Skokie Highlands - Chicago is a World Class City
Chicago earns its status as a world-class city through its exceptional opportunities in museums, arts, culture, and sports, rivaling global metropolises like New York and London.
| Museums: Chicago is home to some of the world’s most renowned institutions. The Art Institute of Chicago houses over 300,000 works, including iconic pieces like Grant Wood’s American Gothic and Georges Seurat’s A Sunday on La Grande Jatte. The Field Museum, with over 40 million artifacts, features treasures like Sue, the most complete T. rex skeleton ever found. The Museum of Science and Industry, the largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere, offers interactive exhibits like a real U-505 German submarine. These museums draw millions annually— the Art Institute alone welcomed 1.6 million visitors in 2023—making Chicago a global hub for cultural education. There is a large number of smaller, but significant and excellent museums. | 
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| Arts: The city’s arts scene is vibrant and diverse. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, consistently ranked among the world’s best, performs at Symphony Center and has won 62 Grammy Awards, more than any other orchestra. The Lyric Opera of Chicago stages world-class productions, attracting international talent. Theater is a cornerstone, with over 200 companies like the Steppenwolf Theatre, which has nurtured talents like John Malkovich and Gary Sinise, and the Goodman Theatre, a Tony Award winner. The Second City comedy club has been a launchpad for stars like Tina Fey and Stephen Colbert, cementing Chicago’s influence on global comedy. | 
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| Sports: Chicago’s sports culture is unmatched, with passionate fans and historic teams across all major leagues. The Chicago Cubs and White Sox (MLB) have iconic stadiums—Wrigley Field, a century-old landmark, is a pilgrimage site for baseball fans. The Chicago Bears (NFL) have a storied legacy, with nine championships and legends like Walter Payton. The Bulls (NBA), led by Michael Jordan in the ‘90s, won six titles and remain a global brand— their games still sell out the United Center. The Blackhawks (NHL) and Chicago Sky (WNBA) add to the city’s sports pedigree, with the Blackhawks securing six Stanley Cups since 1934. Chicago also hosts major events like the Chicago Marathon, one of the world’s six major marathons, attracting 50,000 runners annually. | 
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| Architecture: Chicago is a global architecture capital, birthplace of the skyscraper with the 1885 Home Insurance Building, the world’s first. The city boasts works by legends like Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Mies van der Rohe. The Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower), at 1,450 feet, was the tallest building globally for 25 years and remains a draw with its Skydeck, hosting 1.7 million visitors yearly. The Chicago School of architecture birthed modern design principles, evident in structures like the Rookery Building and the Monadnock Building. Contemporary marvels like the Aqua Tower, with its wave-like balconies, and the glassy curves of Jeanne Gang’s St. Regis Chicago, the city’s third-tallest at 1,191 feet, continue the legacy. The Chicago Architecture Biennial, a global event, further cements the city’s influence, attracting 150,000 attendees in 2023. | 
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| Lakefront: Chicago’s 26-mile Lake Michigan shoreline is a defining feature, with 18 miles of public lakefront parkland along the Chicago Lakefront Trail. This stretch includes beaches like North Avenue Beach, which draws over 1 million visitors annually for swimming, volleyball, and skyline views. The trail itself is a hub for biking, jogging, and rollerblading, connecting landmarks like the Museum Campus—home to the Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium, and Field Museum. Events like the Chicago Air and Water Show, the largest free show of its kind in the U.S., attract 2 million spectators yearly to the lakefront. The area also supports sailing, kayaking, and paddleboarding, with rentals available at spots like Montrose Harbor, making it a recreational paradise. River: The Chicago River, flowing through the heart of downtown, is both a scenic and cultural asset. The 1.25-mile Chicago Riverwalk offers pedestrian access with restaurants, bars, and public art installations, hosting events like Art on theMART, the world’s largest digital art projection, seen by 34 million people annually. Kayak tours provide historical insights, passing under iconic bridges like the DuSable Bridge. The river’s annual dyeing green for St. Patrick’s Day is a global spectacle, drawing thousands. Architectural boat tours by the Chicago Architecture Center, which highlight over 50 buildings along the river, served 1.2 million passengers in 2023, showcasing the river as a lens for the city’s history and design. Other nature include the Cook County Forest preserve, the Brookfield Zoo, ,Lincoln Park Zoo, ,Morton Arboretum, and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. | 
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Retiree Amenities in Skokie
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