Showing 289-384 of 1,479 items found in Arts & Culture
Edman Memorial Chapel - Wheaton College
This large auditorium, seating more than 2400 people, is the site of campus chapels, concerts, commencements, and various community-related events such as the Artist Series.
CITY: Wheaton
IWU School of Theatre Arts
Four mainstage plays are performed annually, ranging from Shakespeare to musicals. Holiday events are held every season.
CITY: Bloomington
Athenaeum Theatre
The Athenaeum hosts theatrical and dance performances throughout the year.
CITY: Chicago
Chicago Opera Theater
This opera company specializes in a unique repertoire that focuses on works from the 17th, 18th and 20th centuries, performed beautifully in a small venue.
CITY: Chicago
Fox Valley Repertory (formerly Noble Fool Theatricals) at Pheasant Run Resort
Theater devoted full time to elevating the art of comedy in all its forms comes to Pheasant Run Resort & Spa in St. Charles.
CITY: St. Charles
Museum of Contemporary Art
One of the nation’s largest facilities devoted to the art of our time, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA) offers exhibitions of the most thought-provoking art created since 1945. The MCA documents contemporary visual culture through painting, sculpture, photography, video and film, and performance. Located in the heart of downtown Chicago, the MCA boasts a gift store, bookstore, restaurant, 300-seat theater, and a terraced sculpture garden with a great view of Lake Michigan. The MCA aspires to engage a broad and diverse audience, create a sense of community and be a place for contemplation, stimulation, and discussion about contemporary art and culture.
CITY: Chicago
John Deere Historic Site
This historic site is where John Deere (1804-1886) first developed and produced his steel plow, changing the face of farming in the Midwest. Deere erected a simple, one-and-a-half-story clapboard house that resembles a type found in New England. Although the original Deere blacksmith shop was demolished, its archeological excavations and interpreted artifacts are open, sheltered by a pavilion. A reconstructed blacksmith shop located southwest of the original site is furnished with old tools, farm equipment, pioneer utensils, and a working forge. The John Deere Home in Grand Detour was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964 and placed on the Nation Register of Historic Places in 1966. Copy and descriptions courtesy of AIA Illinois and the 150 GreatPlaces in Illinois www.illinoisgreatplaces.com
CITY: Dixon
Hegeler Carus Mansion
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this 57-room, Victorian-era mansion features century-old chandeliers, ornate woodwork and other fine details. It was built in 1876 by Edward C. Hegeler and the mansion was designed by Chicago architect William W. Boyington.
CITY: LaSalle
Scottish Rite Cathedral
Scottish Rite Cathedral is on the former site of the Stillman Wheelock mansion, this Gothic Revival style cathedral was built in 1930.
CITY: Moline
Flossmoor Sculpture Gardens
The Flossmoor Sculpture Gardens is an outdoor arts program that places sculptures in the village square, along charming residental streets, and in the Flossmoor Sculpture and Garden Park.
CITY: Flossmoor
Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Chicago's internationally acclaimed professional theater dedicated to presenting the works of William Shakespeare.
CITY: Chicago
The Porch Basket
A unique one of a kind shop in downtown Eldorado, the Porch Basket offers a large line of hand woven baskets, country decor items, and a large line of basket weaving supplies. Call about basket weaving lessons.
CITY: Eldorado
Howlin on Water...Dueling Pianos at the Waterhouse
The Waterhouse is a reception, rental and performance facility located in downtown Peoria along the beautiful Illinois River. Get crazy every Friday night at this hilariously entertaining show.
CITY: Peoria
Metropolis Murals
A series of six murals are painted on buildings along Ferry Street and Market Street in downtown Metropolis. Each mural reveals a different story and makes our heritage come alive through artistic renderings of local historical events. Interpretive plaques describe the historical significance of each.
CITY: Metropolis
First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
Beautiful outdoor music theatre open May through September with a capacity of just under 30,000 people. Concessions and private catering available; tour buses welcome.
CITY: Tinley Park
The Streets of Woodfield
A lifestyle and entertainment center offering streetside shopping and dining in a suburban setting. A vibrant shopping alternative including Carson Pirie Scott, AMC-Loews Theater, GameWorks, Laugh Out Loud Improve Theater, and some of Chicago's top restaurants. Store, restaurant, and theater hours vary.
