Plant Portraits

Plant Portraits: The California Legacy of A.R. Valentien will showcase 35 of Valentien's watercolor paintings, which portray California's flower population. The exhibit will run now through Jan. 7, 2008. General admission to The Field Museum is $12 for adults, $7 for children 4 to 11, seniors and students get in free with ID. The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. FYI: Call (312) 922-9410 or visit www.fieldmuseum.org.

Exhibit

A Blessing to One Another: Pope John Paul II and the Jewish People is on display through Aug. 11 at the Loyola Museum of Art. Text panels, electronic video panels, artifacts and photographs tell the story of World War II's hardships, the rise to the Papacy, a renewed friendship and the groundbreaking reconciliation between the Vatican and Israel.

FYI: Visit www.luc.edu/luma.

Loop train tour

A free 40-minute tour of Chicago's business district takes place Saturdays, now through September, meeting at the Chicago Cultural Center. Learn about the area's 100-year history and the city's elevated train system. The Chicago Architecture Foundation guides the tour.

FYI: Visit www.cityofchicago.org/culturalaffairs.

Niki in the Garden

Niki in the garden, an outdoor sculpture exhibition, runs through Oct. 31 at Garfield Park Conservatory, 300 N. Central Park Ave. Admission is free for children, with a $5 suggested donation per adult. There are more than 30 sculptures to see.

FYI: Visit www.chicagoparkdistrict.com.

Adler Planetarium

Adler Planetarium has three floors of exhibits on astronomy, space exploration, telescopes and navigation. The museum is at 1300 S. Lake Shore Drive. Its hours are 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends. The first Friday of every month it is open from 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

FYI: Call (312) 922-STAR or visit www.adlerplanetarium.org.

Shedd Aquarium

John G. Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S. Lake Shore Drive, offers the world's largest indoor aquarium with more than 8,000 freshwater and marine animals. The Oceanarium shows marine life of the Pacific Northwest region - home to whales, dolphins, sea otters and more. Through summer 2008, Faust, the Komodo dragon, with his court of 25 other lizard species, continues his reign at Shedd. Faust is the first live Komodo dragon ever on display in Chicago.

FYI: Call (312) 986-2302 or visit www.sheddaquarium.org.

Beverly Arts Center

The Beverly Arts Center, in Chicago's Beverly/Morgan Park neighborhood, is a cultural center offering classes in art, music, dance, and theater; rotating exhibitions of contemporary art; and a performing arts program. The not-for-profit cultural and educational institution is at 2407 W. 111th St.

FYI: Visit beverlyartcenter.org.