Museum Of Contemporary Art Chicago
Art museum · Streeterville ·
Boundary-pushing exhibitions, stylish gift shop, and thoughtful cuisine.
Boundary-pushing exhibitions, stylish gift shop, and thoughtful cuisine.
"Every Tuesday in June, the MCA has free live jazz on their back terrace from 5:30-8:00pm. You can reserve seats online, or, if you want to make a picnic out of it, you can experience the music (and hopefully not too humid weather) on MCA’s lawn. Though outside snacks or alcoholic beverages aren’t allowed, they have a bar setup and a small rotating food menu. Tuesdays are also free museum days for Illinois residents, so you can have an afternoon of surrealist photography before an evening of Charles Mingus. Click here to see the line-up." - john ringor
"A major contemporary-art institution in the city with rotating exhibitions and programming; local-resident deals and selected free-admission days make it an attractive, budget-conscious cultural stop." - Stacey Leasca Stacey Leasca Stacey Leasca is an award-winning journalist and co-founder of Be a Travel Writer, an online course for the next generation of travel journalists. Her photos, videos, and words have appeared in print or online for Travel + Leisure, Time, Los Angeles Times, Glamour, and many more. You'll usually find her in an airport. If you do see her there, please say hello. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"A major contemporary art museum with free or low-cost programming that makes for a culturally rich indoor activity during colder weather." - Lauren Dana Ellman Lauren Dana Ellman Lauren Dana Ellman is a New York-based writer and editor who specializes in travel, lifestyle, food, and shopping content. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"The MCA is one of the city’s museums that’s in a near constant state of transition. With its relatively small permanent collection, it relies on special shows—from large scale installations to video, fashion, music, photography, and more—that showcase just as many rising local talents and underground, avant-garde renegades as recognizable names. Past exhibits include David Bowie Is, Takashi Murakami: The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg, and Virgil Abloh: Figures of Speech. It also has one of the best gift shops (ever) and is home to Marisol, where chef Jason Hammel puts forth thoughtful, seasonal cuisine. Come summer, visit for their “Tuesday on the Terrace” music series, along with 21 Minus, an annual festival celebrating the next generation of artists." - Nicole Schnitzler
"Every Tuesday in June, the MCA has free live jazz on their back terrace from 5:30-8:00pm. You can reserve seats online, or, if you want to make a picnic out of it, you can experience the music (and hopefully not too humid weather) on MCA’s lawn. Though outside snacks or alcoholic beverages aren’t allowed, they have a bar setup and a small rotating food menu. Tuesdays are also free museum days for Illinois residents, so you can have an afternoon of surrealist photography before an evening of Charles Mingus. Click here to see the line-up. We haven’t been here yet, but want you to know this spot exists." - Team Infatuation
