Gallery Districts
Galleries are clustered in River North, Pilsen, and the West Loop neighborhoods, as well as other city districts and extending into the surrounding suburbs. Visit Chicago Gallery News for more information on Chicago's gallery scene year round.
West Side
The West Side is comprised of established, emerging, and community art spaces in the West Loop, Fulton Market, Randolph Street, River West, West Town and Ukrainian Village. Along with galleries, you can find antiques, bargain furniture, or high-end design at places like Wright, Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, and Randolph Street Market.
Many of the area’s hottest restaurants are located in the West Loop and on the city’s West Side, making great post-gallery destinations.
South Side
South of the city center, galleries and artist communities can be found in Pilsen along 18th Street and in the Chicago Arts District.
In Hyde Park you will find museums affiliated with the University of Chicago. Jackson Park is home to the Theaster Gates’s Rebuild Foundation and the Stony Island Arts Bank, as well as the future home of the Barack Obama Presidential Center.
River North
Over two dozen galleries radiate from the intersection of Superior and Franklin streets, making up the River North gallery district. The area is also the city’s densest gallery center and is close to the Merchandise Mart and many design stores and showrooms.
Chicago Gallery News hosts a free Saturday gallery tour in the district from 11am-12:30pm. Meet at the Starbucks at Chicago & Franklin, every weekend (except major holidays).
Michigan Avenue
There are many galleries located within blocks of the Magnificent Mile, from the Graham Foundation in the Gold Coast, to galleries in the Historic Tree Studios on State Street. From Oak Street down to the Chicago River, south near Millennium Park and past Congress Parkway, galleries occupy spaces steps from Michigan Avenue, as well as in some of Chicago’s most iconic skyscrapers.
Look for the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), the Museum of Contemporary Photography (MoCP), and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC).