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Photo: Photo by Joon Han Contact: onejoon@hotmail.com, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Home of the NFL's Chicago Bears, and from 2020 home (again) to Chicago Fire FC of Major League Soccer. If you'd like to see a Bears game, then you have something in common with many Chicagoans; there's no point in listing ticket prices, because they sell out long before the season starts. On the other hand, if you're a soccer fan, you have a much better chance of getting in for a Fire game, even though that team plans on using only the lower seating bowl for most of its games. The original Soldier Field was built in 1924 to honor veterans of the First World War, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. By 2002, the stadium was in dire need of renovations, and the Bears promised to preserve the majestic colonnades of the old stadium. However, when the renovations were complete, what appeared to be a giant spaceship had landed at midfield. The amenities have improved, and it really is a nice facility... on the inside. On the outside, it's hard to say what it is, other than probably the strangest-looking sports venue in America. (It's not a Historic Place any more, having been stripped of that designation in 2006.) Tours are available during the week, M-F 9AM-5PM, by phone appointment; $15 adults, $10 students, $7 seniors, $4 children.
Soldier Field is a multi-purpose stadium on the Near South Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Opened in 1924, the stadium has served as the home of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) since 1971, as well as Chicago Fire FC of Major League Soccer (MLS) since 2020. It also regularly hosts stadium concerts and other large crowd events. The stadium has a football capacity of 62,500, making it the second-smallest stadium in the NFL. Soldier Field is also the oldest stadium in the NFL and MLS.
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The largest museum on the campus; highlights include SUE, the largest Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton in the world, and the man-eating Tsavo lions. Part of the collection came directly from the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, adding a layer of intrigue to all of those dusty old animals. Another highlight is the great, kid-friendly Egyptian exhibit, and the Hall of Gems will impress, too. Traveling exhibitions tend to be excellent, so this is one place where it's worth shelling out for the extra shows.
Home to a massive collection of marine life from throughout the world, among the very best you'll ever see. The Pacific Northwest-themed Oceanarium features otters, beluga whales, and a panoramic view of Lake Michigan, although you'll need to arrive extremely early for the (free) dolphin show. The terrific new Wild Reef exhibit offers floor-to-ceiling windows for an extraordinary view of a Philippine coral reef environment, complete with dozens of sharks.
A stately Arts & Crafts mansion from 1887, now fully restored and refurnished to its original Gilded Age atmosphere. The staff are knowledgeable and enthusiastic.
This small peninsula, jutting out into Lake Michigan, was the site of Meigs Airport until Mayor Daley's midnight demolition in 2003; now it's a 7500-seat concert venue for touring rock and hip-hop acts. A new nature park has been built south of the Pavilion.
A collection of over 500 evocative pieces of art, created by artists who served in Vietnam. The museum also holds exhibitions on the Iraq war.
U.S. Soccer House
A stately Châteauesque mansion from 1892 across the street from the Glessner House, often cited as one of the country's most important examples of this architectural style. No tours are offered, as the property is home to the United States Soccer Federation.