Chicago Cultural Center

The Chicago Cultural Center is an absolute must-visit! Admission is completely free, and there was no wait to get in. You can explore at your own pace or take a self-guided tour using a free booklet provided, or even join a guided tour. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful, which made the experience even better. The building itself is a masterpiece—stunning architecture and details everywhere you look. Each room features unique and beautiful artwork, and you're free to wander and take it all in for as long as you'd like. We spent a wonderful day exploring the exhibits and enjoying the peaceful, inspiring space. Whether you're a tourist or a local looking for something fun and free to do, this is a perfect spot to enjoy art, culture, and Chicago history. Highly recommend!

This is a good place to spend 1-1.5 hrs, especially if you have an appreciation for art and history. Here’s the single best tip for making the most of your visit: As you walk in, look for the guidebooks on your right. Grab one. It has a layout map to help you navigate the space, and more importantly, a QR code you can scan with your phone for a full audio tour. Using the audio guide as you walk through the exhibits completely changes the experience.

The largest Tiffany dome in the world… what?! 😍 Yes, it’s right here at the Chicago Cultural Center, and it’s absolutely breathtaking. This place is a photographer’s dream and it’s completely free to visit! I love bringing couples here for wedding portraits after their court wedding at the Thompson Center or as a first stop for engagement sessions. Pro tip: there are actually two domes, so don’t forget to explore across the building to find the second one! If you want a quieter experience with fewer tourists in the background, I highly recommend going on a weekday. The architecture, light, and elegance of this space never disappoint.

This ex library - now cultural center is a magnificent place. Enormous spaces, high ceilings and this beautiful mosaic. There are many spaces though that are empty, and could be used for galleries, art showings etc. maybe even art classes. Also, maybe more history about this building and its spaces should be written on the walls. Nevertheless worth having a visit here (it takes maybe 20 min to visit)

Really cool place and it’s free! The artwork displayed was absolutely stunning and so intricate. The pieces really forced you to ponder the time and dedication placed into each masterpiece as well as the artist intention. I love it!

Free entry and such an awesome experience! The space is beautiful, and parts of it are interactive, which made the visit even more engaging. I highly recommend stopping by if you’re in Chicago—it’s a great way to take in art, culture, and history all in one place.

Wonderful, thoughtful art and architecture that is FREE to see. There’s no waiting. You can spend as little or as long as you want here. The Tiffany Glass Domes are beautiful. The employees are friendly, personable and knowledgeable. The Buddy gift shop worth a visit.

I stopped by here around 11:35am on a Friday morning with my son and sister after leaving millennium park and waiting to go to the museum of illusions. There was free entry. They had puppets and artwork for reviewing and for sale. The dome on the 3rd floor was beautiful. It is glass and has mosaics. It was nice to see it before they begin renovations on the 1/2/25. There were several galleries that were closed. Overall, this was a nice, unexpected visit to help pass some time. There are multiple floors and ample things to look at. There is a gift shop but I found the items to be pricey. I recommend stopping by!

Chicago Amazing renovation into a new and modern purpose. We have walked by this building many times in the past and happened to wander in on a whim. What a treasure! The former CHicago Public Library is now a cultural space. Exhibits, event space, theatre and common areas are all beautifully renovated and repurposed to serve this urban community. So many amazing historic touches add to the beauty and purpose of this space. Loved it. Several of the exhibit spaces were in transition for new exhibits. Free is good here. This was a worthy 1000th review for me.

We only got to see the 3rd floor as we went in the winter and the other exhibits were being worked on. Very pretty for what we did see. It was a quick stop.

History, architecture, open to the public, FREE! Step back into the time of 1892. Public libraries and public spaces were built with incredible intricacies. Check out the Chicago Cultural Center. A block away from Millennium Park. You need to cool down or warm up, or just want to dream. There are awesome free temporary exhibits. Walk up the stairs and notice the artisan work. Gaze into the Tiffany dome. The floors, the arches, the domes. Find inspiration from the quotations surrounding you. Dive into the past and let your mind wander.

