The Art Institute of Chicago is at once a school and a world class museum, with a collection of masterpieces that's nothing short of staggering. It's been one of Chicago's top attractions since it first opened in 1893, but rather than rest on its laurels, the museum has continued to evolve throughout the years, and visitors today can be among the first to walk through two brand new galleries. Designed by the Renzo Piano Building Workshop, the Alsdorf Galleries provide a home to the museum's Indian, Southeast Asian, Himalayan, and Islamic Art, which in the past was only accessible to the public during special exhibitions. The Impressionist Galleries, meanwhile, got a dramatic makeover to celebrate the return of the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collection - including masterpieces by Monet, Gauguin, and Degas - following a loan to the Kimbell Art Museum in Forth Worth, Texas. Renoir's 1881 painting Two Sisters (pictured) has never looked better. The museum is located in downtown Chicago, and is convenient to several Starwood properties, including the W Chicago - City Center.

[image via Art Institute of Chicago]