This odd, mod building is where Poetry magazine is published. The reading room makes a nice refuge from inclement weather. Pop in and grab a book or journal to read on the low-slung couches. Well-known poets do readings here. The website offers a free downloadable audio tour of iconic city sites matched with the poetry they inspired.
Poetry Foundation
Chicago
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
3.86 MILES
Built in 1914, Wrigley Field – aka the Friendly Confines – is the second-oldest baseball park in the major leagues. It’s home to the Chicago Cubs and…
7.64 MILES
The MSI is the largest science museum in the Western hemisphere and a place to completely geek out. Highlights include a WWII German U-boat nestled in an…
1.15 MILES
The second-largest art museum in the country, the Art Institute houses a treasure trove from around the globe. The collection of impressionist and…
1 MILES
There's free admission to Millennium Park, the playful heart of the city. It shines with whimsical public art, both permanent and temporary exhibits, and…
1.21 MILES
Willis Tower is Chicago's tallest building (and one of the world's loftiest). Breathe deeply during the ear-popping, 70-second elevator ride to the 103rd…
Field Museum of Natural History
2.12 MILES
The Field Museum houses some 30 million artifacts and includes everything but the kitchen sink – beetles, mummies, gemstones, Bushman the stuffed ape –…
1.07 MILES
Half-mile-long Navy Pier is one of Chicago's most-visited attractions, sporting a 196ft Ferris wheel and other carnival rides ($9 to $18 each), an IMAX…
National Museum of Mexican Art
3.5 MILES
Founded in 1982, this vibrant museum – the largest Latinx arts institution in the US – has become one of the city’s best. The vivid permanent collection…
Nearby Chicago attractions
0.1 MILES
Holy Name Cathedral is the seat of Chicago’s Catholic Church and where its powerful cardinals do their preaching. It provides a quiet place for…
0.19 MILES
Set in the exquisite Nickerson Mansion, the Driehaus immerses visitors in Gilded Age decorative arts and architecture. You'll feel like a Great Gatsby…
0.23 MILES
This long-standing gallery focuses on eye-popping folk and outsider art from the US and abroad, and is known for its excellent exhibitions.
0.26 MILES
This plain-looking park across from the Newberry Library has quite a history. In the 1920s it was known as ‘Bughouse Square,’ where communists, socialists…
0.29 MILES
This 154ft-tall, turreted tower is a defining city icon: it was the sole downtown survivor of the 1871 Great Chicago Fire, thanks to its yellow limestone…
0.29 MILES
Set inside the historic Water Tower, this small gallery showcases Chicago-themed works by local photographers and artists.
0.3 MILES
The Newberry's public galleries are a treat for bibliophiles: those who swoon over original Thomas Paine pamphlets about the French Revolution, or get…
0.32 MILES
Spanning N Michigan Ave between the river and Oak St, the 'Mag Mile' is Chicago's much-touted upscale shopping strip, where Bloomingdale's, Apple,…