This tiny exhibition space run by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs rests smack in the middle of the city's most popular tourist attractions and most vibrant retail district. Somehow its curators rise above the distractions to produce engaging shows showcasing local photographers, from the university level to local celebs like Victor Skrebneski. That's not to say you won't be drawn to all the activity outside its windows—Michigan Avenue's prime people watching is only a few feet away—but City Gallery is a perfect place to pop in for an art break in between shopping the tony department stores and upscale chocolatiers.

As you'd expect from its name, City Gallery highlights Chicago photographers shooting Chicago scenes. The former visitor's information center was converted to a gallery space in 1999 at the behest of the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) Commissioner Lois Weisberg and has since featured four group and solo exhibitions per year, boasting over 100,000 visitors annually. The work is typically museum-quality, ranging from snapshots of urban life to conceptual compositions. In 2007, DCA and Columbia College Chicago's photography department commenced a partnership to curate and install City Gallery exhibitions and announced plans for group thematic exhibitions of work drawn from an open submissions process.

The majestic stone structure housing the gallery is a celebrated landmark and a remnant of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, saved by an intrepid city worker who furiously pumped water at the flames and sacrificed himself to preserve his station. According to a popular urban legend, that brave man's spirit haunts the place and, if you listen closely, you'll hear his ghost wailing through the upper reaches.

Centerstage Reviewer: Justin Sondak