Thompson Chicago

The Chicago History Museum stands at the crossroads of America’s past and its future. If you live in Chicago or visit here and are curious about the city’s past, present, and future, the Museum should be your first stop.

The purposes for which the Art Institute of Chicago is formed are: to found, build, maintain, and operate museums, schools, libraries of art, and theaters; to provide support facilities in connection therewith; to conduct appropriate activities conducive to the artistic development of the region; and to conduct and participate in appropriate activities of national and international significance; To form, conserve, research, publish, and exhibit a permanent collection of objects of art of all kinds; to present temporary exhibitions that include loaned objects of art of all kinds; and to cultivate and extend the arts by appropriate means; To establish and conduct comprehensive programs of education, including presentation of visual artists, teachers of art, and designers; to provide educational services in written, spoken, and media formats; To provide lectures, instruction, and entertainment, including dramatic, film, and musical performances of all kinds, which complement and further the general purposes of the institute; To receive in trust property of all kinds and to exercise all necessary powers as trustee for such trust estates whose objects are related to the furtherance of the general purposes of the institute or for the establishment or maintenance of works of art.

The Field Museum was incorporated in the State of Illinois on September 16, 1893 as the Columbian Museum of Chicago with its purpose the "accumulation and dissemination of knowledge, and the preservation and exhibition of objects illustrating art, archaeology, science and history." In 1905, the Museum's name was changed to Field Museum of Natural History to honor the Museum's first major benefactor, Marshall Field, and to better reflect its focus on the natural sciences. In 1921 the Museum moved from its original location in Jackson Park to its present site on Chicago Park District property near downtown where it is part of a lakefront Museum Campus that includes the John G. Shedd Aquarium and the Adler Planetarium. These three institutions are regarded as among the finest of their kind in the world and together attract more visits annually than any comparable site in Chicago.

Chicago Children's Museum's mission is to create a community where play and learning connect. The museum's primary audience is children up through the fifth grade including their families, along with the school and community groups that support and influence children's growth and development. The museum also offers a variety of volunteer opportunities and college internships. Fifteen permanent exhibits and programming spaces provide innovative learning experiences for children and their caregivers. The museum serves more than 500,000 visitors annually. CCM also reaches out beyond its walls by making a significant investment of resources in neighborhoods across Chicago, particularly to children who might not otherwise have access to the museum's rich array of resources. History Chicago Children's Museum was founded in 1982 by a coalition led by The Junior League of Chicago in response to program cutbacks in the Chicago Public Schools. The museum opened in two hallways of the Chicago Public Library. In response to capacity crowds on-site, CCM developed trunk shows and exhibits which traveled to schools, branch libraries, and neighborhood centers. The growing demand for CCM services led to its relocation in 1986 to a 7,000 s.f. Chicago Park District facility in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. In 1989, as part of a five-year plan, CCM moved to another interim site—a 21,000 square foot building as part of a mixed-use renovated warehouse. In that site, CCM built its audience, exhibits, programs, partnerships, and funding base while searching for a site for a permanent home. In October 1995, CCM opened as anchor tenant of Chicago's redeveloped Navy Pier on Lake Michigan. The 57,000 square foot facility has served as a springboard to propel CCM to make an important difference in the learning lives of kids. With three floors of engaging and educational exhibits, a full array of public programs and special events, CCM strives to effectively meet the needs of its diverse audience.

This design was the result of an international competition for "the most beautiful office building in the world," held in 1922 by the Chicago Tribune newspaper. The various competition entries proved extremely influential for the development of skyscraper architecture in the 1920s. The winning entry, with a crowning tower with flying buttresses, is derived from the design of the French cathedral of Rouen and gives the building its striking silhouette. The base of the building is studded with over 120 stones from famed sites and structures in all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries. They range from the Parthenon (Greece) and Taj Mahal (India) to Bunker Hill (Massachusetts) and Mark Twain's "Injun Joe Cave" (Missouri).

Even though it stands in the shadows of the tall buildings surrounding it, when the historic Water Tower was first built in 1869, its 154 foot height was probably pretty impressive. The Water Tower was commissioned to house a 138 foot tall standpipe, which helped with water flow and pressure for the pumping station. But the Water Tower's main claim to fame is that it is one of only a very few structures that remained standing after the great Chicago Fire in 1871 and today is a monument to that event. While it has served in its original use since 1911, it is a popular tourist attraction. The Water Tower is home to the City Gallery, the "city's official photography gallery", which presents Chicago-themed photography exhibitions all by Chicago photographers. The pumping station (which is still operational) has a Visitor's Information Center which provides tons of free pamphlets and information about Chicago's large number of things to do. The Water Works building has been converted to a live theater space, and is currently the base for the well-known (thanks in part to the fame of one of its co-founders, David Schwimmer) Lookingglass Theatre Company.

Lincoln Park Zoo is a world of wildlife in the shadow of skyscrapers. Located within a verdant park just minutes north of Chicago, the zoo has been a natural, free oasis for generations of animal lovers, who come to hear a lion’s roar echo off nearby apartment buildings, see gorillas climb trees as the Sears Tower looms in the distance, or forget where they are as they immerse themselves in tropical rainforests, dry-thorn forests or spacious savannas. We invite you to the wildest spot in Chicago, where each year millions of visitors marvel at wild wonders as they play and learn about the natural world in a living, breathing, roaring classroom. Entrance to the zoo is free.

