Zahn and others. According to the gallery, “the dialogue between ‘mainstream’ and ‘Outsider’ artists is both important and influential in determining both our exhibition criteria and artist representation.”

MUSEUM/ GALLERY	Carl Hammer Gallery
URL	carlhammergallery.com
ADDRESS	740 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60654
HOURS	Monday – Closed Tuesday – 12am–5pm Wednesday – 12am–5pm Thursday – 12am–5pm Friday – 12am–5pm Saturday – 12am–5pm Sunday – Closed
ENTRY FEE (GENERAL ADMISSION)	N/A

Vertical Gallery

Last, but not least is the most modern of all the galleries on the list. Vertical Gallery is a smorgasbord of work influenced by street art, graffiti, pop culture, graphic design and illustration. With the gallery’s 10th birthday next year, it is widely considered to be Chicago’s leading urban-contemporary art gallery.

MUSEUM/ GALLERY	Vertical Gallery
URL	verticalgallery.com
ADDRESS	1016 N. Western Ave. Chicago, IL 60622
HOURS	Monday – Closed Tuesday – 12am–6pm Wednesday – 12am–6pm Thursday – 12am–6pm Friday – 12am–6pm Saturday – 12am–6pm Sunday – Closed
ENTRY FEE (GENERAL ADMISSION)	N/A

Wrapping Up

Whether your visit to Chicago is art focused or not, it will be impossible to escape, so our suggestion is to embrace it. With so much choice on offer, so many movements and scenes to follow, Chicago’s bustling art scene is one that the city can be very proud of. Don’t miss any of the galleries and museums above, but regardless of which other galleries and museums you decide to go and see, you’re in for a treat.