Art Institute of Chicago Fast-Pass Entry Tickets

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DurationValid 1 day
Open onClosed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day - see the booking calendar
Meeting pointThe Michigan Avenue entrance - go directly to the security desk

Art Institute of Chicago Fast-Pass Entry Tickets

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Overview

This fast-pass ticket lets you skip the ticket queue and walk straight into the Art Institute of Chicago, one of the great art museums of the world. It is valid for one day and covers the permanent collection and the non-ticketed special exhibitions, from Impressionist masterpieces to American icons and galleries of Asian, African and ancient art. Entry is self-guided, so there is no hotel pickup, and you can spend as long as you like inside. It suits art lovers, first-time visitors and families exploring downtown Chicago.

Highlights

Fast-pass entry that skips the ticket queue
Valid for one day on the permanent collection
Seurat, Monet, Van Gogh and Renoir among the Impressionist masterpieces
American icons such as Nighthawks and American Gothic
Ancient, Asian, African and European galleries across 5,000 years
On Michigan Avenue beside Millennium Park and Grant Park

Full Description

The Art Institute of Chicago on Michigan Avenue

Founded in the late nineteenth century, the Art Institute of Chicago stands on Michigan Avenue between Millennium Park and Grant Park, guarded at its entrance by two bronze lions. Its collection spans five thousand years, and searching for Art Institute of Chicago tickets often leads visitors to the museum's most popular days, so a fast-pass ticket saves valuable time.

Getting there is simple. If you are asking how to get to the Art Institute of Chicago, it is a short walk from the Loop, Millennium Park and many downtown hotels, with train and bus stops close by. Opening hours vary by season and the museum closes on a few public holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.

Impressionist and European masterpieces

The galleries of European painting are among the strongest in North America. Georges Seurat's A Sunday Afternoon on La Grande Jatte is here, along with Renoir's Two Sisters, several works by Van Gogh and more than twenty-five paintings by Claude Monet, including his haystacks and water lilies.

Picasso, Matisse, Dalí and Modigliani follow in the modern rooms, and the Modern Wing adds space for twentieth-century art and design. Ask any curator for the best way to see it and they will suggest starting with one gallery you love and letting your curiosity guide the rest.

American icons and world art

Edward Hopper's Nighthawks and Grant Wood's American Gothic are two of the most recognisable American paintings, and both hang here. Alongside them are works by Georgia O'Keeffe, Andy Warhol, Alma Thomas and Kerry James Marshall, which make the American galleries a good place to understand the country's art in one visit.

The museum also holds ancient Egyptian objects, a large collection of Asian art, African art and the arts of the Americas, so the same ticket takes you around the world and through the centuries.

Planning your visit and family highlights

Is the Art Institute of Chicago worth visiting? Yes, if you set aside two to four hours. The best time to visit is a weekday morning, when the galleries are quieter. Your fast-pass ticket lets you avoid the ticket line, but ticketed special exhibitions, audio guide rental and food are not part of the ticket.

Families enjoy the armour hall with its knights and the Thorne Miniature Rooms, a set of tiny period interiors. A free museum app offers audio tours, and bags above the size limit are not allowed inside, so travel light.

Itinerary

Arrive on Michigan AvenueWalk to the museum entrance with your fast-pass ticket on your phone and skip the ticket queue.
Impressionist galleriesSee Seurat, Monet, Renoir and Van Gogh, allowing about 45 minutes.
American artFind Nighthawks and American Gothic, then continue to the modern collections.
World art and family favouritesExplore the ancient, Asian and African galleries, the armour and the Thorne Miniature Rooms.
Finish at your own paceYour ticket is valid for the day, so return to galleries you liked or step out to Millennium Park.

What's included

Fast-pass ticket to the permanent collection
Non-ticketed special exhibitions
Skip the ticket queue
Free Wi-Fi
Free mobile app with audio tours in English, Spanish and Mandarin

Not included

Ticketed special exhibitions
Handheld audio guides (rental at the museum)
Food and drinks
Hotel pick-up and drop-off

Is this right for you?

Great for

Travellers who want a proven choice — rated 4.8/5 by past travellers

Not suitable for

Visitors carrying large bags, backpacks or luggage, which are not allowed
Guests who need ticketed special exhibitions (these are not part of the ticket)

Meeting point

There is no hotel pickup and no set meeting time. Go to the Art Institute of Chicago at 111 South Michigan Avenue and use the entrance shown on your ticket. Show your fast-pass ticket on your phone; it is valid for one day from first activation.

Important information

Fast-pass entry skips the ticket queue; you may still pass a security check.
The ticket is valid for one day and covers the permanent collection and non-ticketed exhibitions.
Ticketed special exhibitions, audio guide rental and food are not included.
Large bags, backpacks, umbrellas, tripods and selfie sticks are not allowed; the cloakroom may be limited.
Flash photography and video recording are not allowed.
The museum is closed on a few holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.

Good to know