Art Institute of Chicago - Cultural Landmark

Stop on Historic Chicago Loop Walking Tour, a free self-guided tour.

Walk south from Millennium Park to the Art Institute of Chicago, one of the world's great art museums housed in a magnificent Beaux-Arts building. The original structure, designed by Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge, was built for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Two iconic bronze lion sculptures by Edward Kemeys guard the main entrance on Michigan Avenue, becoming beloved Chicago symbols since their installation in 1894. The building's classical design with its grand staircase and decorative elements reflects the City Beautiful movement championed by Daniel Burnham. The museum's collection includes masterpieces by Georges Seurat, Grant Wood, and Edward Hopper. The Modern Wing, added in 2009 by Renzo Piano, connects to Millennium Park via the Nichols Bridgeway. The Art Institute represents Chicago's cultural ambitions following the devastating fire, transforming from frontier town to sophisticated metropolis. The museum has educated generations of artists at its affiliated school and preserves an extraordinary collection making Chicago a destination for art lovers worldwide. The building itself exemplifies the grand civic architecture that defined Chicago's late 19th-century renaissance.