Grant Park in Chicago

Highlights of Grant Park

If you are a fan of art, you will want to visit The Art Institute of Chicago, which is located within Grant Park. The Art Institute of Chicago houses one of the largest collections of Claude Monet's work outside of France. The institute boasts an excellent Asian exhibit that dates back several millennia, and also houses one of the most prestigious art schools in the United States. A normal tour of the museum usually takes about 4 to 5 hours, however, they do offer a one-hour tour to see the highlights for those who are short on time.

Buckingham Fountain is a landmark inside Grant Park that you won’t want to miss. The fountain displays spectacular water shows every hour throughout the day. Beginning at dusk, lights are added to the show for an enchanting experience. With such different displays, you should try to catch this show twice; once in the daytime and once at night.

History of Grant Park

In 1835, a group of Chicago citizens petitioned to have the land for Grant Park kept vacant for fear of commercial building blocking the lakefront. The space was named Lakefront, as it was deemed public ground that will remain free of buildings obstructing the waterfront views and activities.

In 1901, the park changed its name to Grant Park to honour Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of the United States. It didn’t take long before contractors were permitted to build in the space. However, not just any buildings were allowed. To build in the park, the proposed buildings had to be museums and civic in nature and the space was to remain open to the public.

In the end, Grant Park is still an open space where people can have large gatherings or play baseball on public land that does not obscure the view of Lake Michigan's waterfront.

Good to know about Grant Park

If you're hoping to see the entire park, you may want to visit on multiple days, as it spans over 319 acres. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes so you can get the most sightseeing out of your visit.

Before visiting the park, plan your day by going online to see where everything is in relation to each other and plan your itinerary accordingly. You can also find the best places to park and public transit information. Even if you plan to drive, you may want to check out the bus schedule to save yourself some steps once you’re there and take in more of the park's attractions.