CITY: Schaumburg
The Second City's de Maat Studio Theater
Named for the late improvising guru Martin de Maat, this 49-seat theater is dedicated to presenting productions that are rooted in the crafts of theatrical improvisation and sketch comedy as taught by The Second City Training Center.
CITY: Chicago
Hello Galena!
65 artists selling and demonstrating artwork. Jewelry, pottery, stained glass, paintings, photography, wooden toys/pens, purses, more! Events, demonstrations & classes.
CITY: Galena
Pontiac Visitor's Center
Be sure to stop by and pick up local Pontiac and tourist information for area attractions, dining, coupons and shopping.
CITY: Pontiac
John Phillip Sousa Library and Museum
John Phillip Sousa's personal band music library, willed to the University of Illinois, is on display along with period band uniforms and musical instruments. Relive a time forgotten, when the sounds of marching band music filled a town on a lazy Sunday afternoon, when you step into this museum homoring a true "music man." FREE
CITY: Champaign
Jay Pritzker Pavilion
Architect Frank Gehry designed this spectacular outdoor concert venue in Millennium Park that is home to the Grant Park Music Festival, along with other free concerts and events.
CITY: Chicago
UP Comedy
UP Comedy Club presents an eclectic mix of comedy seven days a week featuring the best in Chicago stand-up, sketch and improv comedy. The club also features a full service kitchen and bar with a no drink minimum.
CITY: Chicago
Fox Valley Symphony
Top-notch pop, classical and family performances are presented under the guidance of Maestro Fusao Kajima.
CITY: Aurora
Thomas Rees Memorial Carillon
Surrounded by gardens and a reflection pool, this magnificent bell tower in Washington Park is the third largest in the world, and one of the few that is actually open to the public.
CITY: Springfield
Community Players Theatre
The Community Players Theatre is committed to presenting quality theater at an affordable price. Call for current performances and tickets.
CITY: Bloomington
Theater on the Lake
Set in a red brick building beneath the towering trees of Lincoln Park, Theater on the Lake offers a great view of Lake Michigan and low ticket prices.
CITY: Chicago
Charnley-Persky House Museum
Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan designed this Gold Coast residence, now the home of the Society of Architectural Historians. Open for tours.
CITY: Chicago
Gateway Geyser Fountain
As the world's tallest fountain, the Gateway Geyser Fountain reaches 627 feet in height, and is centered in a pond that holds five million gallons of water.
CITY: East St. Louis
Peoria Area Civic Chorale
A volunteer chorale group of around 100 singing members, PACC performs two concert series annually, May and December.
CITY: Peoria
Green Mill
This Art Deco-style jazz club in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood has a storied speakeasy past from the days of prohibition. Sit back and listen to some of the best jazz and cabaret music in the city at this elegant club that served as one of the locations for the hit film, High Fidelity. The Green Mill was patterned after Clark Monroe's Uptown House in Harlem (as it was during the 40's). Uniquely comfortable to all audiences, the magic of the Mill is that the audience co-mingles in its mutual respect for the music.
CITY: Chicago
West Chicago City Museum
DuPage County, Chicago’s Western Suburbs - Housed in historic Turner Town Hall (National Register site), the museum features community history exhibits and a research collection including local history and railroad materials. The Kid Zone Gallery offers changing hands-on displays for all ages.
CITY: West Chicago
Eastlight Theatre
A regional community theatre presenting 4 main stage musicals a year.
CITY: East Peoria
Bronzeville Children's Museum
First and only African American children's museum in the country for children ages 3-9. Interactive exhibits, unique programs. Focus on culture, history and contributions of African Americans.
CITY: Chicago
Kincaid Mounds
Kincaid Mounds Archaeological Site is 4 miles south of Unionville Road on New Cut Road, Brookport, IL. Kincaid Mounds State Historic Site is a nationally significant Native-American archaeological treasure. From about 800 AD to 1500 AD it was the ‘capital' of a chiefdom that stretched from Brookport to Hamletsburg along the Ohio River. Large flat-topped mounds were erected on which the houses and temples of civil and religious elite stood. Today, the mounds still exist and a constructed overlook platform and interpretive panels tell the story of the significant contribution and historical value of this Native.
