Chicago has many big hitters in the art museum globe, including the renowned Art Institute of Chicago and the cutting-edge Museum of Contemporary Art, to proper noun simply a few on a very long list. But we're besides home to a drove of smaller under-the-radar fine art museums. For a uniquely immersive arts experience, head to Chicago's trove of intimate museums and galleries, exhibiting everything from local designers to international photographers.

Museum of Contemporary Photography

The Museum of Contemporary Photography

Tucked abroad in the South Loop, within Columbia College, the Museum of Contemporary Photography is i of Chicago's best-kept secrets. It's a small but mighty museum, regularly carrying the work of local photographers. The museum's Midwest Photographers Project is a decades-long collection that cycles through new and established regional photographers, each examining a different social experience, from the slums of Mumbai to electronics and teens. Plus, admission to the museum is costless.

Gallery Guichard

The sculpture garden at Gallery Guichard
Gallery Guichard; photograph by Abel Arciniega @tequilagraphics

A fixture in the historic Bronzeville neighborhood, Gallery Guichard is located within the Bronzeville Artist Lofts. The intimate gallery features a rotating array of modern and gimmicky works with an accent on the African diaspora. Browse pieces by multicultural artists from around the world, then step outside to explore the Great Migration Sculpture Garden.

The Metropolis Gallery at the Historic Water Belfry

City Gallery

@Choose Chicago

Housed in 1 of the almost iconic Gothic Revival buildings in Chicago, and sitting correct in the middle of The Magnificent Mile, the Metropolis Gallery is a frequent venue for unique exhibitions that showcase local artists and photographers. The building itself was constructed betwixt 1867 and 1869, created for Chicago's municipal h2o system. It originally housed a 135-foot iron standpipe used to regulate water pressure. It gained special significance as one of the few buildings to survive the Nifty Chicago Burn of 1871. Access is free.

National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture

National Museum Of Puerto Rican Arts
National Museum Of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture; photo by Abel Arciniega :: @tequilagraphics

National Museum Of Puerto Rican Arts and Civilization is a striking backdrop for an array of works by Puerto Rican artists. The state'south only museum defended to displaying Puerto Rican arts and cultural exhibitions year-round, the galleries are housed within the renovated stable building of historic Humboldt Park. The art overflows into the streets of the surrounding neighborhood, a vibrant hub for Borinquen culture.

Epiphany Center for the Arts

A celebrated church has been transformed into a sprawling arts campus in Chicago's Westward Loop neighborhood. Along with music venues and art studios, in that location's also plenty of gallery space for a rotating array of fine art exhibitions. Epiphany Center for the Arts collaborates with local artists, curators, and galleries to bring together can't-miss exhibits across eight intimate galleries, plus artist talks, classes, and a residency plan.

Chicago Design Museum

Design Museum interior @Chicago Design Museum

The tiny (and free) Chicago Design Museum displays incredibly creative, ever-irresolute exhibits on everything from street art to architecture to urban planning. Their mission is to showcase the power of blueprint past highlighting the influence information technology has on our everyday lives. Recent exhibitions have included newspaper arts from around the world, games in our modern civilization, and a showcase on the parallels between design and music featuring national musicians.

Smart Museum of Art

Smart Museum of Art @Smart Museum

Nestled on the breathtaking University of Chicago campus in Hyde Park, the Smart Museum of Art houses more than sixteen,000 artworks, ranging from European paintings and Asian arts to contemporary and modern art. This is also home to The H. C. Westermann Study Collection, which is one of the most significant public collections of artwork and archival material related to the artist's life and work. Bonus: the Smart Museum is free.

Driehaus Museum

Richard Driehaus Museum Chicago @Driehaus Museum

Have you lot ever passed by a cute dwelling house, and wished you could just peek inside? Here's your gamble. The Driehaus Museum is housed in an ornate mansion, completed in 1883 at the elevation of the Gilded Age. The house itself is stunning, with marble floors, yard statues, incredible detail. Peel your eyes away from the furnishings, and you'll notice the rotating exhibits that showcase arts, fashion, history, and design of the tardily nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.