Published 09/14/2026

Beyond the Booth: What to Do in Chicago During IMTS 2026

IMTS 2026 runs September 14–19 at McCormick Place, and the show floor will rightly take most of your attention. But the largest manufacturing technology event in the Western Hemisphere happens to land in one of the country’s great cities, and a couple of well-chosen hours away from the booth can make the trip. Here is how to make the most of Chicago between sessions.

Edited by: MMS Editorial Team

Source: Getty Images

The good news for anyone short on time: some of Chicago’s best attractions are practically next door to the show. McCormick Place sits a short distance from the lakefront Museum Campus, Chinatown and the South Loop, with downtown and the Magnificent Mile a quick ride north.

Right Next Door: the Museum Campus

The lakefront Museum Campus is the easiest cultural escape from the show, just minutes from McCormick Place. The Field Museum (open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m) is one of the largest natural history museums in the world — home to Sue the T. rex, an Egyptian mummy collection, and gem and fossil halls that reward even a 90-minute visit. Next door, the Shedd Aquarium (open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m, with extended evening hours on Tuesday and Wednesday) houses thousands of aquatic animals, and the Adler Planetarium (open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m, with extended evening hours on Wednesday) offers sky shows and one of the best skyline photo vantage points in the city, looking back at downtown across the water. Any of the three fit neatly into a half-day or an early evening after the floor closes.

The Classic Chicago Hits

If this is your first time in the city, a few landmarks are worth the trip. Millennium Park and its mirrored Cloud Gate sculpture — “The Bean” — sit at the north end of Grant Park, walkable to the Art Institute of Chicago, one of the country’s premier art museums. The Riverwalk along the Chicago River is a pleasant stroll lined with restaurants and bars, and a Chicago architecture river cruise remains the best way to understand the city’s skyline; tours run frequently from the river’s edge downtown. For the highest views, the observation decks at Willis Tower (Skydeck) and 360 Chicago at the former Hancock building both deliver.

See a Ballgame

Baseball season is still in full swing during IMTS week. The Chicago Cubs host the Atlanta Braves at Wrigley Field on September 14, 15 and 16 — the first three days of the show — making an evening game an easy add to your itinerary. Wrigley, one of the oldest ballparks in the majors, is an experience in itself even if you are not a baseball fan. (The Cubs are on the road the weekend after the show, so check the White Sox schedule at Rate Field if you are staying through the weekend.)

Music, Blues and Nightlife

Chicago is a blues city, and you do not have to go far. Buddy Guy’s Legends in the South Loop is a short ride from McCormick Place and a genuine institution, with live music most nights. Reggies nearby offers a more casual rock-club vibe. For a livelier evening, River North and the West Loop are dense with bars and lounges. If you want something quintessentially Chicago, catch a set of live jazz or blues — the city’s clubs run late and welcome out-of-towners.

Time Your Visit to a Festival

Mid-September is peak festival season in Chicago, and several events overlap or bracket the show. The Chicago International Latino Theater Festival runs September 15 through October 11, with performances around the city throughout show week. If you are staying into the weekend of September 19–20, your options multiply — see the companion guide on staying through the weekend for the full slate.

Getting Around

Rideshare and taxis are the simplest way to move between McCormick Place and downtown, though show-week demand can mean surge pricing in the evenings. The CTA “L” trains are inexpensive and efficient: the Green and Red lines connect the McCormick Place area to downtown, Wrigleyville and beyond. McCormick Place also runs shuttle service to many official IMTS hotels during the show — check the IMTS app for routes and times. If you are heading to Wrigley Field, the Red Line drops you a short walk from the ballpark and avoids game-night traffic entirely.

A final word of advice: build in the time deliberately. It is easy to spend six straight days inside McCormick Place and never see the city around it. An hour at the lakefront or an evening at a ballgame is not time lost — it is part of what makes the trip to Chicago worth making.