Top Illinois Attractions & Museums

Visit the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center at your own pace on a self-guided tour. With pre-booked admission tickets, you’ll have complimentary access to an audioguide and entrance to the interactive Survivors Stories Experience. Listen to holograms of Holocaust survivors as they answer your questions. Other galleries include the Take a Stand Center and a special hands-on youth section.

Discover animals from around the world—no passport required—when you visit the Miller Park Zoo. From Sumatran tigers to pink flamingos and red pandas to a Galapagos tortoise, the zoo houses a huge variety of animals in their recreated natural habitats. Learn about the animals as you check out indoor and outdoor exhibits, including a special Children’s Zoo made just for kids.

This guided tour is the ideal way to begin exploring the roots of the author's life and work. It is here that Ernest Hemingway was born in a second floor bedroom on July 21, 1899. This Queen Anne home was built in 1890 by his maternal grandparents and was the first home in Oak Park to have electricity. The homes restoration returned the house to its 1890s’ Victorian heritage; ensuring that your experience of the furnishings and stories told reflect the young man who lived there.

Tour the historic Chicago Theater, a must-see city landmark, with a guide providing in-depth commentary. You'll get the most out of your visit by traveling with a guide and get access to some areas of the theater that the public never sees. Learn about its architecture, history, and famous performers throughout the years.

Immerse yourself in American literary traditions, and enjoy a host of interactive exhibitions, during a visit to Chicago’s one-of-a-kind American Writers Museum. Conveniently located on Michigan Avenue, the museum was established in 2017, and is one of the city’s newest highlight institutions. Guarantee your admission, and prevent any travel hassles, by securing your tickets in advance. Once inside, you’ll have time to explore at your own pace.

Take a stroll through the history of automobiles at the Volo Auto Museum, just outside Chicago. Car enthusiasts, families, and history buffs will all find something fascinating to discover at the museum. It is spread over 35 acres, with 33 exhibits to explore. See the classic cars, vintage bikes, exhibits devoted to trains, military vehicles, campers…even Batmobiles and Mickey Mouse.

Bring the kids to  LEGOLAND® Discovery Center in Schaumburg for a day of brick-building adventure. With 30,000-square-feet of space this family-friendly attraction has activities for everyone: from an interactive pirate-themed playland to a factory tour where you can actually see how LEGO bricks are made. There's even a mini replica of famous Chi-town landmarks made from nearly 2-million LEGO pieces.

Enjoy admission to more than 26 of Chicago's most popular attractions with the Go Chicago™ Pass. Create your own itinerary and sightsee at your own pace. Save your pass, available as your 'ticket' after purchase, on your mobile device; don't waste time redeeming vouchers. This pass offers something for all members of the family. Take a hop-on hop-off trolley tour or admire the stunning views from SkyDeck Chicago. The Go Chicago™ Pass is available in 1-, 2-, 3-, or 5-day options. Please note: Enjoy the extra flexibility in case your travel plans need to change: All passes are valid for two year from purchase date and only become activated with your first attraction visit. After activation your pass will be valid for 30 days and/or the remaining number of attraction choices purchased.

Buy your Field Museum Discovery Pass in advance to streamline your sightseeing experience in Chicago. With pass in hand, you'll save time waiting in line and get access to all general admission exhibits, as well as one ticketed special exhibition or a 3D movie. Your pass gives you the ability to explore on your own time, spending as long as you like in the Hall of Gems or checking out the titanosaur. Free tours are available throughout the day.

One of Chicago’s most popular and recognizable landmarks, the Field Museum of Natural History offers a wide array of treasures, from its Hall of Gems to Sue—one of the best-preserved Tyrannosaurus Rex fossils ever found. Guarantee your admission to this in-demand museum, and prevent any stress, by booking your tickets before you travel. Upon arrival, you can explore the museum at your own pace, and even embark on a complimentary, docent-led tour.

Delve deep into the world of natural history with this Field Museum admission ticket in Chicago. Spend as long as you like exploring the museum's collection of more than 26 million artifacts. Get to know SUE, the world's largest T. Rex, or stroll through the sparkling Hall of Gems. Time travel through 13,000 years of history in the Americas, from the Ice Age to Inca and Aztec temples. Take advantage of the free daily tours, led by Field Museum docents.

This Chicago grand tour covers four hours of sightseeing with admission to 360 Chicago (John Hancock Observatory). Get oriented to the Windy City on a coach tour that takes you along a scenic route on Lake Shore Drive, and past North Side and South Side highlights including Museum Campus, Lincoln Park, Washington Park, Grant Park and Wrigley Field. Finish on the 94th floor of the Hancock Center, one of Chicago's tallest landmarks, for panoramic views of the Magnificent Mile from the open-air observation deck.

Get the most out of your trip to Chicago as you enjoy discount access to five of the city’s top attractions with the CityPASS. This easy-to-use mobile ticket grants you free entry into top-tier sights including the Shedd Aquarium, Skydeck Chicago, and the Field Museum as well as a choice of the Art Institute of Chicago or Adler Planetarium, and Museum of Science and Industry or 360 Chicago (John Hancock Observatory). Plus enjoy a wealth of useful Chicago tips and savings at a variety of other venues and retailers.

The MCA Chicago is one of the nation’s largest multidisciplinary museums devoted to the art of our time with an international reputation for presenting ground-breaking exhibitions. Although not on permanent display, works from the collection appear regularly in our many rotating exhibitions. Its collection features artists such as Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, Cindy Sherman, Kara Walker, and Alexander Calder. It also contains historical samples of 1940s–1970s late surrealism, pop art, minimalism, and conceptual art; notable holdings in 1980s postmodernism; as well as contemporary painting, sculpture, photography, video, installation, and related media. The MCA boasts an award-winning store and Marisol, the restaurant and bar, featuring innovative flavors in an immersive art environment. The performing arts program features leading performers from around the globe in its 300-seat theater. The museum offers tours and programs for all ages and is free for all youth 18 and under.