Hotels near The Art Institute of Chicago

Guarded by its famous pair of bronze lions, the Art Institute of Chicago is the second-largest art museum in the United States and the cultural anchor of the Loop. The collection runs from ancient bronzes to contemporary installations, but the crowds come for the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist galleries, where Georges Seurat's A Sunday on La Grande Jatte fills an entire wall.

American highlights are just as strong: Grant Wood's American Gothic and Edward Hopper's Nighthawks both live here. The Modern Wing, designed by Renzo Piano, adds a light-filled home for twentieth-century work and a footbridge running straight into Millennium Park, so the two attractions pair perfectly in one visit.

Pro Tip: Allow at least three hours and use the museum's free app to map a route to the highlights if you are short on time. Lines are shortest at opening, and the Modern Wing's third-floor terrace has a quiet skyline view most visitors miss.