Chicago occupies a unique space in the national art scene. Its geographic location and abundance of museums and educational spaces have created the conditions for a particularly vibrant artistic community. A true Chicago gallery crawl requires more than an afternoon. This list of institutional spaces and commercial art galleries provides more than enough for a full week of artistic activities.
Stroll through the River North gallery district or the Wicker Park neighborhood that’s popular with young Chicago residents. Then, after getting your fill of smaller galleries and experimental work, be sure to save time to visit the Art Institute of Chicago’s Modern Wing for a look at masterpieces from the last century.