We stepped out into what was easily the coldest day yet in Chicago, bundled up and ready for another full day of exploring. Our first stop was the Chicago Board of Trade, where we paused to admire its striking Art Deco architecture—a landmark we had missed on our Saturday tour.
From there, we made our way to the Art Institute of Chicago, where Mark had already signed us up for a membership. That meant early access—an hour before the general public—which was a total game-changer. It was a quiet Monday morning to begin with, but we practically had the galleries to ourselves.
We started with the Impressionists, always a personal favorite. The museum’s collection is extraordinary, with several of Monet’s haystacks. Standing in front of them, it’s hard not to be pulled in by the sheer magic of how Claude Monet captured something so ordinary—a simple stack of hay—and turned it into a study of light, color, and atmosphere that feels almost otherworldly.
The museum owns several of these paintings, each depicting the same subject but in different times of day, seasons, and weather conditions—a sunrise bathed in gold, a frosty morning in violet-blue shadows, a warm twilight in hazy pinks.
As we wandered, TJ and Greer gradually warmed up to the experience, showing real interest. Sophia, on the other hand, looked like she’d rather lose a limb than spend another minute there.
We continued through the galleries, taking in the stunning Tiffany stained glass window, Marc Chagall’s “America Windows”, and a range of modern art. Greer was especially taken with Jackson Pollock’s piece, “Greyed Rainbow”, drawn in by the chaos and color.
We wrapped up with the exhibition: Myth and Marble: Ancient Roman Sculpture from the Torlonia Collection. This was a rare privilege—the Torlonia Collection is one of the most important private collections of classical sculpture in the world, and it had been hidden away from public view for decades.
The exhibit was beautifully curated, with 58 mainly marble works from large-scale figures of gods and goddesses to portraits of emperors and magnificent funerary monuments dating mainly from the Roman Imperial Period. Twenty-four works have not been seen publicly in over 70 years and have been newly conserved for this exhibition.
While we were inside, snow had started to fall—magical, but a clear sign it was time to grab an Uber to our next destination: the Field Museum of Natural History. First order of business: lunch, which definitely lifted everyone’s spirits. This stop was much more Sophia’s vibe—the museum is hands-on and interactive, which made a big difference.
We wandered through a variety of fascinating exhibits, including “Inside Ancient Egypt”, complete with mummies and centuries-old artifacts that brought ancient history to life. TJ was keen to see the exhibit called “The Machine Inside: Biomechanics” given his recent study into biomechanics in PE at school. The exhibit breaks down the mechanics behind how both animals and humans move—everything from the force in a cheetah’s sprint to the strength behind a chimpanzee’s grip. It was hands-on and engaging.
We couldn’t come all the way from New Zealand and not see the M?ori Meeting House, built in 1881 on Tokomaru Bay near Gisborne and one of only three such meeting houses outside New Zealand.
We ended our visit with the legendary T. rex named Sue, the world’s most complete and best-preserved Tyrannosaurus rex fossil. Standing at over 40 feet long and 13 feet tall at the hips, Sue is an awe-inspiring sight.
We learned that Sue is over 67 million years old, and was discovered in South Dakota in 1990. The fossil has an incredible backstory involving a major legal battle over ownership before finally landing at the Field Museum, where she’s been a star attraction ever since.
The skull alone is so heavy (over 270 kgs) that it’s displayed separately in a glass case with interesting details about Sue’s life, injuries, and even theories about how she may have died.
Mark and TJ braved the cold for a quick walk to Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears, which is just next door. Us girls were perfectly content to stay warm inside the museum.
Later, we caught another Uber back to the accomodation and enjoyed some downtime before dinner. We kept it simple with hot meals from Whole Foods, then stopped by Walgreens on the way home for snacks and supplies for tomorrow’s drive. After that, it was time for packing and an early night—we’ve got an early start in the morning.