BEST Things To Do In Chicago Today
Tuesday, June 25, 2019

The Event Oracle knows ALL the fun things to do in Chicago. Select your date above then scroll down for all the Arts, Entertainment, and Events in my crystal ball...

• Build It!

  Kohl Children’s Museum of Greater Chicago
  2100 Patriot Boulevard
  Glenview, IL 60026
  

  Kohl Children’s Museum of Greater Chicago celebrates the return of the popular temporary exhibit “Build It!,” a larger than life collection of building blocks that allow children to explore their creativity while learning about architecture, science, and storytelling.

  Kids are able to discover, stack, bridge, enclose, make patterns, name and symbolize using blocks, which are the seven stages of block play. Block play teaches several important mathematical concepts, including measurement, numeral awareness, part-to-whole relationships and social concepts such as sharing and collaboration.

• Amplified: Chicago Blues

  Chicago History Museum
  1601 North Clark Street
  Chicago, IL 60614-6038
  

  Southern black migrants brought the blues to Chicago, where the music helped them forge connections and transform an unfamiliar, often inhospitable city into a new home. The music was also transformed—electrified and amplified to compete with urban noise. The photography of Raeburn Flerlage captures the streets, clubs, homes, and studios where a community of musicians defined the Chicago blues sound.  Immerse yourself in the Chicago scene of the 1960s through Flerlage’s images, and experience the blues by playing guitar, designing an album cover, writing lyrics, and singing karaoke.

• Jonathas de Andrade

  Museum of Contemporary Art
  220 E. Chicago Ave.
  Chicago, IL 60611
  

  At once intimate and historical, the work of Brazilian artist Jonathas de Andrade evokes love, memory, and place. His photographs, installations, and videos often respond to the geography and culture surrounding Recife, the city in the northeast region of Brazil in which he lives and works. He grapples in particular with the promises, failures, and inequities of Brazil’s “modernist project” as the often-overlooked region undergoes rapid and often rocky urbanization. This exhibition will be the artist’s first solo presentation in a major US institution. This exhibition is organized by José Esparza Chong Cuy.

• Underground Adventure

  Field Museum
  1400 S. Lake Shore Dr.
  Chicago, IL 60605
  

  In this immersive exhibition, you’ll “shrink” to 1/100th of your actual size—smaller than a penny—to take a closer look at the soil beneath our feet.

  Once you’re down to size, you’ll meet a creepy, crawly cast of characters, including a giant mole cricket and a wolf spider. You’ll learn about the diversity of life that soil supports and how every species needs soil to survive and thrive.

• Brick Safari at Brookfield Zoo

  Brookfield Zoo
  31st St. and First Ave.
  Brookfield, IL 60513
  

  Brick Safari features more than 40 life-size animal sculptures created from millions of individual colored LEGO® bricks. The menagerie of animals will be located along a winding wooded pathway on the east side of the park. Colorful graphics featuring interesting animal facts and statistics such as the size of each figure, how many bricks were used to build each one, and the amount of time it took to create each sculpture are displayed. To commemorate their visit to Brick Safari, zoogoers can take a selfie in the Safari Jeep created from LEGO® bricks or behind a life-size photo frame.

• Christien Meindertsma: Everything Connects

  Art Institute of Chicago
  111 South Michigan Avenue
  Chicago, IL 60603
  

  Since graduating from the Eindhoven Design Academy, Christien Meindertsma has become known for her research-oriented work that explores the potential of raw materials and reveals processes that have become obsolete due to industrialization. Her prototypes, documentary videos, and finished objects highlight our relationship to the materials and products in the world around us and address concerns of environmental sustainability.

• THE COLLECTION: Where Art Meets Fashion

  Fashion Outlets of Chicago
  5520 Fashion Outlets Way
  Rosemont, IL 60018
  

  THE COLLECTION: Where Art Meets Fashion, the multifaceted contemporary art program of Fashion Outlets of Chicago, will welcome a rotating exhibition by 2018 Olympic costume designer Dr. Keysook Geum to the shopping center this February. Dr. Keysook Geum’s rotating exhibition will feature three life-sized sculptural forms, entitled Enlightenment III, Nirvana in Red IV and NIGHTINGALE. Dr. Geum is an author and professor of Textile Art and Fashion Design at Hong Ik University in Seoul, Korea, and recently served as the Artistic Director for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games in 2018, designing both the uniforms and dresses worn in the opening ceremony. Dr. Geum’s dramatic sculptures of elegantly posed forms embody the fusion of timeless Asian aesthetics and philosophy with contemporary air. They are constructed of paper-wrapped or enamel coated wires, gems, beads and silk. Starting with a central focal point, Dr. Geum works outwardly in a concentric manner reminiscent of a spider. As the artist weaves, twists and bends wire two-dimensionally, intricate forms and unintentional patterns emerge. The natural tensions of interlacing wire push and pulls out until ¬-figurative shapes begin to take form.