The Chicago cultural center was a cool and Free center to explore and learn, recommend especially for families with kids

A stunning building that seems to be overlooked by many visitors. Chicago's former public library, it's an architectural splendor. It's mind blowing to see where some patrons still sit and relax in such beautiful, intricately detailed surroundings. The center is best known for two Tiffany stained glass domes. The glass making process was patented by a predecessor of Tiffany & Co. Pictures certainly do not do the domes justice. The more colorful one is dramatically revealed as one enters and proceeds up the staircase. The second dome is outside GAR Memorial Hall, dedicated to those the Civil War Union army veterans. We saw a temporary exhibit last year, art by Native Americans as well as modern art in some corridors. The gift shop is eclectic and features local artists. The ceramic Crocs were ironically awesome! Rich in history and aesthetics, I would love to come back and be awed all over again.

I was here because my job hosted a private event. While we waited, I had the chance to explore the space. However, part of the exploration was due to me getting lost in the building after entering through the back entrance and struggling to find my way around. The space is very beautiful, but in the location where we were, my one issue was that during our ceremony, when we had speakers, we could hear the security and their walkie-talkies being extra loud. The open area lacked proper insulation to muffle these sounds.

We had some time between two scheduled activities nearby and took that opportunity to see this place. There weren't many people, so we took our time to appreciate the interior of the building without fighting crowds. It's worth a visit if you happen to be near it.

This is Chicago architecture! Perfect city setting for any special event. The Tiffany dome is special!

Stumbled across the cultural center and I'm glad I did! 3 reason: 1, it was freezing cold outside and I needed somewhere to warm up for a bit, 2 there were some great exhibits inside, 3 it was FREE to visit! WIN-WIN-WIN I spent about 45 minutes looking around. If you have time, stop by!

Throughout the years I have had many wonderful experiences at the Chicago Cultural Center. I absolutely love it. Had the pleasure of meeting Roger Ebert before his passing. Many cultural dance presentations. Many celebrity guest speakers. Many artist exhibits and even book talks just to name a few. Most recently, I went to see the Black Girl Altar exhibit. Truly remarkable and moving. Some spaces brought tears to my eyes. Being a black woman I can truly relate to the artist's voice. It's loud, it's clear, it's profound. No spoilers here. This is something you must experience for yourself. They even created a beautiful garden with benches and a huge tree where you can take a moment or two to reflect. I briefly took advantage of it. Bring a daughter, take a friend. Well worth the walk through. By the way, the Chicago Cultural Center is FREE.

The Chicago Cultural Center is truly one of the most beautiful buildings in Chicago. And it's huge. Originally Chicago's public library, for nearly a century it was the city's central library until it was converted in the late 70s. It's Chicago's official reception venue (isn't it interesting that a city would have one?), and various diplomats and important visitors, including presidents, have been welcomed here. The offices of the Department of Cultural and Special Events (DCASE) are located here. Many events are held at the CCC that DCASE puts on, like the World Music Festival, Jazz Festival, various art exhibits and installations, films, theatre, and so on. I went to a wedding here that was held in GAR Hall, and wow what a gorgeous venue for an event like that. I think all or most of the events held here are free (though of course don't go crashing any weddings; I'm talking about the DCASE events!). The ornamentation of the cultural center is gorgeous. Marble, mother of pearl inlaid borders, and so on are found throughout the building. Multiple mosaics throughout naming classic authors (I should be precise and say American and European classic authors), as well as literature-related quotes. In Preston Bradley Hall, you'll see in the ceiling the Chicago Public Library emblem, since again it was originally a library. But the jewel in the Cultural Center's crown is the Tiffany Dome in Preston Bradley Hall. It's the largest Tiffany glass dome in the world. The top of the dome features the signs of the zodiac, and radiating out from it looks like fish scales cut into the glass. Tourists should absolutely add this to their list when visiting Chicago. Locals should stop in for free performances and exhibits. And if you tie it right you can take one of their free afternoon tours. Review #1500 October 1, 2023

