The Art Institute of Chicago
add photosThis art institute is filled with extraordinary pieces of work. For families, you'll want to stop by the information desk in Kraft Education Center provides materials to encourage interaction with the art collections. These publications are an excellent resource for families with school-age children—they’re available year-round, and they’re free. Next pick up the Lions Trail Family Tour at the entrance to the museum. This audio guide with 32 stops has been designed for children ages 5 to 10 and is an informative, dramatic, and fun tour of the collection.
Free Thursday evenings from 5-8pm.
At the Chicago Public Libraries, you can request a Kraft Great Kids Museum Passport good for free family admission to the Art Institute. It's just like checking out a book, so don't forget to return it after you visit!
17 Reviews for The Art Institute of Chicago
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80 families found this helpful
"Simply amazing!"
My son and I visited the Art Institute for the first time in Feb. '11. We've been studying art history in our home education courses for 8 years and it was absolutely amazing to see the actual, original art we've studied! Our train into Chicago ran late, so we missed two main galleries - Medieval and early Renaissance, which made us sad. We spent four hours really enjoying the art, having a great meal in the cafe', and shopping in the great store.
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0 families found this helpful
"LOVED the kids area"
Being big kids ourselves, my husband and I loved to explore the kids area with our 3 children. The rest of the museum was fine, but it was way more fun to be able to touch! My oldest child benefitted most from the experience, but the younger stayed interested for a surprisingly long time. We would go again...especially on a free day, but would make a bee line for the kid's area first. The remainder of the museum is nice, but kids would bore quickly (I know I did!).
1 family found this helpful
"The Art Institute of Chicago"
The Art Institute is great for older kids, probably middle school and high school. Kids who have studied the impressionists will really enjoy that exhibit, the other exhibits are not as interesting. The children's area in the basement is fine, but still for school aged children. The atmosphere is very quiet and reflective, younger children who are more talkative may have a hard time staying quiet. Overall, the paintings and other pieces are beautiful, but this may not be a trip for the whole family.
'11
0 families found this helpful
"Not the best for kids"
The Art Institute is easily enjoyed by adults, but kids won't be as impressed. The outdoor sculpture park helps, as does the kids area, but if you have really little ones, don't expect to spend the whole day here. Best to go on a free day, especially if there are other free days at area attractions. Navy Pier is very close by, and the kids will like that. Also close to the Shedd Aquarium, which is AWESOME, especially if you go on a discounted day.
0 families found this helpful
"Fantastic"
The Art Institute is a great place to learn and have a good time. They offer free days throughout the year which is awesome! I just read that after May 26, 2011 they will be offering FREE days every 1st and 2nd Wednesday, all day long! We like to have the kids pick their favorite art work and they have to explain why they think it is the best.
0 families found this helpful
"Georges Seurat"
I went here purely to view the painting, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, which is my absolute FAVORITE work of art.
The painting is quite impressive - mich bigger than I anticipated. It is a lot of fun to view it from afar, as was intended, then gradually come nearer until it just becomes a big bunch of dots.
The museum also houses Edward Hopper's "Nighthawks," Grant Wood's "American Gothic," as well as works by Picasso, Rembrandt & van Gogh. It is a must see for any art lover.
1 family found this helpful
"Families are in heaven if you limit your experience"
If you are going as adults to see this whole museum and you have children you are dragging along, this will not be a fantastic experience. If you are going to expose your children to art and see a handful of specific pieces, then you will have a blast.
This museum is really best for school age children and up. Start in the Kraft Education Center first (downstairs). Stop at their information booth and get what we called "the kids guide to the museum." Its full of suggestions and ideas to make your visit more enjoable for kids. We didn't use all the information, but some of it was very helpful. The Kraft Education Center offers a lot of interactive, touchy-feely stuff for kids.
When you ventura out into the rest of the museum pick a handful of pieces that are most important to you (ideally you've done this before hand and now just have to located the pieces on the map). I always give my son a postcard of each piece we're looking for or a computer print out of one and he helps us look for it (like a game). There is also an audio tour specifically for kids.
