Art Institute of Chicago: Self-Guided Audio Tours
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Top sights near Art Institute of Chicago

Explore the world's most remarkable art pieces at the Art Institute of Chicago with your personal self-guided audio tour. The Art Institute of Chicago, opened in 1879 and housed in a magnificent Beaux-Arts building on Michigan Avenue, serves as a school and museum for the fine arts. It hosts masterpieces by famous artists like Vincent Van Gogh, Edward Hopper, Pablo Picasso, and many others. The tour will start on the 1st floor by exploring the art of different cultures — China, Japan, India, and Africa. Here, you will discover a few pieces dating back to the Neolithic period. You will also see the artworks of Ancient Rome and Greece, the cornerstone of Western civilization. Stop by and admire the statue of the Aphrodite of Knidos, the first monumental female nude in classical sculpture. On the 2nd floor, you will be introduced to Modern American Art and European Decorative Arts and invited to the greatest collection of Impressionist artwork in the world while being guided through must-see paintings. The tour ends on the 3rd floor with a significant exhibition of Modern Art and the most renowned objects to explore. Don't miss the outdoor Bluhm Family Terrace to enjoy the stunning Chicago skyline while appreciating and living through your new art experience. Note! This tour is not affiliated with the AIC but is provided by an independent creator. WeGoTrip is not re-selling tickets but is giving its customers assistance in ticket purchasing at no charge.

Explore one of Chicago's most popular museums guided by your own in-app audio tour! Established in 1894, the Field Museum of Natural History holds over 35 world-renowned natural exhibitions. It's a great place to visit for all ages! This self-guided tour will take you through the museum's highlights and must-sees at your own pace. To redeem your ticket, please proceed to Will Call (at the Main/South entrance). Start your journey by saying "hi" to Máximo the Titanosaur, the largest dinosaur ever discovered, and to the magnificent African elephants. Learn about giants like polar bears and dangerous man-eaters like Tsavo lions through finely elaborated dioramas, as you stroll along the Nature Walk. Then, you will get inside the Ancient Egyptian tomb and see 4,000-year-old mummies and sarcophagi that secure incredible history! On the Upper Level, you will marvel at sparkling gemstones and mysterious meteorites. Follow the steps of evolution, from bacteria to humans, at Evolving Planet exhibit. Another iconic giant will give you a "smile" here – SUE the T.rex, one of the world’s most perilous predators. Note! This tour is not affiliated with the FMNH but is provided by an independent creator. WeGoTrip is not re-selling tickets but is giving its customers assistance in ticket purchasing at no charge.

This in-app audio tour gives the highlights of one of the largest science museums in the world that brings pure delight to children and grown-ups. Opened as part of the 1933's Century of Progress Fair in a building from the 1893 Columbian Exposition, the museum has always been the place where generations came to see the future of science and industry. The tour brings you to the future straightaway, "taking you on a ride" on the super-futuristic Pioneer Zephyr Train and telling you about the future of energy. You will also be able to get enchanted by the unique Coleen Moore's Fairy Castle. On Level 2, you'll be taken to the swirling world of science by witnessing the real-size tornado and burning fire in motion (it's safe!) and learn about other natural phenomena such as tsunami and avalanche. Then, you will explore the impressive collection of trains, automobiles, and planes and "dive" into the history of the famous U-505 Submarine. After witnessing ground-breaking discoveries and record-breakers in history, delve back into yourself with the You! Experience where the human body is explored from the first cell. Choose to visit the Genetics Gallery to discover the secrets of genetics and see how real chicken babies hatch. Note! This tour is not affiliated with the MSI but is provided by an independent creator. WeGoTrip is not re-selling tickets but is giving its customers assistance in ticket purchasing at no charge.

