Don't Pass Up The Art Institute of Chicago

Living a few short hours from Chicago, I couldn't even tell you how many times we've been to the city. We make leisure day trips there 3 or 4 times a year, usually opting to do kid friendly activities like bike Lake Shore Drive or visit the free Lincoln Park Zoo. Chicago offers an endless amount of activities, you definitely need multiple trips to squeeze everything in. We have toured the Field Museum, the Museum of Science and Industry, and Shedd Aquarium which are all family friendly, but now that the girls are a bit older, we thought they might enjoy a trip the The Art Institute of Chicago. I'm sure we've walked by the museum hundreds of times over the years, but never took the time to go in and explore. We decided that on our last trip that we'd go in to see what it had to offer.

We received a program guide of what exhibitions were on display and what floor we could find each on as soon as we bought our tickets. There are 4 floors to explore, so I would suggest giving yourself at least 4 hours to get through all of the exhibits. The Indian and Asian statues and artifacts are quite impressive to see in person, and I would have loved to have had more time to browse through them all, but we only had about 2 hours open in our schedule and had to rush through this section.

The girls were thrilled to get an up close look at famous paintings from well known artists such as Monet, Picasso, and Van Gogh.

 
While the kids liked the paintings, I liked the pieces that were a bit on the odd side. 

I always find a trip through any museum interesting because art is so subjective. There were some pieces that made us question what made something so special to earn a spot in such a prestigious museum, like rolled up carpet, blurry photographs, and this very plain piece...

I had to remind myself that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and what may seem ordinary to me is fascinating to another.

The admission is right around $25 for adults, and it is included as an option in the Chicago City Pass for reduced rates. Whether you are new to visiting Chicago or a returning tourist, make sure you schedule a trip to the The Art Institute. You won't be disappointed!

What's is your favorite form of art? Paintings, sculptures, photography, ancient jewelry? Let me know in the comment section below!