CITY: Brookport
Sandwich City Hall and Opera House
On August 20, 1878, 25 years after Sandwich first became a town, a contract was signed for construction of the Sandwich City Hall and Opera House. An allotment of $10,000 was given for the project, with the stipulation that it must be completed by the end of the year. The building was finished on time, but there was a cost overrun of $2,000 After much time, money and energy by volunteers to restore and renovate the City Hall and Opera House, a grand re-opening was held on April 12, 1986. Once again the building functions as a community oriented facility, bringing community theatre, lectures, recitals, style shows, weddings and a wide variety of outstanding performers, ranging from country to classical, to its stage.
CITY: Sandwich
Albright Theatre
This local theater troupe is located in the "attic" of Batavia's Government Center.
CITY: Batavia
Merle Reskin Theatre
1325 seat proscenium theatre provides performance space for the nearly 200 public performances of the DePaul Theatre School.
CITY: Chicago
Howl at the Moon
It's a singing, clapping, stomping, dance on the piano, rock 'n' roll show. It's part concert, part piano bar and all centered around audience participation.
CITY: Chicago
Air Combat Museum
This museum traces the role of military aviation in protecting and advancing the cause of freedom.
CITY: Springfield
Mississippi Mud Pottery
Watch the potters at Mississippi Mud spin a creation right before your eyes. The potters work daily making dinnerware, lamps, vases, planters, casseroles, pottery and custom-designed ware. Their creations are made from natural clay materials mined in the Midwest region, with lead-free glazes that are microwave, oven proof and dishwasher safe. The pottery on display makes a great gift as a beautiful piece of art, as well as practical dishes for use in the home.
CITY: Alton
Wrigley Building
Located in the center of the Magnificent Mile, and steps from the Michigan Avenue Bridge, The Wrigley Building has been a hallmark of Chicago’s skyline since 1920. Designed as the headquarters for the successful chewing gum, the building was modeled after the Seville Cathedral’s Giralda Tower in Spain. Today, it is still home to Wm Wrigley Jr. Company, and is perhaps best known for its dazzling white towers that illuminate the city at night.
CITY: Chicago
The Framer's Gallery
If you are looking for a unique shopping experience stop at The Framer's Gallery and see all the great one-of-kind gifts from over 20 local artists including jewelry, pottery, wood carving, photography and various mediums of art work. The gallery also offers experienced custom framing at competitive prices. This is always a fun place to be. Come and enjoy the day on Washington Square.
CITY: Washington
The Farnsworth House Estate
Master architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created the ultimate minimalist masterpiece, the Farnsworth House, in pastoral Plano. The stellar structure of floor-to-ceiling glass seemingly "floats" above the rambling Fox River.
CITY: Plano
First Street Playhouse
This cozy, professional theater presents year round productions, including comedies, dramas and musicals.
CITY: Batavia
Fithian Home
The 1855 Victorian mansion was the home of Dr. William Fithian, a friend of Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln spent two nights here in 1858.
CITY: Danville
Frank Lloyd Wright Prairie School of Architecture Historic District
Guided and self-guided tours of historical district containing the greatest concentration of Wright-designed structures. A virtual outdoor museum of architectural history in America.
CITY: Oak Park
Rockford Dance Company
Established in 1972, Rockford Dance Company pursues excellence in the art of dance through performance, education and outreach. A full season of dance is performed by company members, guest artist from around the world, and students from RDC’s school of dance. This ballet school also offers classes in modern, jazz, and tap and a recreational division full of many other unique dance genres.
CITY: Rockford
Tour Black Chicago
This city tour travels in luxury coaches and highlights African-American social, cultural and historical events.
CITY: Chicago
Playcrafters Barn Theater
Enjoy a variety of dramas and comedies at this theater situated in a renovated barn. Theater productions are available throughout the year and feature professional actors and actresses. Great venue and wonderful theater productions make this a fun attraction in the Quad Cities.
CITY: Moline
Japan House
Japan House and its gardens provide an important academic, cultural, and natural setting for promoting and appreciation of Japanese culture and related cultural concepts.