Beautiful Cultural Center that showcases the arts, writing, and all things creative. It's definitely a landmark structure with two gorgeous Tiffany globes and beautiful tile work all along the walls, the staircases and even the floors. Walking through the exhibition you can see a lot of Street art and featured local artists murals. There are galleries throughout. An especially notable space was the Gar Memorial Gallery. Select historical items on display, flags and photos. It's a quiet gallery for reflection. Also beautiful quotes from prominent writers like Wordsworth and Milton on the walls. The names like Shakespeare and Newton are on display in stunning tiles and ceramics. Just beautiful. Note: the floors do not go clear across so in order to see the two globes, you'll have to go to two sides of the building. One set of stairs takes you up to the 5th floor and the other only up to the fourth. Closes at 5pm so be sure to visit and get in before the last hour to ensure time to get through the exhibits.

If you are downtown visiting the Bean and the fountains, google this place and take a walk. We love beautiful architecture and this place doesn't disappoint which massive rooms and beautiful stained glass. Our kids even loved it because it was a break from the heat and allowed them to run and be goofy. Did I mention that it was free?!?! We spent more time here than at the Bean!

This a free museum in Chicago that we came across as we were walking by on our way back from the Bean. Since we were visiting when it colder outside this was perfect to get some warmth for a few minutes. We ended up spending around an hour in this place, there are a few rooms to see with their mosaic ceilings and just the architecture of this building was very beautiful to see. The room with the dome was so beautiful we spent some time in their and just admired it. If visiting Chicago I was check this place out to see all the beautiful architecture!

The Chicago Cultural Center was a cool stop just to check out the architecture on the building and a bit of local art. Its free to get in and the interior architecture is stunning. There were not events or showing while I was there, but it was still a good place to roam around. Definitely worth a stop of you are absorbing Chicago

Beautiful building to walk into and explore. The tile work, the ceilings and windows are captivating. Free admission all the time so I highly recommending taking a peak inside whenever you're nearby.

This is the site of the former Chicago Public Library. It's more of an event center for the city of Chicago. There may be a Chicago themed exhibit here or there, or a festival or dinner (a Japanese festival was this weekend), but it isn't really a museum. I gave this site four stars mainly for the architecture. The cultural center has the largest Tiffany glass dome (third floor) as well as another pretty stained glass dome (second floor). There are also some impressive staircases, windows, ceilings. Not a must see, but worth a stop. Would be easy to do, as it's close to tourist attractions like Navy Pier and the American Writer's Museum. Not terribly far from the Art Institute of Chicago either.

Such a beautiful space to wander through. The Tiffany ceiling cannot be missed! Located so closed to Millennium Park, the museum provides you with a nice little bonus spot to visit as you explore the loop!

Pleasantly surprised! Came with some friends to see the Tiffany dome, which was GORGEOUS. Could spend some time staring at the ceiling.so intricate and very beautiful in person. Was also happy to see all of the beautiful art displayed throughout the center. Really enjoyed all of the playful pieces. So fun to weave around the building. Wasn't expecting to want to spend so much time there, and would definitely return with some extra time to spend on each exhibit. The cultural center is in a great location and really close to Millenium park. Highly recommend to stop through and spend some time with some beautiful and fun art with a social message. ALSO, they have a really cute gift shop that you must stop through. Lots of great pieces and gifts!

It's a free site here in Chicago. Site of a former public library, it's a nice look into Chicago's past. They also have interesting exhibitions here. Not to mention the largest Tiffany glass dome resides here as well. If you're a local or a tourist, pop into here for a quick walk around.

Positioned prominently one the tip of Millennium Park on Michigan Avenue this architectural gem can't be missed. By Gem, I mean literal, as it's has the largest Tiffany glass dome in the world. Grand staircases and ballrooms are throughout the building which houses many of Chicago's events and attractions serves as kind of the Headquarters for a lot of the city's regional events. Definitely a great spot to visit or start your tour of Chicago.

