NEW ATTRACTIONS, TOURS, HOTELS, EXHIBITIONS AND WORLD RENOWNED THEATER MAKE CHICAGO A PREMIER DESTINATION IN 2010 

(Updated October 23, 2009) With its stunning architecture, acclaimed museums, lakefront parks and vibrant ethnic neighborhoods, Chicago is a city of world-class status and unsurpassed beauty. In 2010, new tours, exhibitions and hotels, and an array of Tony award-winning theater productions make Chicago the perfect year-round destination. 

Explore Chicago’s 26 miles of lakefront, dozens of museums, 77 community areas containing more than 100 neighborhoods, over 200 theaters, and more than 7,000 restaurants. For information about planning a trip, call 1.877.CHICAGO or visit www.explorechicago.org. Here is what to look for in 2010.
All information and dates were correct as of press time. 

MAJOR ATTRACTIONS & EVENTS
Nature Blooms at Lincoln Park Zoo’s Nature Boardwalk
In the summer of 2010, Lincoln Park Zoo unveils its newly renovated man-made pond which has been completely transformed and restored into a natural revitalized ecosystem. A haven for native birds, frogs, turtles, fish, insects and mammals, it also serves as an outdoor classroom for students of all ages. A boardwalk surrounds the entire pond, providing new opportunities for the public to enjoy and experience nature. This revitalized 14-acre outdoor wilderness classroom features naturalist interpreters and a wide range of educational programs and mobile labs designed to promote hands-on learning about the city’s native wildlife and the importance of preserving wetlands and freshwater ecosystems. Admission is free. www.lpzoo.org/animals/Nature_Boardwalk

New Festival Celebrates Early Music 
The Chicago Early Music Festival (CEMF) debuts in April 2010 as the City’s first festival celebrating music of the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque eras. The six-day collaborative festival, presented by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and the Chicago Office of Tourism, kicks off on April 20 and runs through April 25. Representing an unprecedented collaboration among the City of Chicago and some of Chicago’s leading Early Music ensembles and organizations, CEMF features free and ticketed performances; lectures and master classes by internationally renowned musicians at venues throughout the city including Millennium Park; community events; and an exhibition of instrument builders, music publishers and other Early Music resources at the Chicago Cultural Center. www.explorechicago.org/earlymusic

See the City Beneath Your Feet at the Recently-Opened Skydeck Ledge
The Ledge at the Willis (formerly Sears) Tower Skydeck, which opened in July 2009, provides a new Chicago experience where visitors can see the city literally beneath their feet. From 103 floors over Wacker Drive and the Chicago River, a series of glass bays extend out more than four feet from the side of the building, providing visitors with unobstructed views - 1,353 feet straight down. The famed Skydeck also offers additional attractions including new interactive and educational museum-quality exhibits that celebrate the city. www.theskydeck.com 

Renzo Piano Modern Wing Makes Art Institute 2nd Largest Art Museum
in Nation
The 264,000-square-foot Modern Wing designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano, which opened in May 2009, houses the Art Institute’s collections of 20th century European painting and sculpture; contemporary art; architecture and design; and photography on three floors of galleries. It also features an outdoor sculpture terrace; a garden courtyard; and a 600-foot-long pedestrian bridge, the Nichols Bridgeway, linking the museum directly to Chicago’s popular Millennium Park. The $300 million project makes the Art Institute the second largest art museum in the nation.
www.artic.edu

NEW HOTELS
Hotel Palomar: A Sleek Urban Sanctuary
The modern sky-rise hotel in the River North area features 259 luxurious guest rooms, 5000 square feet of meeting space and a signature Kimpton restaurant fronting on State Street. Opens February 2010. www.kimptonhotels.com

The Elysian: Luxury in the Gold Coast
This ultra-luxury property in the Gold Coast features exquisite, residential-styled guest rooms and suites averaging 889 square feet. Fireplaces, terraces, private bars and advanced technology provide a home-away-from-home feeling in a sophisticated and timeless setting. Opening date to be announced. www.elysianhotels.com

JW Marriott: A Burnham original
Located in the former Continental & Commercial National Bank building designed by Daniel Burnham in 1914, this 610-room hotel features exquisite architecture and elegant décor. The $396 million restoration of this historic landmark blends Burnham's distinctive style with 21st century sensibility, providing downtown Chicago with a hotel of distinctive pedigree. Opens June 2010. www.marriott.com

TOURS
New Half-Day Bus Tours Explore Chicago Neighborhoods
Discover Chicago’s diverse communities with these new half-day bus excursions that highlight the history, traditions and people of Chicago. www.chicagoneighborhoodtours.com 
• Jefferson Park, Portage Park & Six Corners – April 17, July 10, November 6
• South Chicago – June 26, October 2
• Wicker Park & Ukrainian Village – June 5, August 21, October 9
• Bucktown, Humboldt Park & Logan Square – July 9, August 20
• Daniel Burnham’s Chicago – June 19, August 14 

