The cultural star of the city’s Far South, this
museum was the first in North America to introduce interactive exhibits,
with a record of innovative, hands-on displays dating back to the
1930s. More than one million visitors flock annually to this vast
neoclassical building, which houses more than 800 exhibits and is a
Chicago must-see, especially for families. Make sure you arrive rested,
since it takes a whole day to hit just the top attractions.
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57th Street & Lake Shore Drive
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1 773 684 1414
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www.msichicago.org
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Metra station: 55th/56th/57th
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Open 9:30am–4pm Mon–Sat, 11am–4pm Sun
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Adm.: adults $11,children (3–11) $7; including one Omnimax show: adults $17,children $12
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The museum has two main
entrances – the Great Hall (ground level) and the Henry Crown Space
Center entrance (for the Omnimax Theater). Head first to tour-only
displays – the Silver Streak, U-505, and the Coal Mine – as later in the
day waits for these can be more than an hour. If purchasing Omnimax
tickets choose a later time, when you’ll truly appreciate sitting down.
Strollers can be rented for $2 in the Great Hall.
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Great Hall entrance
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The Brain Food Court serves above-average fare including wood-fired pizzas, and made-to-order salads and sandwiches.
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Advance tickets reserved on the Internet or telephone cost an extra $2 each but are worth it on busy weekends.
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Additional Omnimax tickets can be bought for $6 (adults) and $5 (children 3–11) at all museum entrances.
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Top 10 Features
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Apollo 8 Command Module
This,
the first manned spacecraft to orbit the moon, offers a genuine peek
into the 1960s space race. The historic photos, space suits, and
training module on display all help set the scene.
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The Great Train Story
Thirty-four
miniature trains race past skyscrapers, through prairies, and over the
Rockies to the Pacific Docks on 1,425 ft (437 m) of track that
replicates the 2,200-mile (3540 km) train trip from Chicago to Seattle.
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Walk-Through Heart
A
museum favorite since the 1940s, this 20-ft (6-m) tall model of the
human heart would fit inside the chest of a 28-story person. Enter its
chambers to see the marvel of human engineering.
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The Coal Mine
Venture
down a simulated 600 ft (184 m) in an authentic shaft elevator to
discover how coal was extracted in the 1930s compared to today. The mini
train ride enhances the underground illusion.
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Colleen Moore’s Fairy Castle
Star
of the silent screen, Colleen Moore commissioned the design of this
lavish 9-sq-ft (0.8 sq-m) castle and lovingly filled it with over 2,000
one-twelfth-scaled objects, including the world’s smallest Bible.
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All Aboard the Silver Streak
Both
Art Deco design aficionados and rail buffs alike are drawn to this
streamlined, vintage Zephyr train with its ground-breaking
diesel-electric engine. Onboard visits are by tour only.
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Yesterday’s Main Street
A
cobblestone, shop-lined street gives a taste of 1910 Chicago, with a
cinema screening free silent movies and a traditional ice-cream parlor
serving sweet treats at present-day prices.
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Omnimax Theater
Films
shown in this five-story theater make the viewers feel like they are
right in the thick of the on-screen adventures. Films on a rotating
program are screened about every 50 minutes.
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ToyMaker 3000
Twelve
robotic arms work the assembly line to produce toy top after colorful
top in this display of computer integrated manufacturing technology. You
can race a robot to see who can trace letters faster, and souvenir tops
come gratis.
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U-505 Submarine
Take
a tour around this 1941 German U-boat: captured during World War II, it
looks much as it did then, complete with an Enigma codebreaking
machine.
