Chicago Cultural Center

Chicago Cultural Center: music, art, lectures and more - all free

The Chicago Cultural Center on Michigan Avenue is a must-see if you’re a fan of the arts.

This grand neo-classical landmark building hosts art and photo exhibits as well as musical performances lectures, readings and discussions. And all are free to the public.

Once the central library, it was made a cultural hub in the 1980s. Impromptu stages are set up throughout the building’s five floors. A jazz trio may be performing on the main floor where visitors can sit at tables and enjoy lunch, while a piano recital is under way in the Preston Bradley Hall underneath the stunning Tiffany glass dome.

To learn what events are taking place any given day, check the information booths set up at each entrance. Helpful attendants  will provide a calendar of events and scheduled programs.

The center's atmosphere is vibrant, if not electric, igniting the senses. One day you may hear Celtic music and the next, a symphony orchestra or a jazz jam.

The center is architecturally breathtaking, both in detail and scale. In addition to the Tiffany, which has recently been restored, there’s a Healy and Millet stained glass dome, mosaics made of Favrile glass, stone, and mother of pearl and intricate coffered ceilings.

For all of traffic within, the building still maintains the respectful feel of a library,  with famous quotes about the value of books adorning the walls.

Be sure to stop by the Chicago Publisher’s Gallery —  two little reading nooks on the first floor that are made to look like cozy living rooms. Here you can grab the works of local authors such as Studs Terkel, Stuart Dybek, Nelson Algren or Gwendolyn Brooks and settle into a big comfy chair.

Plan to spend at least half a day visiting this wonder. A moderately priced café is located on the first floor and the building boasts a comprehensive gift shop. Or you may want to pack a lunch and find a chair near one of beautifully arched windows.