Things to do in Chicago today

The Rock Island Public House hosts a themed drive-in movie series every weekend, screening classic genre flicks accompanied by beer and food that you can enjoy in your car. Upcoming weekends will feature kung-fu movies, romantic films and more. Screenings are free to attend and first come, first served, so check out the calendar and show up early to secure your spot in front of the makeshift screen!

After taking most of the winter off, Art on theMart is back with another 25-story-tall video installation that takes over the side of the Merchandise Mart. The new program is based around a collaboration with the Adler Planetarium, transporting viewers into the cosmos with scientific visualizations that demonstrate just how gigantic the universe really is.  Entitled Astrographics, the 16-minute video was created using imagery from telescopes around the world. You'll be able to see images of black holes, other planets, stars and more amazing images that offer a peek at what lies beyond our solar system. The program is accompanied by an appropirately trippy soundtrack assembled from Experimental Sound Studio's Sun Ra Arkestra archives. Art on theMART's array of 34 digital projectors will fire back up on April 1, displaying the 30-minute program at 8:30 and 9pm every evening through April 30. Showtimes will shift to 9 and 9:30pm from May 1 through July 4. The show is best viewed from the section of the Chicago Riverwalk between Wells Street and Franklin Street, though there is a 100-person capacity limit and face coverings are required.

Step inside of Starry Night and The Bedroom in Arles with the help of more than 50 digital projectors in this high-tech exhibition that explores the work of Vincent Van Gogh. Designed by the Italian creative team that worked on the "Atelier des Lumières" exhibitions in Paris, "Immersive Van Gogh" covers 35-foot walls with animated versions of the Dutch painters work, accompanied by a score that blends electronic and classical compositions. The show takes up residence in the Germania Club Building in Old Town, which will go by the name Lighthouse ArtSpace Chicago and host additional interactive art exhibitions in the coming years. Occupying four rooms in the space, the "Immersive Van Gogh" presentation is around 35-minutes in length, with mostly-identical projections displayed in each of the rooms throughout the show. Visitors to "Immersive Van Gogh" will find a variety of saftey measures in place, including social distancing circles within the exhibit, reduced capacity, a touchless ticketing system and face covering requirements for all guests. "Immersive Van Gogh" is currently scheduled to run through September 6.

During the summer, one of the best aerial displays you'll find in Chicago originates from Navy Pier. To celebrate the reopening of the lakefront attraction, Navy Pier will host a 10-minute fireworks show every Saturday night during May—and there's a chance the the usual slate of bi-weekly shows could return this summer.  The fireworks will begin at 9pm each Saturday and you're welcome to enjoy them from Navy Pier's various public spaces. Of course, you can also take in the show from nearby beaches or while cruising along the Lakefront Trail.

The home of Chicago's only Infinity Mirror Room (created by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama) is open to the public once again, presenting a new collection of one-of-a-kind art installations alongside some old favorites. New additions to WNDR Museum include a multi-sensory experience from S̶A̶N̶T̶IA̶G̶O̶X that uses artificial intelligence, sounds, visuals and scents, as well as an installation called I Heard There Was a Secret Chord that allows guests to become part of an evolving virtual choir. Like many galleries and museums, WNDR will be open at a limited capacity, with temperature checks, hand sanitizing stations, increased airflow and manditory mask use in place to help protect staff and guests. Frontline workers can recieve free admission to WNDR Museum from 11am to noon on Saturdays and Sundays by emailing hello@wndrmuseum.com.

Every Saturday through August, the Puerto Rican Cultural Center is teaming up with businesses on Paseo Boricua (a section of Division Street) in Humboldt Park to host a series of events. Visitors will be able to shop the wares of local street vendors, take in cultural performances such as DJs and salsa dancers and support the businesses that make up Chicago's Puerto Rican community. Check out the El Jolgorio de Salsa y Más Facebook page for the latest updates from organizers.

Iron Man, Spider-Man, Black Window and more famous costumed crusaders take over the Museum of Science and Industry in this pop-culture-focused exhibition that explore more than 80 years of Marvel comics, movies and memoribelia. You'll find more than 300 items on display, include costumes and props from Marvel movies and original art created for the company's comic books. Much of the exhibit takes design cues from the popular Marvel cinematic universe, including a mirrored room inspired by the trippy visuals of Doctor Strange and a recreation of Tony Stark's lab as it appeared in the Iron Man films, stocked with multiple versions of armor. You'll be able to snap photos with recreations of some of your favorite character and learn how a comic company became a multi-media cultural juggernaut.