We just popped into this free "art museum" to see the gorgeous Tiffany dome which is stunning. This former library is a beautiful building. Unfortunately they were setting up for some special event so we could not get into the room with the dome though we could see it from the hallway. The art spaces and exhibits on the lower floor looked interesting but we did not have time to really enjoy them. You could spend some quality time here.

If you're in Chicago, be sure to check out the beautiful Tiffany dome in the Chicago Cultural Center. Admission is free.

I will give it five stars because it is free and clean and air conditioned, but there's not much to see. Apparently the grand, gorgeous, and historic building offer free public events (music, dance, film, lecture, art, dirty carpet Q & A) that draw hundreds of thousands of visitors, but it is otherwise uneventful. aside from the domes and a few pieces of art. Apparently there is a Welcome Center in the north lobby. Are there multiple lobbies? And there are three spots for "a wide range of diverse and engaging exhibitions devoted to the visual arts and contemporary culture" (Michigan Ave Galleries, 1st Floor East, Chicago Rooms, 2nd Floor North, and Exhibition Hall, 4th Floor North) but I only recall seeing a few murals and some kid art. The Grand Army of the Republic Hall and Rotunda, honoring Civil War vets and their families, was completed in 1897, the same year they put in the carpet. There's also a Learning Lab that offers "sights, sounds, and experiences for visitors of all ages and a wide range of abilities". I saw three adults doodling. Culture! My favorite part was a small table where you could create your own art. The cup of pens had caps without pens and pens without caps. (I love their song Safety Dance btw). I was smart enough to pull the table back to find pens, but all I found were dried out markers and the milk plastic rings the cat hit under. It's free, so I guess it's worth the price of admission, but it shouldn't top your Must Do list.

Free museum making it definitely worth the price of the admission. It's one of the few free museums around here. Chicago Cultural Center is in fact one of the few free things of anything to be serious, so why not come and save some big bucks. Pretty strange this place isn't better known or busier, but you have more room to enjoy it. There's lots of local art and photography. A lot of cool Chicago based stuff is here. It's a museum full of art, but the building is also a piece of art itself. This is a beautiful building, with several floors, many glass domed ceilings and other wonders. A historic building. It was opened in 1893 as the city's main library. Cool history. The best known architectural features are the Tiffany glass domes, the largest in the world. Of course with it being a museum, don't forget to look at the art. Some interesting things. Joe Battersby made a panorama of the Chicago Fire. Looking closely at the devastation, it's sad yet captured perfectly. Also lots more photography such as a series on housing and the civil rights movement. Most of the art is photography. Has a few contemporary paintings but not a lot. The artists are local and sometimes come here for shows. Good place to walk around for about an hour. It doesn't have a ton of stuff, but it's a nice amount for a totally free museum. The upper floors with the Grand Army Of The Republic Hall and the Preston Bradley Hall feature the glass domes so be sure to go up and see those.

We were in awe at the beauty of this trophy that was once the Chicago Public Library that almost met the wrecking ball! Mosaics, stained glass, tiles, carved symbols . Must see !

One of the few buildings you can walk in and admire without an appointment, the Chicago Cultural Center was a nice addition to our trip as a place to eat up time indoors. As many others had stated it's a repurposed building, formerly the main library. If you like domes, there are two stained glass ones inside worth visiting. There are several rooms with art from local and visiting artists. It's not that big of a place, but if you need to eat up an hour (or more) at no cost, consider visiting. Also, it wasn't very frequented, so you can enjoy the space from other places in the museum district. Consider if your caught in bad weather and need some time to kill.

Located across the street from Millennium Park and the Cloud Gate is the Chicago Cultural Center. It used to be the old central library but was converted to an arts and cultural center. Walking through the building you could see the great architecture which included multiple domes and art showcases. There were also a few rooms dedicated to the history of architecture itself, so if you consider yourself an architecture buff I'd highly recommend checking this place out. If you can make it, they occasionally have docent led tours although they're not frequent. Regardless, if you want a break from the museums and busy tourist attractions you should make a stop here.

This has to be one of my favourites. Heck go for the architecture, stay for the art and other exhibits. One of my places to escape the outdoors between appointments and for their special exhibits.

