2 hrs. Contemporary art is not really our thing.
About Activity
What's Included
Includes
- Admission to the museum's exhibitions
Excludes
- Special ticketed exhibits and ticketed or private events
Itinerary
The MCA’s exhibitions feature the art of our time in every possible media by artists of local and international renown. Student and Youth tickets purchased online are limited to 2 per order and visitors must show a valid student ID/proof of age per ticket at the Admissions desk when they arrive.
Language Offered
Additional Info
Cancellation Policy
Reviews
Very easy to get to from Red Line; pleasant 10 minute walk from station. Beware though you will be walking right past a Stan’s Donuts. Plan your treats for the day accordingly. Staff are warm and welcoming. Admission is a few dollars higher if you do not live in Chicago. We were able to get last minute free tickets to a Lee Perry event (independent film, brief reggae dance performance, discussion and then playing of Lee Perry records) which my husband really enjoyed. The art displayed is quirky and fun with artsy videos interspersed. I had a latte and donut in the coffee shop (to take a break from the Lee Perry thing) and both were delicious and reasonably priced. Gift shop is on two floors and has lots of unique and colorful items. Lots of books, toys, jewelry, household goods and of course t shirts. The gift shop staff were also incredibly friendly, greeting you as you came and went. Great place to spend half a day!
This is an interesting museum, but not a huge one. The space they have will be plenty, depending on how much the exhibits interest you. The exhibits they had were well-curated, especially the Dancehall exhibit, but just didn't have themes/topics that interested me very much, so I was out of there in about 90 minutes. You could definitely be there for twice as long if the exhibits are clicking for you, so just look online before visiting, unless you're feeling open and adventurous like I was this day.
Constantly rotating contemporary artwork. All mediums. We'll presented . Very cordial staff. Very nice gift shops. Easy access. Enjoyed museum emensly.
Had not been to this museum before. Definitely made a statement…which good contemporary art should do. The exhibits were powerful and somewhat unsettling. Makes one think differently about the world around us that we may not be aware of and don’t often think about.
I have only been to two other museums of contemporary art: Cleveland and NYC, but I knew what to expect...or so I thought. Lots of interesting pieces in the exhibitions. One was on Latin music which was really informative. Another on queer art that was hyperlocal; this was interesting, but may not be appropriate for minors. The building is a work of art as well with airy spaces. I would go back to see other exhibitions if they interested me.
This is a quirky and eclectic museum near Water Tower Place. Like most contemporary museum, it can be hit or miss: Some of the exhibits are quite good, while others do not work so well. Still, this was worth a visit.
too limited in collection and am the collection are not mind blowing enough for the price. I will not go again
So not interesting hardly anything to do there and I think I could’ve gotten in without paying. They didn’t even check my ticket.
The Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art is a smaller museum in a great location. The person who checked me in was very friendly. There is a cafe there and seating both inside and outside. The back outdoor area has a beautiful view of Lake Michigan. The exhibit that was there upon my visit was the work of Yoko Ono. This exhibit was put together in such a creative way, and it was very interactive. The staff who were in the exhibit rooms were very friendly and informative. Other than this main exhibit, there was not much else to see....again, it is a smaller museum. The gift shop had some really cool and unique things for sale.
Half of the exhibits were closed, we walked through the other half in 30min. Unless you are there for a specific exhibit, I do not recommend it.
I'll admit, contemporary art isn't my thing, but I can usually find some of it interesting. The halls were sparsely populated and much of it smacked more of satire about modern art.
Their pay-what-you-can model demonstrates their commitment to making art accessible. While its footprint is small, this museum showcases artists who create art that confronts the harsher realities of life. Larger art museums can feel a little lifeless with their large collections of the greats and a few token edgy artists in between. After the outdated Field, it was refreshing to see the perspectives of queer, Black, Brown, and otherwise 'fringe' and outside voices. You only need maybe an hour to two max to visit. I'd say it slots right in the middle of better Contemporary museums in the country. Sitting outside on the patio and having a coffee was a nice break. This might be the best place to grab a Chicago-themed trinket on your trip.