The Art Institute of Chicago has a special relationship with famed impressionist Claude Monet, hosting his debut U.S. solo show in 1895 and was the first American museum to buy one of his paintings. This came about in part due to the interest of Chicago-based collectors, who were early supports of the the painters work, buying many of his canvases.  "Monet and Chicago" acts as an homage to the city's connection to the “father of Impressionism,” showcasing a mixture of major works as well as rarely seen sketches and landscapes sourced from local collections. Visitors will be able to take in early works like Apple Trees, Vétheuil and On the Bank of the Seine, Bennecourt, as well as canvases from his Stacks of Wheat series.

Ready to explore Chicago's amazing architecture while floating on the river? The Chicago Architecture Foundation Center River Cruise takes place aboard a Chicago’s First Lady boat, transporting guests on a 90-minute tour that traverses three branches of the Chicago River and explores the stories behind more than 50 buildings that make up the city's iconic skyline. What separates the Chicago Architecture Foundation Center River Cruise from similar tours are the knowledgeable Chicago Architecture Center docents that lead each excursion. You'll be able to chat with experts who know the nitty-gritty details of Chicago architecture and are eager to help you learn more about the structures surrounding you—something that makes this attraction appealing to tourists and longtime residents. All tours depart from the Chicago’s First Lady dock on the Chicago Riverwalk, located just down the stairs from the northeast corner of Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive. If you want to continue learning about Chicago's buildings after your tour, you can add a Chicago Architecture Center ticket for just $5—and it's good for seven days after you board the boat.

You may not be able to see a show at the Civic Opera House right now, but the Lyric Opera has made recording of some of its most famous shows available through various streaming platforms. Lyric Opera Streaming On Demand presents archival audio recordings of complete shows, featuring some of opera's biggest stars backed by a full orchestra and chorus. New shows are being release each week, including a 2019 staging of Luisa Miller, a 2014 performance of Don Giovanni and a 2019 recording of Elektra. Check out the Lyrics Opera's website for a complete list of available recordings and where you can listen to them.

When multi-instrumentalist NNAMDÏ released BRAT last year, the world was a few weeks into a pandemic and planned tour in support of the album was canceled. A year later, NNAMDÏ has already released new music into the world (including the Looney Tunes-inspired Krazy Karl LP) and is finally bringing BRAT to life onstage. Performing live from Lincoln Hall as part of Audiotree's STAGED concert series, NNAMDÏ will play all of the hip-hop- and math rock-tinged on the record with the help of some talented friends, finally giving BRAT the release show it deserves.

Learn about the life of Nelson Mandela and his long fight against apartheid in South Africa and racial injustice around the world through this exhibition at the Illinois Holocaust Museum. The exhibit celebrates the life of Mandela and seeks to empower visitors to fight the racism, antisemitism and injustice that still exists in the modern world. “Mandela: Struggle for Freedom” collects original letters and documents that Mandela penned, displayed alongside a recreation of the tiny prison cell where Mandela spent 18 years of his life and the small apartment that served as the backdrop for his first televised interview.

With its stages closed to the public for the time-being, the Steppenwolf NOW programming stream is a way to see groundbreaking new theater without leaving the house. A $75 membership gives you access to six works, which will premiere between November 2020 and June 2021. Playwright James Ijames kicks things off in November with the concise 20-minute play What is Left, Burns, which follows a video call between ex-lovers at very different points in their lives. Other works to look forward to include Isaac Gómez's department store drama Wally World, Carrie Coon in a new short called Red Folder and Sam Shepard's two-hander Ages of the Moon. Find the complete lineup of Steppenwolf NOW plays and additional details about virtual membership on the theater company's website.

Illusionist and actor Dennis Watkins dips into his ample trunk of wondrous effects, taking his long-running Palmer House magic show into your living room with streaming performances. Up to 10 guests can gather around a computer (cocktail attire is recommended) with a deck of cards and settle in for an evening of interactive magic and mind-reading, delivered via the internet. Only 30 tickets are sold for each performance, so lock down a date and prepare to have your mind blown.