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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mark" data-source="post: 468366" data-attributes="member: 5">I'd recommend adding the <a href="http://www.ci.chi.il.us/Tourism/CulturalCenter/" target="_blank">Chicago Cultural Center</a>.  You can take a self-guided tour of the building (which is magnificent) but I'd urge you to try and stop by (no reservations needed) to take the guided tour.  The current <a href="http://www.cityofchicago.org/CulturalAffairs/VisualArts/2002Exhibitions.html#David" target="_blank">exhibits</a> include David Plowden (B&W photography), Jerry Bleem (abstract sculpture forms) and a collection of various works by Michael Ferris Jr. (paintings and sculpture).Also, while downtown, do make time to see the <a href="http://www.chipublib.org/001hwlc/001hwlc.html" target="_blank">Harold Washington Library</a>.  It's an impressive structure (the largest single library building in the USA) as well as having a great collection of books.  Make some notes from their <a href="http://www.chipublib.org/001hwlc/tour.html" target="_blank">online self-guided tour</a> of what you might like to focus on while there.As long as you are traveling across the river there is a couple of bookstores worth checking out.  I assume that your trip to Hyde Park is to visit Powells Books?  But here are a couple more...Just north of the river and a few blocks west is a good bookstore named <a href="http://centerstage.net/literature/bookstores/after-words.html" target="_blank">After Words</a>.  This will be a good place to settle in and take a load off of your feet.  It may be the cleanest bookstore I've ever seen in my life.  Take a peek at some of their rare books (locked on display) while you're here.Just across the street of the Water Tower (the actual tower, not the mall) is a good sized Borders with a games section downstairs that has some books from WotC, S&S, FFG and others.  Their Sci-Fi section (first floor toward the back) is sizable and can keep you busy for a while.  The Water Tower, itself, will usually have a decent photography exhibit inside.Just north of the Water Tower (by a couple of blocks) is the Drake Hotel.  Long as you're in the neighborhood, take a walk through there and enjoy the opulence. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />It's getting a little chilly to enjoy the outdoor artwork, which is a shame, but you've probably had the chance to check some of this out on previous visits.  (The Lincoln Park Zoo is definitely out this time of year! <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" /> )  But if you get tyhe chance to go a dozen and a half blocks north of downtown (Water Tower is about 850 north) you can check out the <a href="http://www.chicagohs.org/" target="_blank">Chicago Historical Society</a>.  This place rocks for everything mundane and eclectic to do with the city.  Take a run down their <a href="http://www.chicagohs.org/exhibition.html" target="_blank">current exhibitions</a> to see what I mean.That ought to fill a day or so and takes you from Randolph street up to the north end of the Mag Mile.  If you find yourself stopping and shopping along the way you can always see some of these places on the next trip through... <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /></blockquote>

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