link http://www.msichicago.org/
phone (773) 684-1414
The Museum of Science and Industry (MSI) is located in Chicago, Illinois, in Jackson Park, in the Hyde Park neighborhood between Lake Michigan and The University of Chicago. It is housed in the former Palace of Fine Arts from the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Initially endowed by Julius Rosenwald, the Sears, Roebuck and Company president and philanthropist, it was supported by the Commercial Club of Chicago and opened in 1933 during the Century of Progress Exposition.
Monday | 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM |
Tuesday | 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM |
Wednesday | 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM |
Thursday | 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM |
Friday | 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM |
Saturday | 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM |
Sunday | 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM |
This is by far my favorite museum in Chicago. Membership is a great option. The exhibits are all very interactive and cool. My kids get engaged in almost all of them. The science comes alive for them. Parking on site is easy. Very roomy and not too busy. The U Boat tour is awesome and should not be missed. Coal mine was great too!
This is a great place to bring your family. Like most family-friendly places in Chicago it can be pricey. There is an initial entry fee and some of the exhibits charge an additional fee. It is a fun place and an educational adventure for children. Many of the exhibits are hands-on which children love. The place is massive so there is a lot of walking. You can purchase lunch at the museum or you can bring your lunch and purchase drinks.
This place is great. Many contemporary, futuristic, historical and obscure exhibits. The basic package lets you see most of what is offered. There are two cafés which seemed clean despite all the small children jumping about. Parking should be 10 dollars less. And they should strongly consider adding some heater pods in it. Perhaps even removing it all together and inventing a more sustainable structure that does not leak, is temperature regulated, and has parking spaces by vehicle type.
Great building and fun museum for both kids and adults. Try to go when it isn't so crowded so you can participate and actually try the experiments. Some of the experiments are showing their age has they have been handled a lot. But I recently went with another friend and we're both in our 20s but still had a good time. Parking at the museum is pretty pricey so try to park close then walk. Plan for a few hours as you'll need plenty of time to visit everything. Well worth it, especially to avoid a cold windy day outside.
Such a great time! There is so much to see and do, plan on spending the full day. Do yourself a Big favor and buy the tickets online before you go. Otherwise you'll spend hours waiting in line for tickets. Saw the Lego 'Brick by Brick' exhibit, it was cool, but I honestly thought it would be better. I thought there would be more Lego sculptures. Also saw the coal mine exhibit, that was neat and really interesting. If you have claustrophobia and/or are afraid of the dark, I would not recommend it. The museum has free days during the week which is awesome if you can get everyone to take a day off to go. There is still a charge for some of the exhibits, but its the best day to go because you'll spend half as much.
We only had about four hours to spend here. But you could easily spend the day getting lost in this Museum all of the exhibits are very well done. I particularly enjoyed the U-505 display and the tour. It was very insightful and very interesting. I had never seen a U-boat before and was fascinated by it. What a great place to go. Our son thoroughly enjoyed the Lego program. There were lots of things to see and do please make sure to have enough time to see it all.
Where do I start? There is so much to do and see that everyone finds that one cool thing they enjoy. One staff member was extremely personable and talked to my daughter about the possibilities ahead of her in science since she loves math and that it takes hard work. She was genuinely interested. Additionally, he said, "We need more women scientists because they bring a whole new perspective to science." How cool is that?! We didn't have a chance to explore everything but felt fulfilled by the end of experience.
Loved our visit here. Went during spring break and it was VERY crowded, but was still able to enjoy the exhibits. Booking a show in the giant dome is a MUST(oceans was beautiful) leave plenty of time to look at the model train city scape! Also enjoyed the genetics lab with hatching chicks and cloned mice. Recommend checking your coat in winter because so much is interactive(only $3 per item.)
Very unique museum, wished we had a full day there. The place was so huge and had so much to see and learn. The man who we bought the tickets from was a very nice man and made our stay even more worth while. Great museum. I will say the one thing that is not great about it is it is far away from all the other places. But either or it is enjoyable.
My partner bought me a family membership for mother's day. Best decision ever. We live in Northwest Indiana but it's so easy to just jump on the toll road and be there in 30 minutes. So many discounts included with our membership. The exhibits are so fun and interactive. There is always something new to see.
We've been several times. It's always fun for the kids and the adults. The Mirror maze was lots of fun. The kids had a blast in the idea factory. We all had fun at the flight exhibit. My 7 year old especially had fun learning how airplanes fly and finding the parts from the modern planes on the Wright flyer. My mechanical engineer husband even found a bit about turbojet vs. turbofan engines that he didn't know previously.
There is so much to see and do here! Definitely plan to spend the whole day exploring. Have a map and use the colored stairwells to help you navigate through the museum. You usually can NOT see everything! Timed exhibits keep you on the move to hit things on time. The crowds are no fun and certain areas are always a struggle. Some exhibits get sold out, so plan what you want to do ahead of time and what you don't mind missing out on if you have to make choices. Highly recommend spending the money on the old fashioned ice cream place by the coal mine - kids list that as a "must do" every visit here. We love the indoor tornado exhibit and lightning storm area, that's another "must do" for my kids. Watching baby chicks hatch is cool but not always easy. Again tons to do here! Very fun way to spend a day!
Love this museum! Been coming here since I was a kid. The exhibits are always changing and there’s also the staples that never change. I learn something new every time I come here. It’s great for all ages! Brought my 1 yr old son with me on this last visit and he really enjoyed looking at everything and playing in the play area!
