If you're planning to visit the Art Institute of Chicago, I'll give you lot fair warning that you may desire to schedule a nap in your afternoon. With more than 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 land, at nearly 1 one thousand thousand square feet. Y'all'll need to current of air your style through the maze-like galleries and ancient displays of pottery and other items that people tiptoe past to get to the more pop halls.

The Art Plant is an encyclopedic art museum, which means in that location's a piffling bit of everything, from everywhere—Indian, Southeast Asian, and Himalayan art; Chinese, Japanese, and Korean art; African art; American art; American decorative art; pottery; bronzes; sculpture; installations; modern fine art; miniatures and more. That's a good thing if yous're a truthful art lover interested in spending an entire day hither. It's a challenge if you just want a quick walk through earlier packing other museums into a compact visit.

If y'all're short on time, the Art Institute's must-sees include its extensive collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist fine art, which is considered one of the finest in the world. Since 2009, the blusterous, low-cal-filled Modernistic Wing has been showcasing the museum'south extensive collection of 20th- and 21st-century art. And two of the museum'southward most beloved works are on display in the American art, pre-1950 gallery: American Gothic by Grant Wood and Nighthawks by Edward Hopper.

To help you navigate the endless halls, visit the Art Institute'south website and download the new free app, which offers 50 dissimilar tours and makes the museum feel more manageable than getting lost on your own. A separate app guides you through Impressionist works, enriching your visit with detailed descriptions of the fine art and the artists who created information technology.

If you've visiting with kids, stop by the Ryan Education Center 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-similar structures, all constructed to calibration, showcase European and American homes, buildings, and interiors. The Fine art Institute offers a diversity of lectures and workshops, and then bank check their calendar to run across what'south happening during your visit.

A give-and-take of advice: The Art Establish can get incredibly crowded on weekends. If y'all can avoid visiting on a Saturday or Lord's day, do so. Many people don't realize that the museum is, indeed, open on Monday, which makes it a bully fourth dimension to visit. Also, many visitors are unaware of the tardily Thursday hours, so consider visiting so, too, to avoid blitz hr.

If yous become 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 save fourth dimension for the enormous gift shop, which sells beautiful art, jewelry, accessories, books, and more. Allow at to the lowest degree iii hours.