CITY: Urbana
Crossroads Global Handcrafts
Crossroads Global Handcrafts is a respected outlet for fairly traded handcrafts and food products from around the world including handmade art objects, utilitarian items, textiles, baskets, carvings, jewelry, ceramics, premium coffees, tea and chocolate.
CITY: Bloomington
Sears Centre Arena
A new 11,000 seat arena located in Hoffman Estates featuring world-class entertainment including concerts, family shows, and sporting events. Home of the Chicago Slaughter Indoor Football (IFL) and Chicago KICK Indoor Soccer (MISL).
CITY: Hoffman Estates
Golden Windmill
The Golden Windmill was built in 1872, and is the only smock mill that still has its original stones and gears in place. Today it is home to the Windmill Museum and gift shop.
CITY: Golden
Fine Line Studio
Give a gift that will be treasured forever. Beautiful graphite pencil and watercolor portraits created from your favorite photos. Homescapes, portraits and pets. Local watercolor prints and notecards available. Gift certificates available.
CITY: Peoria
Jukebox Comedy Club
Regarded by many as one of the best clubs in the country. The home of Richard Pryor & Sam Kinison should accept nothing less!
CITY: Peoria
College of DuPage McAninch Arts Center
The McAninch Arts Center is home to five resident professional ensembles: Buffalo Theatre Ensemble, DuPage Opera Theatre, Arts Center Jazz Ensemble, New Classic Singers and New Philharmonic.
CITY: Glen Ellyn
Chicago at Sunset Tour - Wendella Sightseeing Boats
The setting sun gives way to the city's nightly light show as each building begins to shine. For two hours you'll be treated to what's been called the world's most beautiful skyline.
CITY: Chicago
Storefront Cinema
Weekend showcase for the finest in foreign, independent and classic films; children's international film festival in spring.
CITY: Rockford
Main Street Jazz & Blues
Join the group at this small intimate club featuring performers from St. Louis and the local area.
CITY: Belleville
Alton Museum of History and Art
Winged monsters, explorers, riverboats and a gentle giant. The Alton Museum of History & Art shows the crossroads of American history in Alton. The museum is located in the historic Loomis Hall across from the Wadlow statue. Loomis Hall is the oldest building in the state of Illinois continuously utilized for education. One of the most popular rooms, the Wadlow Room, pays tribute to Alton's "Gentle Giant" and the World's Tallest Man. The Pioneer Room explores the history of Alton from the Lewis & Clark Expedition to the Civil War with exhibits on Elijah Lovejoy, the Lincoln-Douglas Debates and the "Alton Route" on the Underground Railroad. Hours: Wednesday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sunday 1 - 4 p.m.
CITY: Alton
Oak Park Festival Theatre
Oak Park Festival Theatre presents its 35th year of professional productions. Its season opens indoors in the National Historic Landmark, Pleasant Home, 217 Home Avenue. Then the company moves outdoors to Austin Gardens, adjacent to downtown Oak Park. With Shakespearian classics, witty drawing room mysteries, and farces, plus moving contemporary plays, Festival Theatre pleases audiences -- indoors and out. See our website, or call (708) 445-4440.
CITY: Oak Park
Zanies Comedy Club at Pheasant Run Resort
This "sister" of the legendary downtown Zanies has been making the Western suburbs laugh with the same great talent! Great for group outings and motor coaches!
CITY: St. Charles
Big Shot Piano Lounge & Restaurant
Big Shot is an upscale Restaurant & Piano Bar. A cozy place to meet, eat, and drink while listening and interacting with talented musicians. From the warm atmosphere to the variety of enticing menu items, this intimate spot will showcase live talent every night. The extremely friendly restaurant will invite its patrons to participate and sing along with new songs performed by talented professionals. This will definitely be a place to start and end an evening.
CITY: Arlington Heights
Villa Galleries
Fine art located in the heart of the Illinois Amish country. The Villa Galleries has dedicated its gallery to local artists who have ties to the central Illinois area either through living situation or artwork subject. Photography, watercolors, colored pencil, oil and acrylic, stained glass, and pottery are just a few of the mediums featured in the gallery.
