About Chicago

We are excited to meet you in the Windy City for the 54th EMGS Annual Meeting! While you are attending the meeting, take in the sites of the city by boat cruise, experience Chicago's award-winning museums, and try the tastes of Chicago from hot dogs and deep dish to acclaimed fine dining.

The Art Institute of Chicago

• A three-minute walk from the Palmer House.
• Featuring 300,000 works from all over the world, with art and artifacts spanning 5,000 BC to the present.
• The museum boasts the largest Impressionist collection outside of Paris, including works by Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet and Georges Seurat.

• The public can enjoy the following public museum areas free of charge:

  • The Ryan Learning Center in the Modern Wing
  • The North and South Gardens (accessible from Michigan Avenue)
  • The Nichols Bridgeway connecting the museum to Millennium Park
  • The Bluhm Family Terrace on the 3rd floor of the west pavilion of the Modern Wing

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra

• A four-minute walk from the Palmer House.
• Built in 1904, this music complex hosts the Chicago Symphony Orchestra & classical & jazz concerts.

Cloud Gate "The Bean"

• A seven-minute walk from the Palmer House, located in Millenium Park.
• The Bean, officially named Cloud Gate, is one of the world’s largest permanent outdoor art installations in the heart of Chicago and is recognized as an icon of the city.

The Chicago Cultural Center

• A six-minute walk from the Palmer House
• The building was originally constructed in 1897 as Chicago's first central public library.
• Located on the south side of the building is the world’s largest stained-glass Tiffany dome, arching 38-feet overhead with over 30,000 pieces of glass. On the north side is another dome, constructed in the renaissance style, measuring 40-feet with over 50,000 pieces of glass.
• Every year, the Chicago Cultural Center presents hundreds of free international, national, regional and local artists, musicians and performers, providing a showcase where the public can enjoy and learn about the arts.

Food

Russian Tea Time Restaurant

• A two-minute walk from the Palmer House
• This upscale restaurant features delicious Russian food & house-infused vodkas served in an elegant, wood-accented dining room.

The Grillroom Chophouse & Wine Bar

• A two-minute walk from the Palmer House
• This Chicago Loop steakhouse with modern decor serves all-natural steaks, salads, seafood, pasta & wine.

The Gage

• A three-minute walk from the Palmer House
• This inventive American eatery boasts a long list of beers in a lively space with views of Millennium Park.

The Berghoff Restaurant

• A two-minute walk from the Palmer House
• A Chicago institution since 1898, this iconic eatery serves traditional German cuisine & steins of beer in an old-world setting.