Best free hidden attraction in chicago :) I commuted through public transport ( which was a short walk down from the metro station brown/red - the loop area) so not sure on parking but you just walk in! First floor is like modern art/ statement pieces ( like posters, decorated cans and progressive statement pieces such as for fair housing. There is a shop & bathrooms are quite clean. The second floor has a beautiful victorian Chapel like area with different languages. There is a tour guide available ( I'm not sure if she was through a private tour though that went through and explained everything) The third or fourth floor had a great comic's book exhibit that posted some old comics Great for children, or an escape from the cold and right across from the bean. I went on a weekday so there was like no people. You can also take photos!

This place used to be a public library. The building has some art exhibits, along with some rotating exhibits like the architecture one. However, there's not much exhibits to see. I recommend this attraction to first-time visitors and people who want to visit a museum, but time-strapped.

The tile work in the building is worth a visit just to see that but add in the art work, multiple stories to explore and cool air conditioned break from the wildly hot city outside and this was a little oasis in my city exploring today. I love architecture and from literally floor to ceiling tbis building doesn't disappoint. The beauty and details in old buildings will forever be my favorite finds when visiting new cities.

Looking for something different to do, a friend recommended we stop by the Chicago Cultural Center. Unlike other museums around Chicago, there is no fee to enter this one. I'm not certain of the history of the building, but it is classic. The domed lights, the old carved ceilings, and frescos. It really is lovely. While we were there, they had a special exhibit on the history of comics. I had no idea that the comics in newspapers got their start in Chicago - the old ones - Gasoline Alley, Buck Rogers, Dick Tracey - many more. It was a fascinating exhibit. If you enjoy this type of thing, it will be well worth your time to spend an hour or so walking through the building, seeing their fixed exhibits and any special exhibits they have when you are there. This is something I think is overlooked by many people who would really enjoy it.

Free to walk in and explore which is what we did after walking Millennium Park and seeing the Bean. It is multi-level and you get to see and learn about the history of Chicago. They do have a complimentary guided tour which you should take advantage of as we saw it and did not realize until it was too late.

Glad I found out about this place and checked it out before visiting the Art Institute since they're close together. The building is gorgeous so it's amazing that this has free admission. I checked out an art exhibit and the docents were incredibly warm and welcoming. One of them came over to me to tell me about the artist and painting. The first floor has a cute gift shop with art from local artists, as well as a vending machine with smaller items which I thought was really cool. Some parts of the building were closed for renovation when I visited which I suppose is a good reason for me to visit again next time I'm in Chicago.

This place was so cool, and it was nice that it was all free! We came in here just to use the bathroom at first, but we saw that the building is absolutely gorgeous. The domes are so beautiful, and the art exhibits were very interesting. We loved the room with all the pictures of Lake Michigan in different weather. There are also a few big open rooms with memorabilia inside, and the silence was nice when we were wandering around from case to case. The exhibit about the Chicago fire on the first floor was also hauntingly beautiful in its own way. This was a nice short attraction that was both stunning and informative!

Stellar architecture and neat local art. Great access from our hotel and good places to eat.

If it fits in your schedule, highly recommend their free guided tour offered at 1:15pm led by docents on Thursday & Friday (as of March 11.2022). It covered the history of the building and shed light to the details of the of the interior. It is such a beautiful place to visit. I also enjoyed various art exhibitions going on.

I love the CCC and kiss being downtown to be able to attend the first Friday lectures held here. I brought the kids here for their first visit over spring break as I really wanted to see the Chicago Fire exhibit (so fascinating) and to show them the Tiffany dome. They were less interested in the art exhibits and I wish I had come on my own so I would t be rushed through it, but they did love the interactive "Neighbourhood " library exhibit where they could build with tiles.

Beautiful historical building and best of all it's free to get in. There are rotating art exhibits. Definitely worth visiting if you're an architecture fanatic. Close to Millennium Park, and there a pedway entrance/exit here.