• Indigenous Entrepreneurship: Tribal Enterprises & Co-ops

  Mitchell Museum of the American Indian
  3001 Central St
  Evanston, IL 60201
  

  As there are no reservations in Illinois, most tribal based businesses are not well known in this area. While many people are familiar with the arts, crafts, and casinos, there are many other products and services offered by Indigenous businesses today.

  The Mitchell Museum is proud to present the latest exhibit showcasing Indigenous-owned businesses, tribal co-ops and enterprises; Indigenous Entrepreneurship: Tribal Enterprises & Entrepreneurs about the expansion of tribal initiatives that support tribal sustainability and the incorporation of tribal values into business models.

  The exhibit also covers the challenges that many tribal entrepreneurs face, their unique opportunities based on their sovereign nation status, and the programs that offer them support. Learn about the various products and services offered by tribal enterprises and Indigenous entrepreneurs, from Ioway Honey to buffalo meat Tanka Bars!

• Chicago: Crossroads of America

  Chicago History Museum
  1601 North Clark Street
  Chicago, IL 60614-6038
  

  Climb aboard L car no. 1, visit a jazz club, picture yourself in the fashions of the Marshall Field’s store window, and learn what makes Chicago home sweet home. Explore the city’s history through a series of galleries that highlight artifacts through interactive features and multimedia presentations.

• Chicago Authored

  Chicago History Museum
  1601 North Clark Street
  Chicago, IL 60614-6038
  

  Discover how those who write about Chicago shape our understanding of the city. Through a digital experience in a café-style space, our first-ever crowd-sourced exhibition features diverse, insightful, and inspiring writing. Explore a collection of works by contemporary authors and literary giants. Add your voice by writing a postcard or composing magnetic poetry.

• Inside Ancient Egypt

  Field Museum
  1400 S. Lake Shore Dr.
  Chicago, IL 60605
  

  Unwrap the mysteries of this civilization with mummies and more.

  Inside Ancient Egypt is an up-close look at the daily lives of ancient Egyptians—as well as how they thought about death.

  Enter through a three-story replica of a mastaba, a type of ancient Egyptian tomb, that houses two authentic chamber rooms from the burial site of 5th Dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh Unis’s son Unis-Ankh.

• D-Day Warriors: American Indians in the Military

  Field Museum
  1400 S. Lake Shore Dr.
  Chicago, IL 60605
  

  On June 6, 1944, Charles Shay landed on Omaha Beach in Normandy, France. As a young Army medic, he was one of an estimated 500 American Indian soldiers who participated in the D-Day invasion to retake France in the fight against Nazi Germany.

  In D-Day Warriors: American Indians in the Military, hear Shay’s story and explore the important role that Native servicemen and servicewomen continue to play in the armed forces.

• Virgil Abloh: “Figures of Speech”

  Museum of Contemporary Art
  220 E Chicago Ave
  Chicago, IL 60611
  

  The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago presents Virgil Abloh: "Figures of Speech," the first museum exhibition devoted to the work of the genre-bending artist and designer Virgil Abloh (American, b. 1980). Abloh pioneers a practice that cuts across media and connects visual artists, musicians, graphic designers, fashion designers, and architects.

  Abloh cultivated an interest in design and music at an early age, finding inspiration in the urban culture of Chicago. While pursuing a master’s degree in architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology, he connected with Kanye West and joined West’s creative team to work on album covers, concert designs, and merchandising. In 2013, Abloh founded his stand-alone fashion brand Off-White™ in Milan, Italy, and in 2018 assumed the position of artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear.

• Hans Haacke: Gift Horse

  Art Institute of Chicago
  111 South Michigan Avenue
  Chicago, IL 60603
  

  Since 1965 Hans Haacke (German, born 1936) has been living in New York making work that explores the uncomfortable and often hidden connections between art, power, money, politics, and business.

  Haacke's imposing bronze sculpture Gift Horse (2014) was created as a commission for London’s Fourth Plinth project, which invites artists to fill the vacant space in Trafalgar Square originally designed for an equestrian monument to King William IV (1765–1837). The base intended for the monument was left empty due to a lack of funding; since 1999, it has featured temporary installations by contemporary artists.

  For his contribution, Haacke took inspiration from an engraving by the British equine artist George Stubbs (1724–1806) to create a monumental bronze horse skeleton that stands more than 15 feet tall. In its original display, Gift Horse stood across the square from a statue of King George IV (1762–1830) riding bareback, complementing the scale of George IV’s equestrian sculpture while challenging its intentions.

• Ornamental Traditions: Jewelry from Bukhara

  Art Institute of Chicago
  111 South Michigan Avenue
  Chicago, IL 60603
  

  Located in present-day Uzbekistan, the Emirate of Bukhara (1785–1920) was an important center of Islamic religion and scholarship and a major oasis on the famous Silk Road that traversed Central Asia from ancient times. As such, it was highly diverse—home to the majority Uzbek and Tajik populations in addition to communities of Arabs, Jews, and Turkmens who played a role in the emirate’s vibrant trade. Over time, Bukhara developed its own iconic style of jewelry characterized by intricate blue enamelwork that mirrored the region’s blue-glazed, tiled architecture. Russia’s colonization of Bukhara in 1866 brought with it more advanced enameling techniques, allowing for increasingly complex designs.