Many interesting temporary expositions. It Will surprise and intrigue your mind. You may say that too much political correctness is at work but I have appreciated it and should like to come back once more
We visited the Museum of Contemporary Art on a Bank of America free museums' weekend. The artwork was interesting, but there aren't many exhibits. Of those, examples include old TV reels on small screens, a gallery of photos of NBA players, videos of a college football game and a boxing match, and a room filled with the sounds of a European football match. It is not worth the price of admission, although the money could be used to purchase more art!
There is almost no exhibits and the ones we did see were not worth the walk. I have been to so many art museums and this was one of the worst so far.
Museum was amazing but buy the tickets there. Attended during the height of summer season and there was no line. Tickets twice as much purchased on viator.
I toured the Museum of Contemporary Art and thoroughly enjoyed myself. The museum is quite manageable to take your time and explore within an hour or two. The galleries are thought provoking and the public spaces are very imaginative. I enjoyed walking through the gardens as well, taking it all in!
Great experience for contemporary art lovers. We enjoyed the different rooms and it was interesting to see how the art was presented
Cost $10 as a non-US visitor. Part of it was closed, very little on display, mainly video presentations. Some of the sculptures didn’t have labels, so no idea who made them. Sent me up to the 4th floor to start, then got told my backpack had to be carried on my chest, not my back. I explained that would strain my back, so was accepted as a medical reason. Never got told why it had to be my chest. Then went down to the 2nd floor and told I had to check my backpack in (on the 1st floor where I bought my ticket). This wasn’t explained upon entry. I explained the same, then was told “Ah, but you have a water bottle so you need to”. What complete nonsense. Only gave the review 2 stars because the gift shop is good.
Established in 1967, this museum is one of the world's largest contemporary art venues. The museum's collection is composed of thousands of objects of Post-World War II visual art and is run gallery-style with individually curated exhibitions throughout the year. OUR TAKE: If you’re into politically-charged art, then this is your place. Otherwise, we found it to be lackluster and wish we would have gone to the Chicago Art Institute instead.
My family and I had high expectations because we have enjoyed multiple contemporary art museums in other American cities and around the world. Unfortunately, we did not find the exhibits interesting. In fact, we were grossed out by a very gory video that is currently being shown. What saved our visit was the gift shop where we found unique objects.
Great app. I just breezed right on through showing my tickets on the app. User friendly and ease of use at the entrance. Only thing that would have made it better was if I could have added it to my wallet.
I was hoping for some more interesting and groundbreaking pieces and I felt that the main exhibition was a little shabby. I liked the Virginia Jaramillo exhibition though.
I love all kinds of art. The exhibits here are thought provoking and I enjoyed them immensely. The museum is not large however and we finished walking through the exhibits quickly. For the price, I was expected to spend more time entertained by what I was looking at particularly since I had just been to the Art Institute and spent so long there I only left because my feet got tired of walking.
I took the red line to the City walked up and down W Chicago Avenue as address is 220 W. Chicago, asked for directions from local residence, used Google maps to locate and nothing was their nor have I been able to get a refund for the ticket admission. Very Disappointing.
We visit Chicago every summer and attend a different museum in the city each time. We absolutely love the Art Institute, the Museum of Science & Industry, The Field Museum etc- and hoped to round out our experience w some contemporary art this year. The MCA was by far the most disappointing. Every art installation in the building (except maybe one) included elements of violence, sex, abuse and general themes that my family did not really enjoy. Regardless of whether people feel it is appropriate for the venue or a necessary part of contemporary art - we just did not enjoy seeing it. If you’re really into this and/or do not have kids with you - then go for it. Otherwise you may want to skip it; I wish we did.
The employees were friendly, but I have discovered that I am not a fan of this type of art work. I felt it was very depressing.
Wonderfully creative pieces. While the museum is small it obtains a nice variety of different art forms which is fun to see.
Very limited exhibit. Not worth the cost. Don't waste your money and time. Best to go to the Chicago art institute.
We were very disappointed. We did not like to have to read an explanation of the artwork to understand it.
Nice to walk through for a while but there is no permanent exhibition so you need a bit of luck that the artists appeal to you. The shop is large and has a very nice selection. I went here because we were limited on time and this museum opened at 10 am. Should we have more time I think The art Instutute of Chicago would be more worthwhile.
