138 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Chicago - Atlas Obscura

Unusual
Attractions
in Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

Oz Park

This whimsical Oz-themed park had a wonderful impact on the surrounding neighborhood.

Chicago, Illinois

Tiffany Dome

This massive stained-glass masterpiece is thought to be the largest Tiffany dome in existence.

Chicago, Illinois

Woolly Mammoth Antiques and Oddities

This morbid, delightful curiosity shop offers everything from animal bones to human teeth.

Chicago, Illinois

Wicker Park Secret Agent Supply Co.

This shop for all your super spy needs hides an educational secret.

Chicago, Illinois

Willis Tower Glass Platform

Four glass boxes hover over 1,000 feet in the air to give visitors an unparalleled view of Chicago.

Chicago, Illinois

The Violet Hour

A speakeasy takes on Chicago's drinking culture.

Chicago, Illinois

International Museum of Surgical Science

A monument to the art of slicing people open.

Chicago, Illinois

Shit Fountain

A giant bronze coil of feces is both a tribute to doggie defecation and a reminder to pick it up.

See All 138 Things to Do in Chicago See All 138 Places

Unique
Food & Drink
in Chicago

Atomic Cake

This Chicago specialty stacks three cakes into one monster dessert.

Gym Shoe Sandwich

The South Side favorite is a cross between a meat-lover's sub and a gyro.

Tom and Jerry

A small industry of themed glassware was launched solely for the enjoyment of this hot winter punch.

Lanzi's Cashew Nut & Rice Crunch

Candy makers recently resurrected this crispy Chicago confection from the graveyard of vintage sweets.

See all 8 things to eat in Chicago See all 8 things to eat in Chicago

Upcoming Experiences
Near Chicago

The Chicago Underground Scavenger Hunt

Chicago, Illinois

Strange and Haunted History River Cruise

Chicago, Illinois

Tour Chicago's Largest Prop House

Chicago, Illinois

Hidden Stories at Graceland Cemetery

Chicago, Illinois

Entertainment & Movie Palaces in Uptown

Chicago, Illinois

Riverside, What the Burbs Could've Been

Old Joliet Prison: History and Hollywood

Joliet, Illinois

Atlas Obscura Itineraries

Chicago

Just when you thought you knew the Windy City, it finds new ways to surprise you.

Atlas Obscura Itineraries

Just when you thought you knew the Windy City, it finds new ways to surprise you.

View this Itinerary

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Windmill Island Gardens	2 August 7, 2019	1308	August 7, 2019
Holland, Michigan	0 August 6, 2019	248	August 6, 2019
Former location of Polish Daily Zgoda newspaper	1 August 12, 2019	261	August 12, 2019
'Ten Thousand Ripples'	1 October 5, 2019	136	October 5, 2019
Kerr’s Run Colored School	2 July 25, 2019	308	July 25, 2019

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Explore Chicago, Illinois

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Upcoming Experiences
Near Chicago

The Chicago Underground Scavenger Hunt

Chicago, Illinois

Strange and Haunted History River Cruise

Chicago, Illinois

Tour Chicago's Largest Prop House

Chicago, Illinois

Hidden Stories at Graceland Cemetery

Chicago, Illinois

Entertainment & Movie Palaces in Uptown

Chicago, Illinois

Riverside, What the Burbs Could've Been

Old Joliet Prison: History and Hollywood

Joliet, Illinois

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Stories
About Chicago

SUE could have used a breath mint.

How Scientists Are Recreating Dinosaur Breath

At the Field Museum, visitors can now get a whiff of the Cretaceous.

by Jessica Leigh Hester

October 10, 2019

The map is richly detailed—and a little whimsical too.

For Sale: An Old Map of Small-Town Chicago

Recognize anything?

by Jessica Leigh Hester

When the goats aren't eating grass, they enjoy scoping their surroundings from higher ground.

Meet the Farm Animals That Help One of America’s Busiest Airports Run

At Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, these hungry herds serve an additional purpose beyond simple gardening.

The stem has outgrown its room!

A 'Century Plant' in Chicago Is Having an Epic Growth Spurt

It's outgrown the greenhouse, and it's a big greenhouse.

by Evan Nicole Brown

Competitors at the Pro Circuit Championship.

Chicago Has Become the Nerve Center of Competitive Pinball

Experience the thrill of multiball mayhem and the agony of a double drain.

by Lindsey Quinn

Geese will probably be fine.

How Will Chicago's Birds Weather the Polar Vortex?

Here's how the region's avian residents will survive the cold snap.

by Jessica Leigh Hester

January 30, 2019

6333 N Hermitage Avenue (left) and 6327 S Hermitage Avenue (right).

The 'Folded Map' Project Bridges the Distance Between Chicago's Neighborhoods

Tonika Lewis Johnson, a local artist and activist, connects individuals from the North and South Sides through her art.

by Hannah Steinkopf-Frank

January 23, 2019

Sue looking at home in their new suite at the Field Museum in Chicago.

Sue the Celebrity Dinosaur Just Got a Makeover

The 67-million-year-old T. rex has been tweeting all about it.

by Shaena Montanari

December 21, 2018

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