CHICAGO — A wide-ranging lineup of exhibitions across Chicago and its suburbs is set to enrich the cultural landscape this summer, offering experiences that span from pop culture to historical reflection and international art.
Among the highlights is “Marvel’s Spider-Man: Beyond Amazing — The Exhibition”, an immersive tribute to the iconic superhero that opens this month at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry. The showcase, running through February 8, 2026, chronicles Spider-Man’s evolution from his 1962 comic book debut to his appearances across film, television, and video games. The exhibit includes original artwork, rare comics, film props, costumes, and interactive installations.
In Glen Ellyn, the Cleve Carney Museum of Art presents “Hokusai & Ukiyo-e: The Floating World, Artworks From the Chiossone Collection” from May 31 to September 21. Featuring woodblock prints and paintings never before displayed in the United States, the exhibition includes masterpieces by Japanese artists Hokusai and Hiroshige. It explores the Edo-period Ukiyo-e art movement and offers immersive cultural elements such as a Japanese garden and anime section.
Nature also takes center stage at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle with “Vivid Creatures: Colorful Sculptures as Tall as Trees”. Open since May 17, the exhibition features monumental sculptures of native animals, including the white-tailed deer and sandhill crane, crafted by artists Heather and Fez BeGaetz.
Other suburban exhibitions include:
“Crossings” at the Elmhurst Art Museum (May 30–August 31), featuring outdoor vehicle sculptures and paintings by Bernard Williams. The works explore past engineering innovations and highlight Black contributions to transportation and agriculture.
“Butterflies and Blooms” at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe (May 26–September 1), where butterflies from four continents flutter through a 2,800-square-foot habitat, showcasing their life cycles and environmental roles.
“Resilience: A Sensei Sense of Legacy” and “Shtetl in the Sun: Andy Sweet’s South Beach 1977-1980” at the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Skokie (through June 1). The exhibits address Japanese-American internment during WWII and South Florida’s Jewish community in the late 1970s, respectively.
“Acre By Acre: Our Farming Heritage” at the Elmhurst History Museum (through August 10), tracing DuPage County’s transformation from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture.
In Chicago, the Museum of Contemporary Art is hosting “Paul Pfeiffer: Prologue to the Story of the Birth of Freedom” through August 31. The exhibition features the artist’s multimedia work examining celebrity culture and collective memory.
The Richard H. Driehaus Museum presents “Rory McEwen: A New Perspective on Nature” (through August 17), spotlighting over 100 pieces by the Scottish botanical artist whose work bridged traditional and modernist aesthetics.
At the Museum of Contemporary Photography, “Collaboration: A Potential History of Photography in Dialogue With the MoCP Collection” (May 30–August 16) explores visual storytelling through 80 works by 29 artists, contextualized with commentary from both photographers and their subjects.
Meanwhile, the National Museum of Mexican Art continues “Puntadas del Alma, Told Through Quilts” through October 12. The exhibition elevates the work of female quiltmakers, presenting their textiles as emotive narratives of resilience, memory, and shared identity.
These exhibitions reflect a vibrant summer season across the region’s cultural institutions, offering something for art lovers, history buffs, and pop culture fans alike.
