Overshadowed by big-ticket neighbors like Millennium Park and the Art Institute, folks forget the exquisite Chicago Cultural Center puts on terrific art exhibitions throughout its block-long expanse, especially in the 2nd- and 4th-floor galleries. The world's largest Tiffany stained-glass dome also sparkles inside, its 30,000 bejeweled pieces begging for a look on the 3rd floor.
InstaGreeter tours of the Loop depart from the Randolph St lobby at 11:30am and 1:30pm Friday through Sunday year-round. In summer, foreign films screen in the theater on Wednesdays at 6:30pm. And everything is free!
The beaux-arts building began its life as the Chicago Public Library in 1897. The Gilded Age interior mixes white Carrara and green Connemara marble throughout. The building's splendor was meant to inspire the rabble toward loftier goals. It was made for everyone, which earned it its People’s Palace nickname. You can explore on your own, or take an hour-long building tour (1:15pm Thursdays and Fridays), which departs from the Randolph St lobby.
