Chicago’s cultural calendar is always packed, and this fall is no exception. From groundbreaking retrospectives to cutting-edge exhibitions, there’s no shortage of eye-opening museum exhibits that cover everything from stained glass to contemporary art to local history and beyond.
Explore some of the upcoming exhibits on art, history, culture, and more not to miss in Chicago this year.
Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
Oct. 18, 2025 – Feb. 22, 2026
Chicago is hosting the only U.S. stop for Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind, a highly anticipated exhibition highlighting key moments from Yoko Ono’s career. The retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago will feature more than 200 works, including film and sound recordings, photos, installation, and archival materials that examine Ono’s contributions to performance, conceptualism, film, and music while inviting audiences to engage directly with her work.
Día de Muertos: A Celebration of Remembrance
National Museum of Mexican Art
Sept. 19 – Dec. 14, 2025
The National Museum of Mexican Art’s 39th annual Day of the Dead exhibit, Día de Muertos: A Celebration of Remembrance, honors one of Mexico’s most meaningful traditions with a powerful blend of art, memory, and community.
This year’s installation pays tribute to the lives lost in the devastating floods of Texas and New Mexico, offering space for reflection and remembrance. Visitors can experience vibrant artwork created by youth artists, explore an immersive courtyard installation inspired by traditional nicho boxes, and add their own messages.
Elizabeth Catlett: “A Black Revolutionary Artist and All That It Implies”
Art Institute of Chicago
Aug. 30, 2025 – Jan. 4, 2026
This landmark retrospective at the Art Institute of Chicago celebrates the life and legacy of one of the 20th century’s most influential artists, Elizabeth Catlett. Featuring more than 100 works, the exhibition traces Catlett’s career as a groundbreaking sculptor, printmaker, and committed activist whose art championed the struggles for equality, dignity, and justice. Catlett’s work continues to resonate powerfully today, inspiring new generations to carry forward her revolutionary vision.
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Beyond Amazing
Griffin Museum of Science & Industry
Through Feb. 8, 2026
With great power comes great responsibility. This phrase has never been closer to home as a new exhibition exploring the Spider-verse swings into the interactive Griffin Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago’s culturally rich Hyde Park neighborhood. See props from the films, take photos with life-size statues of your favorite characters, explore interactive installations, and view rare comic books all in one place.
Explore more: Check out more nearby museums with our guide to Chicago’s Museum Campus South.
Diego Marcon: Krapfen
Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago. Photo by
Bob.
The Renaissance Society
Through Nov. 23, 2025
Italian artist Diego Marcon makes his U.S. debut at The Renaissance Society in Hyde Park this fall with Krapfen, a playful yet avant-garde musical dance film. Mixing animation, opera, and contemporary choreography, the work blurs the line between cinema and performance in a way that’s as inventive as it is unforgettable.
Aquí en Chicago
Terracotta. Students of Benito Juarez Community Academy, Nicole Marroquin and Paulina Camacho Valencia, Teaching artists, United States
Gift of Nicole Marroquin and Paulina Camacho Valencia.
Opens Oct. 25, 2025
Chicago History Museum
The newest exhibition at the Chicago History Museum, Aquí en Chicago examines the lives of local Latino communities that have flourished throughout Chicago. Artifacts will explore the persistent cultural impact of these diverse groups that make up a third of Chicago’s population. The exhibit will be presented in both English and Spanish.
Tiffany Lamps: Beyond the Shade
Driehaus Museum
Sept. 12, 2025 – March 15, 2026
When someone mentions Tiffany, your mind might jump to the luxury jeweler founded by Charles Lewis Tiffany. What you might not know, however, is that Tiffany’s son, Louis Comfort Tiffany, was a revered designer of stained lamp shades and windows. Tiffany Lamps: Beyond the Shade at the ornate Driehaus Museum explores how the younger Tiffany brought these now-iconic lamp shades to life using bronze, enamel, pottery, and glass to achieve his artistic vision.
Chicago Architecture Biennial
Chicago Architecture Center and citywide
Sept. 12, 2025 – Feb. 28, 2026
The Chicago Architecture Biennial, North America’s largest architecture and design exhibition, will launch its landmark 10th edition this fall. Held every other year, the event includes programs like site activations, pop-ups, tours, public lectures, and educational activities. This year’s theme is “Shift: Architecture in Times of Radical Change” and will feature projects by various artists from around the world in venues around the city. All events are free and open to the public.
History Lessons: Everyday Objects from Public Housing
National Public Housing Museum
Through Nov. 9, 2025
This exhibition at the brand new National Public Housing Museum is centered around one question: “What is an object that tells a story about your life and experiences in public housing?” Featuring items from the past 90 years, Living in the Shade showcases items from public housing communities in Chicago, New York, and Houston that explore themes of family, true love, hopes, and dreams deferred.
Freedom in Form: Richard Hunt
Loyola University Museum of Art
Through Nov. 15, 2025
Chicago-born artist Richard Hunt is regarded as a singular artistic talent of the 20th century. In Freedom in Form, Hunt’s personal belongings and video interviews provide essential context for how Hunt’s personal history and professional achievements intersected with Black Americans’ struggle for equality. The exhibition is accompanied by a 116-page, full-color catalogue.
