The University of Chicago's fine arts museum, with a permanent collection of over 15,000 works spanning ancient Greece through contemporary art. The Smart is small relative to the Art Institute but unusually strong in its areas of focus: European modernism, ancient Asian works, and 20th-century American art. The photography collection is particularly good.
Free admission and a manageable scale make the Smart a better first choice than the more famous Rockefeller Memorial Chapel for visitors with limited time in Hyde Park. The building is on the south campus quad; the surrounding university architecture provides context for understanding the collection. Open Tuesday–Sunday; free.