Great museum. Spent 3 1/2 hours here (I went fast and saw everything), and I think that its the perfect size. If you go slow then you can easily spend all day here. The layout is easy to understand (3 floors in a similar shape). He only downside is that you have to pay additional money for many of the tours and exhibitions inside (in addition to entrance fee).
One of my top 5 favorite places to visit! Absolutely amazing the amount of knowledge consolidated into one place, and the fun and creative ways of exploring that knowledge are endless. I wish I was a millionaire, just so I could fund a visit for EVERYONE to this place. Fabulous place for teens and adults, while still fun for mixed ages. My only regret is there isn't nearly enough time to take it all in, so you need to go in with the idea that you WILL NOT get to see it all in one trip.
This is a favorite in our family. At each stage of our kids' lives there has been something for each of them to enjoy. The Toymaker 3000 was a big hit with our kids and worth the $5 to watch our customized toy being made by robots. Families with young children and babies should definitely check out the Idea Factory, which also has a nice room for nursing that is separate from the bathroom. If you just want to nurse your baby, the staff will usually let you enter without getting a timed ticket (usually required to enter).
Incredible museum! Very informative, with lots of hands-on exhibits and clear explanations of scientific principles. You could easily spend a whole day here if you take advantage of all of the shows, tours, and exhibits. The check-in process was fast and well-organized, and the museum was easy to navigate due to great signage and color-coded stairwells. The Coal Mine Tour was very interesting. Highly recommended!
I've been to A LOT of science museums all across the USA. This one has by far been my favorite. Every exhibit was well maintained and many were hands on. As an adult, I felt like a big kid!! Go here, you won't be disappointed. We also did the 1-hour group tour and the submarine tour, both were highly enjoyable and educational. If you love to ask questions and learn a little extra along the way, both tours are worth the cost.
This place is awe-inspiring. So much to see that you can't do it all in a day. There is something for everyone! The food was reasonably priced and not too bad either. The coal mine tour and U-505 tour were fascinating. The guides knew so much about the displays that you really felt like you were there. Just a side note, little ones might not like the closed spaces on the tours so think twice before bringing toddlers (speaking from personal experience... Super sorry to the tour guide on the U-505 for having to rescue a thrown toy!) This is a must-see in Chicago!
Kind of a mixed bag. Some wonderful exhibits - ex glaciers and some of the simulators. Some very interesting and interactive like weather room. Loved the mirror maze. But then some old and long in the tooth, like chemistry and I thought transportation as well. And what’s up with the fairy castle? Didn’t go on some of the extra pay tours (sub, coal mine). Lots of gems but seemed like a number of parts need a refresh.
I loved it! Wife loved it! Kids loved it! Ticketing was very simple and fast and the employees were very helpful. There was a balance of new and old exhibits. We watched “Tornado Alley” and wished we had done the “Coal Mine” instead. We also took a tour on the U-571....which was awesome! Great interactive exhibits on weather, electricity, sound, etc. The kiddos (aged 7 & 9) really loved being able to touch, pull, play, push things rather than walk past displays in glass boxes. Probably the best museum experience we’ve had....ever!
I cannot describe how awesome this place is. I have been several times and each time I see and do something different. The museum is large and it takes more than one day to do everything but its definitely worth it! The Tesla coil is one of my favorite exhibits. The museum has something for all ages. Every exhibit is epic but the submarine tour is something you cannot miss. It's worth the price to see the inside of the giant U-boat. The museum is a crucial part of any vacation to Chicago.
This building is so large and majestic that it is worth visiting by itself. Inside are enough high quality exhibits to keep you busy there all day. Took the "Wow! Tour" and found it was a good way to get a guided, behind the scenes introduction to the full breadth of the museum. Some displays could have gotten into more detail but was impressed by how interactive many of the exhibits were.
Favorite science museum for this nerd family. The movies are top notch and interesting for the entire family. Tons of exhibits. You could spend all day here and still not see everything. Underground parking available. You do have to pay for parking unless you are a member. We find having a membership is worth it even if we only go 2-3 times per year. Food court has a decent variety of dining options. Vending machines are available too.
A must-visit location for anyone visiting Chicago who loves science and technology. It's one of the top museums in the country and for good reason! Every exhibit is extremely interactive. While there are certainly a few parts that could use some updates, I've been going ever since I was a kid and often multiple times a year. I love it. A great spot for kids and adults alike! There's something for everyone.
Outstanding place. Fun for all ages. You would think I am talking about the circus. Well they have exhibits about that to. This museum truly has a little bit of everything in a great fun and exciting learning environment. I have been going here since I was 10 years old and as much as things stay the same they also change for the better almost every time I visit. There truly is nothing I can really said bad about this museum. Adults, teens, children, even small children will have something to do
Very nice museum. We especially loved the interactive science exhibits. My wife and daughter loved the doll house. Basic admission price was reasonable but adding the extra cost exhibits was too expensive. They have price options for 1, 2, or 3 extra exhibits. It would be better if they had an all access option similar to the Field Museum and have it priced more reasonably. We spent approximately 6 hours at the museum and felt that we saw everything that we wanted to see. We also ate lunch at the museum food court. There were plenty of choices, reasonable prices, and the food was good.
This is a great, and huge museum. I did the U boat tour(yes they have a real WW2 German U-boat in the museum) and it was very interesting and informative. There is so much to see and do here that a person could easily spend a week doing it all. Most of the exhibits are definitely aimed at engaging children though. But I went with 2 other adults and we had a great time