+1 773 684 1414
site: Museum of Science and Industry
| RealTravel Rating | -- |
|---|---|
| Popularity | A++ Top 50 |
Description
Description
Even if you don't plan on spending the day in
Hyde Park, you'll pass through the neighborhood on your way to one
of Chicago's most popular tourist attractions. The massive Museum
of Science and Industry is the granddaddy of interactive museums,
with some 2,000 exhibits. Schedule at least 3 hours here; a
comprehensive visit can take all day, especially if you catch an
OMNIMAX movie.While the museum is constantly adding new
displays to cover the latest scientific breakthroughs, you
shouldn't miss certain tried-and-true exhibits that have been here
for years and epitomize the museum for Chicagoans. The
U-505, a German submarine that was captured in 1944 and
arrived at the museum 10 years later, brings home the
claustrophobic reality of underwater naval life. The sub was
completely rehabbed in 2005 and is now displayed in a dramatic
indoor arena, with exhibits and newsreel footage that put the
U-boat in historical context (a guided tour of the sub's interior
costs $5 extra, but the exhibit is worth visiting even if you don't
go inside). The full-scale Coal Mine, which dates to 1934,
now incorporates modern mining techniques into the exhibit -- but
the best part is the simulated trip down into a dark, mysterious
mine. Get to these exhibits quickly after the museum opens because
they attract amusement-park-length lines during the day.Kids who love planes, trains, and automobiles
shouldn't miss
All Aboard the Silver Streak,
a
refurbished Burlington Pioneer Zephyr train with onboard
interactive exhibits; the massive model-train exhibit that makes up
The Great Train Story
; or
Take Flight,
an aviation exhibit featuring a full-size 727 airplane that revs up
its engines and replays the voice recordings from a San
Francisco-Chicago flight periodically throughout the day.
Networld
, which offers a flashy immersion in the
Internet (with plenty of interactive screens), will entrance
computer addicts. More low-tech -- but fun for kids -- are
The Farm
(where children can sit at the wheel of a
giant combine) and the chick hatchery inside the exhibit
Genetics: Decoding Life,
where you can watch as tiny
newborn chicks poke their way out of eggs.
Enterprise
immerses minicapitalists in the goings-on of a virtual company and
includes an entire automated toy-making assembly line. If you have
really little ones (under age 5), head for the
Idea
Factory,
which is filled with hands-on play equipment
(admission is limited to a set number of kids, so pick up a free
timed ticket in advance).I hate to indulge in gender stereotypes, but
girls (myself included) love Colleen Moore's Fairy Castle, a
lavishly decorated miniature palace filled with priceless treasures
(yes, those are real diamonds and pearls in the chandeliers). The
castle is hidden away on the lower level. Also tucked away in an
inconspicuous spot -- along the Blue stairwell between the Main
Floor and the Balcony -- are the
Human Body Slices,
actual slivers of human cadavers that are guaranteed to impress
teenagers in search of something truly gross.A major addition to the museum is the
Henry Crown Space Center, which documents the story of space
exploration in copious detail, highlighted by a simulated
space-shuttle experience through sight and sound at the center's
five-story OMNIMAX Theater. The theater offers double features on
the weekends; call for showtimes.When you've worked up an appetite, you can
visit the museum's large food court or the old-fashioned ice-cream
parlor; there's also an excellent gift shop.Although it's quite a distance from the rest
of Chicago's tourist attractions, the museum is easy enough to
reach without a car; your best options are the no. 6 Jeffrey
Express bus and the Metra Electric train from downtown (the no. 10
bus runs from downtown to the museum's front entrance during the
summer).
Note: This information
was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice.
Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the
companies in question before planning your trip.
Price
Admission to museum only: $9 adults, $7.50 seniors, $5 children 3-11, free for children under 3. Free admission Mon-Tues mid-Sept to Nov and Jan-Feb. Combination museum and OMNIMAX Theater: $15 adults, $13 seniors, $10 children 3-11, free for children under 3 on an adult's lapCredit Cards Accepted
visa,mastercard,amexDirections
Bus: 6 or Metra Electric train to 57th St. and Lake Park AveArea
57th St. and Lake Shore DrHours
Memorial Day to Labor Day Mon-Sat 9:30am-5:30pm, Sun 11am-5:30pm; early Sept to late May Mon-Sat 9:30am-4pm, Sun 11am-4pmNearby Attractions
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