There is an outdoor sculpture garden where kids can run and jump and yell, which is where we ended our visit.
1 family found this helpful
"Kids area and outdoor sculpture park are the best"
This museum is big, and kids get bored fast. So beeline to the kids' area where they can touch (downstairs). And remind them they cannot touch the rest of the exhibits - something which was very difficult for my kids to understand.
One of the best parts of this museum is the outdoor free sculpture park just to the north of the actual museum building. There, they can touch the giant sculptures.
Also, kids love entering the museum through the brand new bridge (opened summer 2009) that goes from Millennium park to the upstairs cafe.
If you know a local, before paying for admission, try to get tickets from the Chicago Public library. They are often out, but it's worth a try. You have to have a library card in order to get them.
0 families found this helpful
"Great art museum for older children"
I have taken my family here twice, but my children are too young to enjoy it. Once they get older, I am sure it will be more enjoyable for all. I would like to go sometime without children sometime so that I can enjoy it a little more, actually! The museum is beautiful with many famous and important works of art. The new modern wing is impressive.
1 family found this helpful
"Very appealing"
This is one of the better Art Institutes around. There is a wide variety of art styles displayed, so most people should be able to find something that appeals to them. Even those new to the world of art can find something they like, and can learn a lot about the various styles of art. It is located near Lake Michigan, within walking distance of several other museums and attractions - so you can spend part of the day here and in minutes, be at another attraction to complete your day.
0 families found this helpful
"Great exhibits"
Our first trip to Chicago was to come and see the special Van Gogh & Gaugin exhibit as well as to spend New Years with our family. The exhibit have great and provided a rich history of Van Gogh and Gaugin's tour together. The Art Institute presented the works of art very well and we'd go back again to see the new exhibits.
0 families found this helpful
"A must-see in Chicago"
Most of the viewing rooms are spacious, and you can navigate a stroller through fairly easily, but please exercise good judgment in deciding whether to bring
children younger than school age here. A quiet baby in a stroller is fine, but a chronically fussy one will disrupt others’ peaceful enjoyment of these great artworks. Likewise, the average toddler will have little interest in the art and simply think the open spaces look like a great place to run, causing distraction to other patrons and also depriving you of the opportunity to appreciate what the museum has to offer. For older children, however, a visit to the Art Institute can open up a whole new world.
There are art books and hands-on activities for kids in the Kraft Education Center downstairs; the restrooms are down there, too.
1 family found this helpful
"Wonderful for families"
This is one of the best art musuems for families. They have a family area and have family activity packs that you can get to tour the musuem with kids which point out art of special interest, create a scavenger hunt with pictures of some of the works and materials for kids to draw their own interpretation of the art.
0 families found this helpful
"Great for adults not so much for little kids"
I always love going to this museum but alas, not so exciting for little ones. Definitely not much there to keep them entertained except the gift shop! Best to go there when you've got babysitting. Our son is 20 mos so I think definitely would appeal to older kids not young ones.
2 families found this helpful
"Best for older kids"
I love the Art Institute of Chicago. I happened to be there for a beautiful exhibit of eastern art from India, Nepal, China, etc.. Stunning. But I will have to say that I think this is only fun for the older kids (and they would need to be mature at that). But if your kids are busy and you are in Chicago, the Art Institute is a must see.
1 family found this helpful
"good times"
they are working on opening a newly expanded children's area of the museum. we happened to go during a free admission time. it still wasn't too crowded. we did feel like we needed our daughter (2) to be very quiet while looking at the art work in the main area which can be challenging. they had a story time in the children's area which was fun. we also had a craft time too.
1 family found this helpful
"Family-Friendly Art"
The first stop for families at the Art Institute should be the Kraft Education Center downstairs. It offers hands-on activities and art experiences, and helps teach kids about some of the artwork found in the museum. Starting here will make the rest of the museum visit more interesting for kids.
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