  In almost every context, the jewelry of Bukhara embodied great meaning and was rarely considered mere decoration. Large, ornate suits of jewelry were thought to protect the wearer from evil spirits, particularly during important events like weddings, and were the strongest assertion of a person’s power and wealth. Throughout Uzbekistan, such objects were designed to be worn as sets rather than exist as singular pieces.

• Seadog River & Lake Architectural Tours

  Seadog Cruises
  Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave.
  Chicago, IL 60611
  

  A 75-minute cruise through the historic Chicago Locks and up the Chicago River
  Up-close views of all the famous bridges of the Chicago River
  Entertaining narration with amusing stories and facts on Chicago’s history
  Fascinating stories about some of Chicago’s most famous buildings including the Tribune Building, Willis Tower, Lyric Opera and the Merchandise Mart
  An exciting speedboat ride along the lakefront featuring views of Chicago including Buckingham Fountain, Grant Park, Chicago Harbor, Chicago’s Museum Campus and more!

• Miracle: A Musical 108 Years in the Making

  ROYAL GEORGE THEATRE MAINSTAGE
  1641 North Halsted St
  Chicago, IL 60614
  

  As Chicagoan as a deep dish pizza or Millennium Park's Bean sculpture, Michael Martinez, Anthony Rizzo and other members of The Chicago Cubs baseball team are one of the finest in the major league. During their historic 2016 season, the North Siders' clinched their first World Series title in 108 years, filling the Windy City with joy, relief and celebratory chaos. Commemorating this auspicious event, Miracle the musical takes a bow at the Royal George Theatre this summer. 

  Directed by local theatermaker Jason Brett and written by librettist Jason Brett and composer Michael Mahler, Miracle follows a northside family with generational ties to the Cubbies. Charlie is the landlord of local watering hole Maggie's Place, but was once an ex-pitcher. Determined to stop his daughter Dani from following in his footsteps, he renounces his Cubs fandom, whilst dreaming of a fresh start -  his wife Sofia drives for Uber to supplement her pittance of a teacher's salary and the bar has racked up unpaid taxes - even if it means tearing down the community's favorite place. All the while, the Cubs go about making their mark on sports history, possibly ushering in a much needed change in Charlie, Sofia and Dani's lives. A little belief goes a long way...

• Chicago Symphony Orchestra - Muti Conducts Verdi Aida

  SYMPHONY CENTER ORCHESTRA HALL
  220 South Michigan Ave
  Chicago, IL 60604
  

  During his decade-long tenure as fearless music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Riccardo Muti has lead the ensemble to great heights, particularly when playing the music of Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi. In fact, the conductor's unique affinity for Italian opera icon's soaring works has landed him the reputation as the undisputed 'King of Verdi Conductors'. See what all the buzz is about when Muti, his ensemble and a host of performers from the Chicago Symphony Chorus present Aida, Verdi's timeless tale of love and betrayal. 

  Some of Verdi's most dreamy and romantic arias, as well as soaring ensemble pieces, punctuate the rollercoaster story of Aida, an Ethiopian princess who is kidnapped and held captive in Egypt against a backdrop of war. Things take a turn for the complicated when she falls in love with the Eyptian general Radames, and he with her. Ordered to lead the war with Ethiopia, Radames love for Aida and for his country conflict whilst tragedy waits in the wings...

• Six

  CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER
  Navy Pier, 800 East Grand Ave
  Chicago, IL 60611
  

  Henry VIII's six wives are stepping out from the big man's shadow to take their turn in the spotlight. Created by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, this musical celebration of 16th Century girl power debuted on the West End in 2018 to fantastic reviews. Much like Hamilton, Six injects its historical story with modern day attitudes and modern day music, serving up a dizzying whirl of pop and comedy, and an all-female cast. 

• The Public House Theatre

  The Public House Theatre
  3914 N. Clark St
  Chicago, IL 60613
  

  With its skillfully executed shows, cabaret-style seating, and comfortable and inviting lobby, The Public House Theatre has an experience for everyone! 

  We offer only the best comedy and theatre, and you’ll be delighted at our incredibly friendly staff that strive to make you feel welcome…because you are.

  Our drink specials are amazing and every show is lovingly put together and polished into something you can’t help but enjoy. We’re ready to make any night of your week a very special, entertaining evening.

  We want you to come, we want you to laugh, and we look forward to your visit.

• Back in the Day: An 80's House Music Dancesical

  Chopin Theatre
  1543 W Division St
  Chicago, IL 60642
  

  Based on Jose "Gringo" Echevarria's Book, The Real Dance Fever. This House Music dancesical follows the Northside Chicago Dance crew, the All Stars and their frenemies, The Culitos and Imported Taste when teenagers dominated the 1980's afterhours scene and found family and acceptance through street dancing.