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Photo: Marilyn Engwall, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
This neoclassical veterans memorial is truly grand. Its interior is an extravagant ensemble of marble, bronze sculptures, stained glass, and huge murals.
The Elks National Veterans Memorial is a Beaux Arts-style domed building at 2750 North Lakeview Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. It is across from Lincoln Park and close to the park's Goethe Monument and statue of Alexander Hamilton.
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Historically, spiritually and architecturally, the Shrine is a "must see" destination for Chicago visitors. The Shrine Honors the first American Citizen Saint and Patron of Immigrants in the Catholic Church. Designed by world renowned architect Leonard Gliotto, the Shrine is a celebration of carrara marble, Florentine stained glass, gold mosaics, colorful frescoes and Romanesque splendor. All are welcome to visit the chapel, meditation garden, historical exhibit and gift shop. Visitors may take a self-guided tour or schedule a docent-led tour. Catholic Mass is celebrated Saturday at 4PM and Sunday at 10AM.
Carefully positioned within walking distance of the Lincoln Park Zoo in hopes of being parents' second stop while they're in the area, the Notebaert Nature Museum is... okay. Exhibits are geared toward kids and are sometimes hands-on. The only consistent must-see is the butterfly haven.
Built 1890-1895, the conservatory is right next to the zoo. Even though they're overshadowed by the animals next door, the plants receive an equal amount of care, and there are usually some eye-popping floral displays in the spring. Volunteer-led tours are sometimes available at no cost.
Plays are shown here (see Victory Gardens below), but the theater is still best known as the place where John Dillinger went down in 1934. America's most famous bank robber was leaving after a movie with the Lady in Red when FBI agents opened fire. The owners of the theater have never been keen to play up the connection, but the classic marquee is still there. Reportedly, Dillinger fans hold gatherings outside on July 22, the anniversary of his death.
One of the best concert venues in Chicago, this former movie theater received a beautiful renovation in 2009 and now hosts good, moderately priced ($12-15) indie rock shows most nights of the week. (Keep an eye out for some excellent free events on Sundays.) Arrive early for a space in the roomy balcony or a few drinks in the comfortable bar area. There's a Dillinger connection here, too — the FBI's sharpshooters were camped out on the theater's roof, waiting for him to leave the Biograph.
An eclectic mix on two stages includes solo shows, major contemporary plays like "Ragtime" and "The Vagina Monologues," and the popular improvised musicals of Baby Wants Candy (Sa 10:30PM, $15).