Spice up your visit to Chicago on this in-app audio tour through the creepiest places of the city of lights! Walk along the bubbling Chicago Loop to see the places of hangouts and crimes of cheeky bootleggers and stylish mobsters in the roaring 1920's. Hear the story of rise and fall of the most infamous gangsters of all times - Al Capone and John Dillinger. On your way, you will see such iconic sights of the city as Cloud Gate with its unusual perspective of Chicago's skyline reflected on its mirror surface. Take a selfie with the authentic Chicago Theater representing the era of swirling jazz parties and shiny speakeasies. Dark windows of ghost-haunted Congress Plaza Hotel, which inspired Stephen King's "1408" story, will surely give you goosebumps. Enjoy the skyline of Chicago Riverwalk and hear about the Eastland disaster concealed by its waters. Du Sable Bridge will give you an insight to such historical events as Great Chicago Fire and Fort Dearborn Battle, as well as to a cinematic gangster chase. Marvel at gothic architecture of the Holy Name Cathedral and find the traces of bullets in it. Then, take a short bus ride to Lincoln Park to learn the mysteries of the largest city's park. In this area, you will visit the site of spine-chilling St. Valentine Day Massacre. The tour ends at the Biograph Theater securing the story of the elusive John Dillinger. Choose to visit restaurants and attractions to enforce your Chicago gangsters and ghosts experience.

Enter an exciting world of contemporary art and design at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. With painting, sculpture, graphic design, and photography, this is your one stop shop for all things arty in Illinois. The museum's founders originally conceived of it as a Kunsthalle, a noncollecting “art hall” that organized and hosted temporary exhibitions of new and experimental artists. Today, the galleries host multiple exhibitions a year, some featuring works from a collection that has grown to over 2,500 artworks.

Explore one of Chicago's most popular museums offering an insight into the world of scientific discovery! Established in 1894, the Field Museum of Natural History holds over 35 world-renowned natural exhibitions. It's a great place to visit for all ages! Start your journey by saying "hi" to Máximo the Titanosaur, the largest dinosaur ever discovered, and to the magnificent African elephants. See giants like polar bears and dangerous man-eaters Tsavo lions through finely elaborated dioramas, as you stroll along the Nature Walk. Then, you will get inside the Ancient Egyptian tomb and see 4,000-year-old mummies and sarcophagi that secure incredible history! On the Upper Level, you will marvel at sparkling gemstones and mysterious meteorites. Follow the steps of evolution, from bacteria to humans, at Evolving Planet exhibit. Another iconic giant will give you a "smile" here – SUE the T.rex, one of the world’s most perilous predators. Note! Last admission: 1 hour before closing

Explore the history of Chicago and United States through permanent and temporary exhibitions drawn from more than 20 million items in the Chicago History Museum. Showcasing photography, documents, artifacts, and interviews, the permanent and temporary galleries are full of Chicago stories!

This in-app audio tour will take you to the Graceland Cemetery, a treasury of Chicago history, art, architecture, and a resting place of many famous Chicagoans: industrialists, businessmen, and artists. The cemetery boasts monuments designed by the greatest sculptors and architects of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. You will see Martin L. Ryerson’s tomb, which combines two Egyptian styles: the pyramid and the mastaba, and other sculptures and tombs that can easily be considered architectural marvels. Also, you will learn about the achievements of the prominent people in the history of Chicago who are buried there: William LeBaron Jenney, who designed the world’s first true skyscraper in Chicago; Louis Sullivan, who is often called the “prophet of modern architecture”; Daniel Burnham, the most influential architect and urban planner in Chicago history; Philip Armour who earned Chicago’s reputation as “Hog Butcher of the World,” and many others. Despite being a cemetery, it not only serves a utilitarian purpose but represents beautiful and well-thought landscaping with a parklike atmosphere making it a haven in the city. Come and spend some time here while respectfully wandering among graves and listening to the stories about people who contributed to Chicago's grandeur.

