If you're planning to visit the Art Institute of Chicago, I'll give you off-white warning that you may desire to schedule a nap in your afternoon. With more than 300,000 works in its permanent collection, spanning 5,000 years of creativity, the gargantuan and seemingly ever-expanding campus is the second-largest art museum in the state, at almost i million square anxiety. You'll need to wind your mode through the maze-like galleries and ancient displays of pottery and other items that people tiptoe past to get to the more than pop halls.

The Art Institute is an encyclopedic art museum, which ways there's a lilliputian bit of everything, from everywhere—Indian, Southeast Asian, and Himalayan art; Chinese, Japanese, and Korean art; African fine art; American art; American decorative art; pottery; bronzes; sculpture; installations; modern art; miniatures and more than. That's a good thing if you're a true art lover interested in spending an unabridged solar day here. It's a challenge if you lot just desire a quick walk through earlier packing other museums into a meaty visit.

If you're short on time, the Art Establish's must-sees include its extensive collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art, which is considered one of the finest in the world. Since 2009, the airy, light-filled Mod Wing has been showcasing the museum'southward extensive drove of 20th- and 21st-century art. And two of the museum's well-nigh beloved works are on display in the American art, pre-1950 gallery: American Gothic by Grant Woods and Nighthawks past Edward Hopper.

To assist you navigate the countless halls, visit the Fine art Constitute'due south website and download the new free app, which offers 50 different tours and makes the museum feel more than manageable than getting lost on your ain. A separate app guides you through Impressionist works, enriching your visit with detailed descriptions of the art and the artists who created it.

If y'all've visiting with kids, terminate by the Ryan Instruction Middle in the Modern Wing, where kids and teens can sit at a workstation and get hands-on lessons from artists. Children also love the Thorne Miniature Rooms, where dollhouse-like structures, all constructed to scale, showcase European and American homes, buildings, and interiors. The Art Plant offers a multifariousness of lectures and workshops, so check their calendar to see what's happening during your visit.

A word of advice: The Art Institute tin go incredibly crowded on weekends. If y'all tin can avoid visiting on a Sat or Lord's day, do and so. Many people don't realize that the museum is, indeed, open up on Monday, which makes it a slap-up fourth dimension to visit. Likewise, many visitors are unaware of the belatedly Thursday hours, so consider visiting then, too, to avoid rush hour.

If you get hungry during your visit, stop by the museum's Caffe Moderno for soups, salads, and sandwiches, or visit Terzo Piano for a more elegant, sit-down repast. And relieve time for the enormous gift store, which sells beautiful fine art, jewelry, accessories, books, and more than. Allow at least three hours.