Chicago museums are hosting a diverse array of art exhibitions in 2025, including a major Yoko Ono retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, the annual Día de Muertos celebration at the National Museum of Mexican Art, a landmark Elizabeth Catlett show at the Art Institute of Chicago, a Marvel's Spider-Man interactive exhibition at the Griffin Museum of Science & Industry, and the U.S. debut of Italian artist Diego Marcon at The Renaissance Society. These exhibitions span contemporary art, cultural heritage, social justice, and popular culture, offering something for a wide range of audiences.
This concentration of high-profile exhibitions underscores Chicago's role as a major cultural destination in the United States. The Yoko Ono and Elizabeth Catlett retrospectives in particular highlight the city's commitment to showcasing influential artists who have shaped conceptual art and social activism, while the Día de Muertos exhibit demonstrates how museums can engage with community memory and current events. The variety of venues—from major encyclopedic museums to smaller university galleries—reflects the depth and breadth of Chicago's visual art ecosystem.