Explore one of Chicago's most popular museums guided by your own in-app audio tour! Established in 1894, the Field Museum of Natural History holds over 35 world-renowned natural exhibitions. It's a great place to visit for all ages! This self-guided tour will take you through the museum's highlights and must-sees at your own pace. Start your journey by saying "hi" to Máximo the Titanosaur, the largest dinosaur ever discovered, and to the magnificent African elephants. Learn about giants like polar bears and dangerous man-eaters like Tsavo lions through finely elaborated dioramas, as you stroll along the Nature Walk. Then, you will get inside the Ancient Egyptian tomb and see 4,000-year-old mummies and sarcophagi that secure incredible history! On the Upper Level, you will marvel at sparkling gemstones and mysterious meteorites. Follow the steps of evolution, from bacteria to humans, at Evolving Planet exhibit. Another iconic giant will give you a "smile" here – SUE the T.rex, one of the world’s most perilous predators. NOTE! This tour DOES NOT include a ticket! Buy it at www.fieldmuseum.org This tour is not affiliated with the FMNH but is provided by an independent creator.

Explore the world's most remarkable art pieces at the Art Institute of Chicago with your personal self-guided audio tour. NOTE! This tour DOES NOT include a ticket! Buy it at www.artic.edu The Art Institute of Chicago, opened in 1879 and housed in a magnificent Beaux-Arts building on Michigan Avenue, serves as a school and museum for the fine arts. It hosts masterpieces by famous artists like Vincent Van Gogh, Edward Hopper, Pablo Picasso, and many others. The tour will start on the 1st floor by exploring the art of different cultures — China, Japan, India, and Africa. Here, you will discover a few pieces dating back to the Neolithic period. You will also see the artworks of Ancient Rome and Greece, the cornerstone of Western civilization. Stop by and admire the statue of the Aphrodite of Knidos, the first monumental female nude in classical sculpture. On the 2nd floor, you will be introduced to Modern American Art and European Decorative Arts and invited to the greatest collection of Impressionist artwork in the world while being guided through must-see paintings. The tour ends on the 3rd floor with a significant exhibition of Modern Art and the most renowned objects to explore. Don't miss the outdoor Bluhm Family Terrace to enjoy the stunning Chicago skyline while appreciating and living through your new art experience. This tour is not affiliated with the AIC but is provided by an independent creator.
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About Art Institute of Chicago
Address
111 S Michigan AveOpen in Google MapsOpening hours
- Monday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- 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
Best time to visit
Crowd level
Directions
The Art Institute of Chicago is one of the city’s most important cultural landmarks and among the leading art museums in the United States. Founded in the 19th century and long associated with Chicago’s rise as a major American city, it has grown into a renowned museum holding nearly 300,000 works spanning many centuries and world cultures. Its Beaux-Arts building on Michigan Avenue, marked by the famous bronze lions, is itself an icon of Chicago. The museum is especially celebrated for its strong Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collections, American art, Asian art, and beloved specialty galleries such as the Thorne Miniature Rooms, making it a cornerstone of the city’s artistic identity.
Before you enter
- Check current opening hours before leaving; the museum is closed on Tuesdays.
- Start with a short list of must-see galleries because the collection is extensive.
- Store larger bags only if needed to move more comfortably through galleries.
- Choose a weekday morning if you prefer a quieter visit than Saturday.
What to expect
- Expect a large museum with collections from many centuries and world regions.
- Popular highlights include Impressionist works, American art, Asian art, and miniature rooms.
- The Michigan Avenue entrance is a major landmark, watched by iconic bronze lions.
- You can easily spend several hours here, even on a focused visit.
During your visit
- Head first to your priority galleries before peak midday crowds gather.
- Use gallery maps to avoid backtracking through the museum’s many wings.
- Take breaks between sections; there is far more to see than in one quick pass.
- Thursday offers later evening hours, useful if you want more time inside.
FAQ about Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago is located in Chicago, surrounded by many other great sights.
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Explore Art Institute of Chicago at your own pace with these audio guides and self-guided tours: