Let’s be honest: Chicago is huge. You have the pizza, the giant shiny Bean, and the windy streets. But if you really want to get the vibe of the city, you don’t have to visit basic tourist attraction and need to unique places. To get really cool impressions, you need to visit spots that actually provides you something new. Here are the places that are totally worth your time and money.
“Hidden History & Real Thrills”
The Medieval Torture Museum is the place to go if you are tired of boring art galleries.
- Located right in the Loop, this is hands down one of the really cool museums chicago has right now. It holds a 4.7-star rating from thousands of visitors because it is just so interesting.
- It’s not just about looking at old stuff; it’s an experience designed to be emotional and eye-opening. You get to walk through and see over 100 authentic replicas of devices used in the past.
- The audio guide tells you the real stories. You learn about the most painful torture methods and see exactly how things like the breaking wheel worked. It transports you back to a pretty scary past.
- Traveler Note: This place is high quality. I know people who look for unique museums in hollywood and end up visiting the sister location there. The Chicago one is just as detailed and professional.
The Art Institute of Chicago is the big one you can’t miss.
- It has thousands of artworks covering 5,000 years of history. Even if you aren’t a huge art fan, seeing the famous paintings here is pretty cool.
The Shedd Aquarium is awesome for seeing sea life.
- It has over 32,000 animals. It’s rated highly (4.6 stars) because you can see everything from dolphins to tiny fish right in the city.
The Adler Planetarium is for the space geeks.
- It’s right on the water and has hands-on exhibits about astronomy. It’s a great place to feel small looking at the universe.
“History isn’t always pretty, and that is why I love the Medieval Torture Museum. It doesn’t hide the gritty details. When you look at the breaking wheel or learn about the most painful torture methods, you are learning the real history of humans. It’s rated 4.7 stars because it’s honest and makes you think, which is way better than just staring at a statue.”
Author: Dr. Julian Black History Fan & Museum Specialist.