Museum easy to go around and easy accessible to exhibits (as opposed to the Chicago Art Institute). The bookstore is very well stocked with books and other items unfortunately there were no prints or posters of the current exhibits.
An amazing smaller museum, very diverse and spacious. Had some great exhibits. Was there a few hours and learned so much!
The exhibits were amazing, will definitely visit again! The staff was friendly and very helpful with checking in and navigating the museum.
This is one of Chicago’s more unique museums with frequently changing exhibitions that make visits different every time.
It's very educational, thought provoking, and interesting. But most art/ artists / social issues depicted are not understandable to younger children. I guess depends on the child. The museum is very clean and well laid out.
Contemporary art is very special and definitely not my taste. At least not what I saw in MCA of Chicago where I spent 30mn max exploring the 3 or 4 levels where, in fact, only one has some artwork, one the restaurant, 1 the entry-level and that's it! I was very disappointed but I respect the artistic work!
The museum has too little art in too much space: a kind of false advertising, really. This is actually a tiny museum with a hefty entry fee. Tip: The permanent collection is not on view.
The Museum of Contemporary Art is extraordinary! There are so many plusses to mention! First, this museum will make you think - it is not one to go to expecting to breeze by some art canvases. Instead, you will be exposed to paintings, sculptures, and films that will evoke strong responses from you - good, bad, and ugly. My adult son and I went during the PUBLIC ENEMY exhibit. It was extremely well-done. I would venture to say that some of the museum's exhibits may be controversial. Also, that some may be so profound that they will evoke much emotion and discussion. Children 10 and up could enjoy this museum with an adult to explain some of the content. However, it is "bold" and perhaps parents should use caution if they visit or plan which art exhibits to explore with the help of the front desk information providers. Some general comments: 1) This museum is not for very young children. It is filled with adult material and would go over the heads of a young child. 2) This museum has a lovely gift shop and restaurant. Visit them both - worth it. 3) The outside has a lovely area to eat and also view some sculptures. You can see some of the Chicago skyline, as well. 4) Expect this museum to need 1-2 hours. It is not big, but very enjoyable. 5) You are permitted to photograph - unless otherwise noted.
Disappointed in what was exhibited . Art Institute had more contemporary art! Expected to see paintings of notes artists and did not. Special exhibit on top floor was wonderful .
Great museum. I was particularly moved by the Public Enemy exhibit. Very thought provoking. The video of the artist speaking about his work really enhanced the whole experience.
I wouldn't waste my money! I draw and paint and what I saw was not art!!! Having an old school desk in a room and and child size kkk outfits on the wall is not art. And rooms with chalk smears on the walls and videos of weird nonsense stuff is not art. Art is objective but this museum made no sense.
We used our time to go to this museum during a rain shower. It was definitely interesting, three rooms of contemporary art from different artists were open to be visited. Unfortunately the exhibits are quite small and one was under construction, so that we went didn't spend a lot of time here.
Didn’t get to see everything but what I did see was interesting. Some of the art was extremely basic but the facility was up to date and some of the art was really cool.
Very nice exhibits. I wish I had known they closed at 5pm (my fault) because we purchased tickets at 4pm and we did not have enough time to fully appreciate everything before the museum closed. Also, wearing my conch pack on my front was not good on my back so don’t take much with you if you go.
At least the cost was not expensive. There isn't much to the gallery. Some of the exhibits were political in nature. While I understand that art can be political it was a good portion of the exhibits. There were not really good explanation of the art that was there as well. We did enjoy some of the interactive pieces and some of the other pieces. They indicated that they do change the exhibits pretty frequently.
Amazing, unique works of art! Spent 90 minutes here. Would definitely recommend. Great restaurants within walking distance and Water Tower mall across the street.
We came to this museum to see a certain artist and piece. However, those pieces had moved on, which was disappointing. The museum is a quick one, and a bit higher priced for the amount of time you’re likely to spend. We would recommend going here only if you have a wide palate for museums. We really enjoyed Nick Cave's "Forothermore" exhibit, as well as the "Based on a True Story" exhibit.
Not nearly as much art or exhibits as space. Seems to be lacking. What is exhibited is just average and not fascinating as you might expect.
Monday through Friday 9 am to 7 pm EST
Reach us by phone
Reach us by email
