“the largest science center in the Western Hemisphere”
Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry, one of the largest science museums in the world, is home to more than 35,000 artifacts and nearly 14 acres of hands-on exhibits designed to spark scientific inquiry and creativity. The Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago (MSI), the largest science center in the Western Hemisphere, is home to more than 35,000 artifacts and nearly 14 acres of hands-on experiences designed to spark scientific inquiry and creativity. Since opening our doors in 1933, we’ve welcomed more than 175 million guests from around the world. Our mission, to inspire the inventive genius in everyone by presenting captivating and compelling experiences that are real and educational, is realized through world-class exhibits such as: Science Storms, the newest permanent exhibit revealing the science behind some of nature’s most powerful phenomena;YOU! The Experience, an exhibit that lets you explore what it means to live a vital, healthy life in the 21st century; and the U-505 Submarine, the only German U-boat in the United States.
Not just for kids, although kids will love it. There's is more here than you can easily see in a day so here are some highlights:
1) UBoat/Submarine- the only UBoat you can see in the country. Supporting exhibits include information about the capture mission & its crew, the Enigma machine, and the transport and preservation of the boat.
2) Chicago/America model transit: a great room full of planes and trains with a model train set of Chicago and the Chicago -> Seattle train route.
3) Colleen Moore's Fairy Castle: An opulent dollhouse built by a silent movie star.
4) Yesterday's Main Street: A fake old timey Chicago circa 1893. Also includes a great ice cream shop(pe).
Reciprocity with other museums that are part of the Association of Science-Technology Centers.
This is perhaps my favorite museum of all time. It's huge, lots to explore! I thought I saw it all until I found yet another random hallway leading to a whole other part of the museum. My favorites were probably the science exhibit and the U-505 Submarine. The science exhibit was one of the most engaging and imaginative I've seen. As for the U-boat, it was quite something to see in person, to witness the scale of engineering it has. They offer a tour inside the sub for a little extra. I didn't get to go because we were short on time, but I heard it's worth it, and it certainly looked worth it. If you like science museums, I found this one very worthwhile and walked away fascinated.
Expect to spend ALL DAY and have memories to last a lifetime!!!!
So awesome, we got a membership! We have been twice this year and still have not been able to see the entire museum. There are a lot of ticketed events and we have not purchased additional tickets, as the Museum is awesome enough without the extras. My sons favorite is the tornado and my favorite is the huge airplane walkthrough and model trains below it. This is worth the visit!
This is an incredible museum and given the time, I'm sure you could spend many hours investigating everything it has to offer. My family stopped here in a bit of rush near closing time so we didn't make it to all the amazing stuff. I plan to stop in again on my next trip to Chicago.
Be mindful of the hours since they vary by season!
Nice museum !
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Museum of Science & Industry
Hours
- Sun - Sat: 9:30 am - 4:00 pm
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Independent
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Credit Cards Accepted
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Wheelchair Accessible
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Public Restrooms
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Outdoor Seating
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Wifi
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Street Parking
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Garage Parking
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Private Parking
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Yes Parking
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