Millennium Park is an award-winning center for art, music, architecture and landscape design. The result of a unique partnership between the City of Chicago and the philanthropic community, the 24.5-acre Park features the work of world-renowned architects, planners, artists and designers. Among Millennium Park's prominent features are the Frank Gehry-designed Jay Pritzker Pavilion, the most sophisticated outdoor concert venue of its kind in the United States; the interactive Crown Fountain by Jaume Plensa; the contemporary Lurie Garden designed by the team of Gustafson Guthrie Nichol Ltd, Piet Oudolf and Robert Israel; and Anish Kapoor’s hugely popular Cloud Gate sculpture. Millennium Park is located in the heart of downtown Chicago. It is bordered by Michigan Avenue to the west, Columbus Drive to the east, Randolph Street to the North and Monroe Street to the South. The Park is open daily from 6am - 11pm. Admission is free. Visitors are encouraged to make the Millennium Park Welcome Center their first stop at the Park where specialists are available to help plan their Park visit. The Welcome Center is located at 201 E. Randolph Street in the Northwest Exelon Pavilion.

One of the nation's largest facilities devoted to the art of our time, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) offers exhibitions of the most thought-provoking art created since 1945. The MCA documents contemporary visual culture through painting, sculpture, photography, video and film, and performance. Located in the heart of downtown Chicago, the MCA boasts a gift store, bookstore, restaurant, 300-seat theater, and a terraced sculpture garden with a great view of Lake Michigan.

Navy Pier is the place where all of Chicagoland and tourists from around the world have come together since 1995 to enjoy the beauty and the thrills of a day on Lake Michigan. From rides to restaurants, exhibitions to entertainment, shopping to dining cruises and tour boats Navy Pier has it all - in a location unlike any other! There's so much to do in our 50 acres of parks, promenades, gardens, shops, eateries and attractions. Take a ride on our 15-story tall Ferris wheel. Catch a movie at the IMAX® Theatre. Visit three floors of hands-on fun at the Chicago Children's Museum inside the Family Pavilion. Experience any one of the cruise boat rides departing from Navy Pier's South Dock. Or just kick back and enjoy your favorite form of entertainment - dancers, acrobats, theater, blues, jazz, or rock 'n roll at the Pepsi Skyline Stage. Navy Pier also offers dining opportunities as diverse as Chicago itself. Dine at one of the fine restaurants or sample a variety of great tastes to be found at the food court in the Family Pavilion. You can find everything from bikes to books and from souvenirs to sunglasses at the retail shops in the Family Pavilion open year-round. Don't forget about the free entertainment on Dock Street during the summer and open-air ice skating during the winter.

The Newberry Library is an independent research library concentrating in the humanities with an active educational and cultural presence in Chicago. Free and open to the public, it houses an extensive non-circulating collection of rare books, maps, music, manuscripts, and other printed material. The Newberry offers exhibits based on its outstanding collections, musical and theatrical performances, lectures and discussions with today's leading humanists, seminars, and teacher programs. Anyone who is at least 16 years old and who is conducting research on a topic covered by the collections may become a reader.

With sweeping views spanning 4 states - Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois - there's a whole lot to see! Throw in all there is to do here in the heart of downtown Chicago and you can really make a day of it.

Welcome to the Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation web site. We are a vibrant and growing congregation. The heart of our mission is to promote love, reason and freedom in religion, to foster lifelong spiritual growth, and to act for social justice. Click on Who We Are for more information. Worship is central to the life of our community. Worship reminds us of who we are, what we can become, how we want to live, what we hope to give to the community and the world. Our services are enhanced by our home, Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple. We consider the religious odyssey a very personal one. As a congregation, our goal is to offer a community to nurture your religious and personal growth, while respecting your right of choice. Grateful for the religious pluralism that enriches and ennobles our faith, we are inspired to deepen our understanding and broaden our vision. Click on Religious Education for information on our Adult and Children's classes.

At the pinnacle of Chicago's famed Magnificent Mile, Water Tower Place is Chicago's premier shopping destination. Its stunning eight-level atrium features more than 100 of your favorite stores and restaurants plus a mix of distinctive specialty shops and boutiques. It offers a unique, high-energy urban shopping experience you simply won't find anywhere else in the city. In short, Water Tower Place is the place to shop.

You’ll see the best view and best overview of Chicago. At 1,353 feet (412 meters), the Skydeck is the highest observatory in Chicago. The view is amazing! You can see 40 – 50 miles (65 - 80 kilometers) on a clear day. Imagine seeing Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin, just by walking around the Skydeck. And there’s no finer view of Chicago architecture. Do you want to know what time the sun will set on the day of your visit? Get the best of both views and plan on arriving to the Skydeck 30-45 minutes prior to your sunset time! Go to www.sunrisesunset.com for the Chicago sunset calendar. Museum-quality exhibits. Now the view isn’t just out the window. Visitors will see interactive, museum-quality exhibits on the inside of the Skydeck presenting Chicago’s past and present. At every turn, your guests will see more of Chicago’s history and historic characters. Multi-language interactive kiosks. Visitors can take a hands-on trip on these state-of-the-art computer information terminals. Each tap will guide them to a new place on a quick tour of Chicago's landmarks. Now in 6 languages. (English, French, German, Japanese, Polish, Spanish) Knee-High Chicago. Big or little, every kid gets the best view and overview of Chicago with this kid-level display that extends all the way around the Skydeck. Cool cut-out windows put kids eye-to-eye with Chicago history, sports and more. High-tech, high-powered telescopes. Everyone can see more of Chicago in detail with these binoculars. Internationally friendly. Our Skydeck touch and tell computers bring the skyline to life in 6 languages (English, French, German, Japanese, Polish, Spanish). Visitors can learn about Chicago's major landmarks in the language of their choice with the click of a button.