City: Chicago, IL

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (312) 744-6630

Address: 78 E. Washington St.

Insider Pick:

Description: Having lived out a long life as the city’s first central public library and Civil War memorial, this impressively ornamented 1897 structure took on a second vital city service as its hub of cultural activities. Pop in here to experience everything from theater events to art exhibitions, lectures to film series, and music and dance performances nearly every day—almost all of it free. The building is a Neo-Classical architectural gem in its own right. When it was built, it was called the People’s Palace because it was funded with a 1 percent tax instead of with private donations. With updates throughout the years, the building—whose 2,357 wooden piles were driven 75 feet down into solid earth—is as sturdy as it was when it was built. A stroll reveals its extensive use of marble, polished brass, and intricate mosaics of glass, stone, and mother-of-pearl. Not to mention the world’s largest stained-glass Tiffany dome, measuring in at 38 feet in diameter, plus another even larger glass dome on the other side of the building. Oohs and aahs are free, as is admission to the center; some events have nominal fees, so check the calendar. Open daily.