CITY: Arthur
Veterans Point Memorial
25 tons of granite memorialize 1300 veterans from at least twenty-seven states with the message, "Freedom is not Free." Fifty Flags of Freedom fly the following holidays: Memorial Day, Flag Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Patriots Day, Veterans Day, and Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
CITY: Clinton
Andover Historical Museum & Grounds
This former home of August Rehnstrom was a temporary haven for Swedish immigrants in the 1860s. The lawn features the bell from the area's first two-story school and millstones from the historic Edwards River Mill.
CITY: Andover
Marissa Academy Museum and Coal Miners Monument
Memorabilia celebrating the city's growth from a coal mining town to the present makes this an interesting stop.
CITY: Marissa
Northwestern University Walking Tours
Founded in 1851, Northwestern University is a renowned educational institution rich in history and architecture. More than 150 historically significant and interesting sites on campus are featured in various 30-minute walking tours.
CITY: Evanston
National Shrine of St. Therese
DuPage County, Chicago's Western Suburbs - The National Shrine of St. Therese sits peacefully on a 50-acre estate owned and operated by the Carmelites. The Shrine is home to the most wonderful collection of relics, personal effects and memorabilia of Therese, "the little flower," outside of France. Religious shop/bookstore.
CITY: Darien
Aon Center
The city’s second-tallest building, located at 200 E. Randolph St., rises 82 floors. Interestingly, the structure was first clad entirely in marble, but the slabs turned out to be too thin and were later replaced with thicker slabs of white granite.
CITY: Chicago
Chicago Detours
Experience history and culture through educated commentary and multimedia on iPads while exploring stories and places even locals don't know about. Highly trained guides share forgotten stories from the past on regularly scheduled tours.
CITY: Chicago
Bad Teacher - Clear Lake & Dirksen Parkway
Dumped by her sugar daddy, a foul-mouthed junior high school teacher pursues one of her new well-heeled colleagues, competing for his affections against a popular teacher.
CITY: Springfield
The Chicago Heights Drama Group
Bringing Broadway to the South Suburbs since 1931, The Drama Group is one of the oldest volunteer community theatres in the country. This drama group is a not-for-profit community theater.
CITY: Chicago Heights
Decatur Civic Center
The Decatur Civic Center hosts trade shows, concerts, expos and more.
CITY: Decatur
Mexican Folklore Dance Company of Chicago
As Chicago's oldest Mexican dance institution, MFDC has received countless recognitions and awards, performed for three presidents and represented Mexico in the 1994 USA World Cup opening ceremony, as well as numerous national television performances, most recently at the 2009 Latin Grammy Awards. MFDC's performances reflect Mexico's rich history which shapes its traditional arts, culture, and values. The historical periods revealed in the dances include pre-Columbian indigenous times, the Spanish Colonial Period, the Struggle for Independence and the 1910 Mexican Revolution.
CITY: Chicago
Heartland Theatre
Heartland Theatre Company is located on the old Soldiers & Sailors campus where Lincoln and Beech Streets intersect in Normal. Besides presenting a season of five plays each year, Heartland hosts an annual 10-Minute Play Festival and a one-act competition and workshop for Midwest playwrights. Heartland occasionally partners with local universities and organizations to offer historical or musical theatre to the community.
CITY: Normal
Mastodon Gallery at Phillips Park
Get an up-close view of Ice Age mastodon bones unearthed in Phillips Park in the 1930s, while glimpsing into the rich history of one of the area's most beautiful parks.
CITY: Aurora
The Loft - Bloomington
Enjoy this newly renovated martini bar with a wonderful atmosphere! No food served.
CITY: Bloomington
Stone House Pottery & Gallery
Stone House Pottery & Gallery has much to offer visitors. Gallery openings, demonstrations and 2-day Glaze & Graze classes are bound to keep participants entertained. Functional and decorative pottery, tiles, figurative bronzes, featuring area artists work, as well.
CITY: Galena
Elkhart Cemetery/John D. Gillette Memorial Arch
The cemetery is the final resting place of several notable figures, including Illinois Governor Richard Oglesby and John D. Gillette (Cattle King of the World). The Memorial Arch replaced the wooden bridge over which Robert Todd Lincoln walked during the Oglesby funeral procession in 1915.
CITY: Elkhart
IO Theater
Home of the best long-form improv comedy in Chicago, iO offers two theatre spaces with performances by some of the best comedians around.
