When you come to the MLA Annual Meeting in Chicago, stay at the Hyatt Regency and take advantage of the many nearby cultural offerings and attractions. From museums and libraries, to theater and comedy, Chicago has something for everyone, and much is within a mile of the Hyatt Regency.
The Hyatt Regency Chicago is located at 151 E Upper Wacker Drive, where you can easily walk to Millennium Park or shop on the Magnificent Mile. The hotel’s upscale mezzanine-level lounge, the Big Bar, was just renovated and has floor to ceiling windows overlooking the Chicago River. Use the Pedway to get around if the weather outside is not to your liking.
Below are museums and cultural centers within a mile of the Hyatt Regency.
- McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum (.2 mi), 99 Chicago Riverwalk, http://www.bridgehousemuseum.org/. Admission: $6 (free on Sundays). Explore the Chicago River and its world-famous movable bridges. Beginning at river level and spiraling five stories up, the McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity to explore a historic landmark bridgehouse.
- Chicago Cultural Center (.5 mi.), E Washington St. https://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/chicago_culturalcenter.html. Admission: Free. The first home of the Chicago Public Library, the Chicago Cultural Center was completed in 1897 and boasts two magnificent stained-glass domes, as well as free music, dance and theater events, films, lectures, art exhibitions and family events.
- Driehaus Museum (.7 mi), 40 E Erie St. http://driehausmuseum.org. Admission - Adults $20. Explore the art, architecture, and design of the late 19th and early 20th centuries with a focus on the Gilded Age in the meticulously restored Nickerson Mansion, renowned as Chicago’s “Marble Palace.”
- Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (.8 mi.), 220 E Chicago Ave. https://www.mcachicago.org/. Suggested admission: Adults $15. Explore the variety of MCA exhibitions, feature contemporary art in every possible media by artists of local and international renown.
- Navy Pier (1 mi.), 600 E Grand Ave. https://navypier.org/. Admission: Free to enter Navy Pier. Attractions may have admission prices; see website. Enjoy art installations, Chicago Shakespeare’s production of Hamlet, river and lake cruises, or shopping and restaurants. Don’t forget to take a ride on the Centennial Wheel for unparalleled views of the Chicago skyline.
- Museum of Contemporary Photography, Columbia College Chicago (1 mi.), 600 S Michigan Ave. http://www.mocp.org/. Admission: Free. The MoCP is the world’s premier college art museum dedicated to photography, focusing on the artistic, cultural and political roles of photography in today’s world. Its collection includes more than 14,800 objects by over 1,500 artists.
Attending MLA on a budget? Here is a list of museums that have free admission days.
