Museum of Science and Industry
Chicago Museum of Science and Industry Credit Danielle Bopp
Since the museum opened in 1933, the Museum of Science and Industry has welcomed over 180 million visitors through their doors. Spanning over 400,000 square feet, this museum has been named one of the seven wonders of Chicago and is the largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere. Over 35,000 artifacts fill the space with hands-on activities, interactive experiences, and fascinating informational displays to encourage a love for learning about the science-filled world around us.
Located in the Hyde Park section of Grant Park, the museum is centrally located near several other popular attractions such as the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, and the Chicago Art Institute.
Permanent exhibitions include the U-505 Submarine, the only German submarine in the U.S., captured during WWII, the first diesel-electric passenger train the Pioneer Zephyr, and a life-size coal mine into which you can descend to learn about American mining techniques and the dangers inside coal mines. Farm Tech, Genetics, and the Baby Chick Hatchery, and Numbers in Nature: A Mirror Maze are all interactive exhibits that focus on relevant scientific principles and subjects that affect our everyday lives. The museum is also home to Chicago’s only five-story, domed, wrap-around theater, the Omnimax. Daily showings are given of Humpback Whales and Journey Into Space.
Perfect for an educational tour or a day touring what Chicago has to offer, the Museum of Science and Industry was designed by masterminds. The gorgeous building and landscaped surroundings offer lovely views while the interior is an intense learning environment filled with every science theme imaginable and enough up-close, hands-on activities to make it fun even for the most stubborn of students.
The museum is open daily except for Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
