The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, at 220 E Chicago Avenue in Streeterville, is one of the largest contemporary art museums in the United States. Founded in 1967, it collects and exhibits art made after World War II, and visitors come for exhibitions that often challenge them, along with a strong program of live performance.
Josef Paul Kleihues designed the building, which opened in 1996. Its limestone and cast-aluminum facade sits above a wide staircase, and a gridded, light-filled interior leads to a back sculpture garden facing Lake Michigan. The galleries rotate between collection shows and solo or thematic exhibitions in painting, sculpture, photography, and large-scale video installation. The Edlis Neeson Theater stages dance, music, and experimental performance. The Commons, a ground-floor space redesigned in 2017, hosts talks, workshops, and informal gatherings.
Visitor Highlights & Practical Info
The museum is open Tuesday from 10 am to 9 pm, Wednesday through Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm, and closed Mondays (source: MCA Chicago). Tuesday evenings and weekday mornings tend to be the least crowded times to visit. Weekend afternoons and summer tourist season fill up quickly. Book performance tickets well in advance, and check the website for current admission rates and resident discounts. The Red Line’s Chicago station is a short walk west. The historic Water Tower and the Magnificent Mile are a block or two away, so the museum fits easily into a day of downtown sightseeing.
