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Millennium Park is one of Chicago’s unmissable attractions. Set along the lakefront in the heart of downtown, it’s the ideal place for a leisurely stroll, an outdoor concert, a meet‑up with friends, or simply taking in the striking architecture that surrounds the park. One of the highlights is the interactive video sculpture by Jaume Plensa. Two 50‑foot glass‑brick towers stand on either side of a black granite reflecting pool, projecting larger‑than‑life faces of Chicago residents. During the summer months, the towers release cascading water, turning the area into a playful splash zone that kids absolutely love on hot days
The park is home to the iconic Cloud Gate statue , better known as The Bean. Designed by the internationally acclaimed artist Anish Kapoor, Cloud Gate was his first permanent public outdoor public work in the United States, and widely considered hi most famous work. The art work reflects Chicago's famous skyline, an impressive sight on a sunny day. The Bean can be found above the McCormick Tribune Plaza where you'll outdoor dining in the summer and a free ice skating rink in winter.
The Jay Pritzker Pavilion & the Great Lawn. The one of a kind entertainment area is just stunning, its crown of stainless steel ribbons and plates protecting the entertainers below. With a state-of-the-art sound system designed to provide similar acoustics of an indoor theatre, it's the place to enjoy free events like the annual Summer Music Series and Summer Film Series, the Chicago gospel Festival, the Chicago Jazz Festival and many more. The great lawn is the perfect spot to sprawl out on and enjoy a picnic.
Lurie Garden is an award‑winning garden that blends naturalistic planting with environmentally sensitive maintenance to create a peaceful urban oasis. Home to a rich variety of plants, insects, and wildlife, it offers a true four‑season experience, with ever‑changing colours and textures that make every visit visually captivating.
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Located on Chicago's iconic Lake Michigan Shore, the Field Museum is one of my favourite museums in the world. With nearly 40 million specimens and artefacts in their collection, it brings you something new to discover/learn during each visit. Every time I am visiting Chicago, i try to dedicate a few hours of my time to this fascinating museum. (https://www.fieldmuseum.org/)
The Field Museum is huge and requires plenty of time to discover all the displays. Following are the exhibitions within the museum: Ground level:
The one exhibition I always visit is the Griffin Halls of Evolving Planet where you get to know the many creatures that have roamed the earth throughout history, from single-cel organisms to the evolution of mankind. Admire the giant sloths, meet a model of Lucy, a 3.2-million-year-old hominid. Admire the many fossils on display and learn all about earth's mass extinction events. A hugely impressive hall is the Elizabeth Morse Genius Hall of Dinosaurs where you can get up and close with more than a dozen of the biggest dinosaurs that once roamed our planet.
Next, step into the world of Sue, the largest and most complete T. rex specimen ever discovered. Stretching an impressive 40 feet in length and preserved at roughly 90%, Sue is a breathtaking sight. This remarkable dinosaur is named after Sue Hendrickson, the explorer who unearthed the fossil in 1990 during a commercial excavation north of Faith, South Dakota.
One room I always love is the totem pole room, where huge totems stand proud and tall . Another exhibition I always love is the Ancient Americas exhibition. It takes visitors on a journey through 13,000 years of human ingenuity and achievement across the Americas. Here, you can explore the many societies that flourished long before Europeans arrived — tracing a path from early hunter‑gatherer communities to the rise of the Aztec and Inca empires. The exhibition also examines the arrival of European settlers and the profound ways their presence reshaped history up to the present day. With interactive displays and thousands of artefacts, it offers fresh insights into these advanced early civilizations and reveals what their innovations and traditions can teach us about our own lives today. One room I’m especially fond of is the totem pole room, where towering carved poles stand proudly, creating a space that feels both powerful and deeply atmospheric.
The Africa exhibition offers a vibrant glimpse into the continent’s rich and varied cultures. Visitors can explore the diversity of African societies, listen to the many languages spoken across its countries, and admire scenes from everyday life. From strolling through a bustling town in Senegal to following a camel caravan deep into the Sahara, the exhibition invites you to experience Africa’s landscapes, traditions, and stories in an immersive and engaging way.
Another exhibition I never miss is the Egypt exhibition. Home to the largest collection of mummies in the United States — 23 human mummies and more than 30 animal mummies — it’s an absolute must‑see. Step back in time and explore daily life in ancient Egypt during the era of the pharaohs. Wander through a recreated marketplace, examine one of the boats that once sailed the Nile, or venture into a three‑storey replica of an ancient Egyptian tomb. Inside, you can explore two authentic chamber rooms that are more than 4,400 years old, offering a rare and immersive glimpse into Egypt’s distant past.
In the mammal exhibition, you can catch a glimpse of mammals from Asia and Africa—from giraffes at a watering hole to monkeys peeking out from the canopy. The many dioramas provide you with perfect crafted landscapes with carefully preserved specimens.
Where there are many more exhibitions within the Field Museum, to many to discover during one visit.
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About the AuthorWe are Peter & Dolores De Bie. We love the great outdoors, discovering new parts of the world and writing about our adventures along the Wild Atlantic Way and further afield Categories
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