MUSEUMS
Chicago Museums Showcase World-Class Exhibitions
Chicago is world-renowned for its diverse collection of museums which bring to life a variety of subjects, including Chicago history, modern art, African American culture, astronomy, natural history and much more. A variety of exhibitions will be on display throughout 2010 including:

The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), www.mcachicago.org
• Italics: Italian Art Between Tradition and Revolution, 1968-2008, November 14, 2009-February 14, 2010
• Alexander Calder and Contemporary Art: Form, Balance, Joy, June 26-October 10

Art Institute of Chicago, www.artic.edu
• Matisse: Radical Invention, 1913–1917, March 20–June 6

The Field Museum, www.fieldmuseum.org
• The Nature of Diamonds, October 23, 2009-March 28, 2010
• Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age, March 5-Sept. 6

DuSable Museum of African Art, www.dusablemuseum.org
• Freedom’s Sisters, January 15 – April 4

THEATER
Broadway Comes to Chicago
Highlights of the 2010 Broadway in Chicago (www.broadwayinchicago.com) season in the historic Downtown Theater District include: 
•  Mamma Mia!, January 10 – 24 
•  Dreamgirls, January 19 – 24 
•  August: Osage County, February 2 – February 14 
•  The 101 Dalmatians Musical, February 16 – 28 
•  Billy Elliot, begins March 18 
•  The 39 Steps, May 19 - 30 
•  Shrek the Musical, July 13 - September 5

Tony Award Winning Theaters Call Chicago Home
Four Chicago theaters, Steppenwolf Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Victory Gardens and Chicago Shakespeare Theater, have all received the prestigious Regional Tony Award, more than any other city in the nation. 2010 highlights at these theaters include:

Goodman Theatre, www.goodmantheatre.org
• Hughie/Krapp’s Last Tape, Brian Dennehy stars in a double bill of Eugene O’Neill’s Hughie and Samuel Beckett’s Krapp’s Last Tape. January 16-February 24
• A True History of the Johnstown Flood, the devastating flood of 1889 is the backdrop for this world premiere by Rebecca Gilman. March 13-April 18.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company, www.steppenwolf.org
• Endgame, with a cast including William Petersen in Samuel Beckett’s absurd comic masterpiece. April 1 – June 6
• A Parallelogram, playwright and Tony Award®-winning director Bruce Norris’ dark, funny world premiere about a woman who has an uncanny ability to see the future and maybe even alter it. July 1-August 29.

Victory Gardens, www.victorygardens.org
• The Lost Boys of Sudan, Three boys of the Dinka tribe flee the horrors of war and end up in Fargo, North Dakota. March 19-April 25.
• A Guide for the Perplexed, Kevin Anderson returns for a rare Chicago appearance playing Doug, a newly released petty criminal forced to take reluctant residence with his sister’s husband, their teenage son, and a tank of tropical fish. July 9-August 15.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater, www.chicagoshakes.com
• Short Shakespeare! The Comedy of Errors, provides a perfect introduction to the Bard in this tale of twin brothers—and their identical twin servants—who are lost in a mixed-up world of mistaken identities. January 23 – March 7
• The Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare's playfully provocative battle of the sexes pits the shrewish Katharina against the fortune-seeking Petruchio—but even now the verdict is still out on who tames whom. April 7 – June 6.

SOCIAL MEDIA 
Twitter Concierge Service For Visitors And Locals
The Chicago Office of Tourism (@explorechicago) provides a seven-day-a-week Twitter Concierge Service offering advice and suggestions about the city. Visitor service representatives answer questions and provide information with a focus on free and discounted events and activities in neighborhoods throughout Chicago.

Visitors and Chicagoans planning to entertain out-of-town guests can receive Chicago brochures, reserve hotel accommodations and receive trip-planning assistance by calling toll-free 1.877.CHICAGO (1.877.244.2246), or visiting www.explorechicago.org. Brochures and information on Chicago’s events and activities are also available at the Visitor Information Centers. The centers are located at Chicago Water Works, 163 East Pearson Street at Michigan Avenue and the Chicago Cultural Center, 77 East Randolph Street. The TTY toll-free number for the hearing impaired is 1.866.710.0294.

The Chicago Office of Tourism, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, is the official City agency dedicated to promoting Chicago to domestic and international visitors and to providing innovative visitor programs and services.


Contact:

Joyce Rowe, 312.742.2036
joyce.rowe@cityofchicago.org