Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Insider Tips for Touring the Art Institute
If you want to enjoy your favorite masterpieces in something resembling
peace and quiet, put some thought into the timing of your visit to the Art
Institute, a museum so popular that it draws as much traffic as our
jammed expressways.
Some tips for avoiding the rush hour: Many people don't realize the
museum is open on Mondays; so keep this secret to yourself, and visit
when the galleries are relatively subdued. Wednesdays are a close second.
Tuesdays tend to draw the masses because the Art Institute is free that day
and open late (until 8pm). Try to arrive when the doors open in the morn-
ing or else during the lunchtime lull. Another tip: If the Michigan Avenue
entrance is crowded, head around to the entrance on the Columbus Drive
side, which is usually less congested and is more convenient to the Grant
Park underground parking garage. There's a small gift shop near the
Columbus Drive entrance, too, if the main shop is too bustling.
Tips
City Council Chambers at City Hall
The public meetings of the volatile
Chicago City Council make great theater for political junkies. The council
meets in a massive building that takes up an entire city block, encompassing
both City Hall and the County Building. (You can't miss it: Its columns are
probably the most massive of any city building—75 ft. high and crowned by
Corinthian capitals the height of an entire floor.) Although politics aren't quite
as colorful under Mayor Richard M. Daley as they were under his dad, when a
hot-button issue is being debated, factions can still get down and dirty, and the
political posturing of the 50 aldermen (the name given to the city council mem-
bers) can make for the best kind of theatrics. Call ahead to find out when the
council is in session. City Hall tours also can be arranged for groups; call to
make a reservation. Allow 1 hour.
Washington, LaSalle, Randolph, and Clark sts.
&
312/744-6871.
http://chicityclerk.com/citycouncil/about.html.
Free admission. Open when City Council is in session. Bus: 20, 56, 131, 156, or 157. Subway/El: Brown, Green,
Orange, or Purple line to Clark, or Red or Blue line to Washington.
Sears Tower Skydeck
First Sears sold the building and moved to
cheaper suburban offices in 1992. Then the skyscraper got an ego blow when the
Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, went up and laid claim to the title
of world's tallest buildings. (The Sears Tower has since put up a 22-ft. antenna in
an attempt to win back the title.) Tallest-building posturing aside, this is still a
great place to orient yourself to the city, but I wouldn't put it on the top of must-
see sights for anyone with limited time (and limited patience for crowds).
The view from the 103rd-floor Skydeck is everything you'd expect it to be—
once you get there. Unfortunately, you're often stuck in a very long, very noisy
line, so by the time you make it to the top, your patience could be as thin as the
atmosphere up there. (Come in the late afternoon to avoid most of the crowds.)
On a clear day, visibility extends up to 50 miles, and you can catch glimpses of
four surrounding states. Despite the fact that it's called a “skydeck,” you can't actu-
ally walk outside. Recent upgrades include multimedia exhibits on Chicago his-
tory and
Knee High Chicago,
an exhibit for kids. The 70-second high-speed
elevator trip will feel like a thrill ride for some, but it's a nightmare for anyone with
even mild claustrophobia. Allow 1 to 2 hours, depending on the length of the line.
Overrated