CITY: Chicago
Downtown Arlington Heights Shopping & Entertainment District
Diverse collection of charming local shops and major retailers. Outstanding restaurants, theaters, nightlife, and entertainment, all within walking distance.
CITY: Arlington Heights
Citadel Theatre
Citadel Theatre is dedicated to producing inspiring theatre by bringing together gifted professionals from all the theatrical disciplines to create exciting, compelling work of the highest caliber.
CITY: Lake Forest
Performing Arts Chicago
Performing Arts Chicago is dedicated to the presentation of new work by local, national and international artists.
CITY: Chicago
Illinois Symphony Orchestra
The Illinois Symphony Orchestra performs diverse concerts for the communities of Springfield and Bloomington-Normal. Single tickets or affordable subscription packages are available.
CITY: Bloomington
Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago
The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago is the city's leading presenter of contemporary dance, showcasing artists of regional, national and international acclaim.
CITY: Chicago
Irons Oaks Environmental Learning Center
The Irons Oaks Environmental Learning Center is a joint project of the Homewood-Flossmoor (HF Parks.com) and Olympia Fields (OF Parks.com) park districts. The near 40-acre nature preserve is home to a diversity of wildlife and habitat types. See beautiful woods, wildflowers, birds and furry friends along the way. There are trails along both sides of the park which is located at Vollmer and Western Avenues in Olympia Fields. Please be careful when crossing Vollmer Road. The Park is open to the public daily, sunrise to sunset
CITY: Olympia Fields
Orpheum Children's Science Museum
The Orpheum Children's Museum, located in the 1914 Orpheum Theatre, is one of the finest buildings in downstate Illinois. Children of all ages are given the opportunity to learn science at their own pace in an informal setting.
CITY: Champaign
Zanies Comedy Club - Vernon Hills
Popular comedians perform at Zanies, providing an evening of laughter and fun. The "sister" of the legendary downtown Zanies has been making the suburbs laugh with the same great talent.
CITY: Vernon Hills
Richard J. Daley Center & Plaza
This powerful, 31-story tower was designed by Jacques Brownson (b. 1923) of C. F. Murphy Associates. Composed of three massive structural bays, each an unprecedented 87-feet wide and nearly 48-feet deep, and supported by warren trusses at every floor, the building achieves incredible structural integrity and interior flexibility. The exterior wall plane consists of 12-foot-high windows with amber-tinted glass and 6-foot-high panels of self-weathering Cor-Ten steel, which has aged to a rich brown color. The large public plaza features a 50-foot-tall Cor-Ten sculpture of 1967 by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), gifted by him to the city of Chicago. The Daley Center plaza is one in a line of three important public plazas in the heart of the Loop (see also the Federal Center and Chase Bank Plaza). Photo courtesy of AIA Chicago, Wes Urschel. Copy and descriptions courtesy of AIA Illinois and the 150 Great Places in Illinois www.illinoisgreatplaces.com
CITY: Chicago
Carson Pirie Scott & Company
Carson Pirie Scott & Company’s former flagship store, designed by Louis H. Sullivan (1856-1924) was also built in stages, beginning in 1899, 1903, augmented by an addition by D. H. Burnham & Co. in 1906, and ending with a 1961 addition by Holabird and Root. Although Carson’s wide windows and narrow piers are expressive of the internal steel frame, the building is more famous for its exquisite ornament by Sullivan. The embellished storefronts, newly restored decorative cornice, and ornate columns capitals on the interior all bear Sullivan’s personal style of ornament. It was both named a Chicago Landmark and listed in the National Register in 1970. It was named a National Historic Landmark in 1975. Copy and descriptions courtesy of AIA Illinois and the 150 Great Places in Illinois www.illinoisgreatplaces.com
CITY: Chicago
Stellar Tours
Amish Adventures will give you an up close and personal tour of the Illinois Amish culture and religion as you travel back in time along our quaint country roads with our professional and informed tour guide. To help our visitors learn more about the Amish culture, we offer a variety of tours that are customized to fit your itinerary. Tours of Amish homes, Amish farms, Amish woodworker's shop, a meal in an Amish home and a Step-on Guided Tour of the Amish countryside!
CITY: Arthur