This was on our bucket list of places to visit in Chicago. On our way to the Art Institute of Chicago, we decided to visit here first before attacking Renoir, Seurat and Sargent. Many folks do not know that this beautiful center used to be a library. Thus when you first enter this magnificent building and look up at the glorious ceiling you will see "Emerson" " Thoreau" and other legendary and prolific writers' names adorning the ceiling. The center is a cool place to pop in and see free art exhibits, concerts and the stunning Tiffany glass dome located on the 3rd floor. Thus, we headed straight to the 3rd floor and marveled at the jaw dropping Tiffany glass dome. It is really a show stopper and worth seeing. We did not have time to catch " Comics of our Time" exhibit due to being on a strict timetable. There are also free concerts on Wednesdays ( we visited on Friday). We also could not stroll the gift shop; it was closed.

Are you wanting to learn more about socio-political/economic issues and/or global/environmental issues?? Or do you just want to walk off that double cheeseburger and large fries and it's either too hot or too cold outside?? Perhaps you want to do both, if so, this is the place for you!! Close to the Bean, on Michigan Ave., connected to the Pedway, what a great place to look at the architecture, the tall ceilings, the Tiffany glass domes and take in live musical performances. You may be tempted to touch the exhibits, some of them allow that while others clearly state - Do not touch - so be careful. The exhibits also change from time to time, which keeps things fresh. By the way, I noticed that none of the exhibits focus on Chicago?? Perhaps they can work this into their line-up....because this is thee Chicago Cultural Center.

Depends on if we rate this as a library or a cultural center. The words carved in the building are misleading. Has no books. 0/10 as a library. As a cultural center: absolutely amazing. What is lacks in books it makes up for in rotundas. Both rotundas are stunning and the interiors are detailed and tasteful. Very much recommend for a stop right after the bean.

If you are a fan of amazing architecture and detail, this is a must do. Doesn't cost anything. My wife and I wandered around for a couple of hours, taking in the grandeur of a bygone Era. Thank goodness gems like this are being maintained and preserved. It wouldn't be affordable to duplicate this today. Everywhere you look there is amazing mosaic tile and such attention to detail and design. The grand domes are something to behold. Pictures don't truly convey the scale of them. Highly recommended for any architecture or design fans.

Went to the Chicago Cultural Center for an elopement and stuck around to admire all of the beauty. Home to the biggest Tiffany Dome, the Chicago Cultural Center is a gorgeous building from top to bottom. You don't need to attend an elopement to enjoy the building; just wanting to admire the dome is good enough of reason to go. There are always free public events going on and if you check their site so you can catch something really cool. The Chicago Cultural Center is also along a Pedway route. Not only can you go from the parking lot and to the building, but you can also have an underground pedestrian route to other buildings in the area. All you need to do is find an elevator and go underground. I didn't drive there so I'm not sure what the parking rates are, but I'm sure there's a usual downtown rate. Expect to have like $15-25 aside to cover any parking fees.

I love my city and the free landmarks! Beautiful architecture and great free events. I went to view the comic exhibit in the gallery . Must do if you are in the area!!

Having been to Chicago over a dozen times I just visited for the first time. What a hidden gem. Housed in what was Chicago's first public central library, its free, and filled with some of the most beautiful architecture you'll find anywhere. I'd love to elaborate but don't want to ruin the surprise. But put this on your "MUST SEE" Chicago list. Located just across from the Bean, which was very packed, we had the whole place almost to ourselves.

A great way to kill an hour, especially if you're caught in the rain. The building is a bit of a maze but parts of it are so beautiful and the most wonderful thing about this place is that it is free! Definitely worth a stop. They also have some art exhibits and you can rent the space for private events. Overall: put it on your list to see.

I stopped by the Chicago Cultural Center today to see the Tiffany Domes. The windows were beautiful, but the visit was disappointing, to say the least. As I needed directions, I stopped by the guard at the front desk, and she got upset because I woke her up. The remaining staff (including the gift shop) were too busy on their mobile devices to be bothered, but I did get directions from another visitor. If you're able to navigate your way through the building without help from the staff, you should be fine.