Museum of Science and Industry

The Museum of Science and Industry was a highlight of my trip to Chicago earlier this year. My friends and I made the most of our four hours there until we were kicked out because it was closing.
There are tons of interactive exhibits spanning a variety of scientific topics. Does your inner Terminator fan want to see liquid metal and then use an electromagnet to manipulate it into various shapes? Do you dare wear a headband that can measure some of your brain waves so you can go head-​to-​head against someone in a game where the calmest person wins? How making a mini tornado? Or seeing a pinball go through a Rube Goldberg-​ish machine? (Oddly enough there’s also a Fairy Castle, but I’m not too sure how it thematically fits with everything else there.)
If you like interactive museums at all, be sure to check it out, whether you’re a bunch of nerdy thirty-​year-​olds like my group of friends, or if you’re looking for some family-​friendly fun.

Ugh… I went here with my family of 4. This is not a very family friendly museum. Everything cost $ 9. Everything. You want to walk on the U-​Boat? $ 9. You want to get a soda? $ 9. You want to see the coal mine movie? $ 9. For the 4 of us to get a 2 hr visit we had to spend over $ 30 each. They dont even have a deal for kids tickets! It’s over $ 15 for my 6yo niece to come in.
The staff here are terrible. They’re rude and ignorant. They don’t know anything about what the installations concern. The staff was incredibly inconsiderate when buying tickets, insinuating that my mother wasn’t a senior (she’s 66yo) but they forced her to show her driver’s licence to save $ 2.
I will never come back here. A total ripoff that I can’t believe my tax dollars support.

Very disappointing! We left the museum after 30 minutes. It looks like the museum is made for Middle School field trips — all topics were covered quite superficially. I felt cheated. Paid $ 18 for admission and $ 22 for parking to waste an hour of my life.
Might be interesting for kids. As an adult who appreciates science museums I can only recommend NOT to go there.

Free street parking (in the residential area, quick walk to the museum) available, or you can pay to park in the underground parking lot ($ 22 for non members).
This museum is open from 9:30 am– 5:30 pm daily (new extended hours, but normally close at 4 pm). Because there is just so much to see, it would be best for you to come right when this place opens because you can easily spend all day here (and maybe not even see everything).
My husband and I unfortunately did not come as early and arrived at 12 pm on a Monday and stayed until closing (on our visit, 4 pm). This museum is 4 floors (including the entry hall level) of interactive informative/​educational and most importantly, FUN things to do that is appropriate for all ages.
There are a few trains here that you can actually get in and a trolley. But the most interesting part of the museum would have to be planes on the top floor in the transportation gallery. There is a life size United plane you can sit in.
Other notable things to mention: mirror maze with dimmed blue lights (walk slow and you won’t run into a wall), life size John Deere tractors to sit and play in that is found in the Farm Tech area (you can also race your friend and see who can milk a cow the fastest. You may also just be surprised to see how much food products and consumer goods contain soy), playing with robots and watching toys being made in the toy maker 3000 area and learning about science in the science storm area.
Even with spending 4 hours here, we still did not get to see everything, which included the submarine, great white shark, whispering gallery and the pioneer zephyr exhibits. If I come back to Chicago, I will be sure to make a special visit back here (and come earlier).
By the way, admission entry is $ 18 for adults and $ 11 for children (aged 3 – 11). The only discount available are for Illinois residents (no student discounts available unfortunately). There are additional exhibits that you can check out for an additional fee if you are interested, but general admission price does allow you entry to many things that will keep you busy all day long.
There are also free days (but only for Illinois residents) that you can take advantage of (
).
You are allowed to bring in food into the museum. But there is a food court on site in case you do not (but the food court is not open all day). There is also a museum café as well.
Although the restrooms were clean upon this visit, I was not a fan of it. The sink is unique in which you can wash and get your soap (use of sensor to turn on/​distribute), but you can also use the hand dryer here as well. I think the sensor either had to be larger or be more sensitive because I definitely struggled to get the hand dryer on the most (I guess I just don’t exist).

This museum is a state of the art example that blends science and history in a 125 year old building that is fascinating in its own right. Basic admission for adults is $ 18 for adults and each movie adds about $ 10.
Permanent exhibits include trains, planes, space exploration, and farming technology among others. There were temporary exhibits on small town America, parades and DARPA among others. Really could spend an entire day and not cover all of it.
Good for adults and families alike. An easy ride from downtown on bus #6 or 10 (weekends only).

This museum is amazing. We came with our kids (toddler to teen) and all had an amazing time and begged to come back for a second day.
There’s a fascinating human body exhibit with actual human bodies and slices of bodies. There’s an entire United Boeing 747 hanging from the ceiling that you can walk through and 2 full-​size trains. They also have the actual Apollo 8 Command Module used by NASA.
Their genetics lab has a chick hatchery where they have eggs on display to watch hatch and a chick nursery for newborn chicks.
The special LEGO Brick exhibit was neat, but I don’t know that it was worth an extra $ 10/​person. The whole exhibit was pretty much looking at LEGO creations behind glass. I expected more hands-​on activities.
We spent 2 full days here and could have spent longer. We will absolutely be back here the next time we are in Chicago.

Im not huge on science but this museum was beyond amazing. Im a little sad that I couldnt enjoy the entire thing because unfortunately I got there a little late but what I was able to enjoy was so good.
I love that its not just a museum where you have to read everything. They let the public play with things, experience it, hear it, and read and beautiful visuals.
This is a definite go to spot in Chicago for everyone.

I graduated with a biology degree so I’m a big science nerd. When i was here in Chicago, this was my last stop on my trip and it was a great way to end everything before going to the airport!
Going here was last minute decision. I bought a gopass on Costco online, and because of a mistake that occurred while I visited my list of attractions, I managed to visit 5 places instead of 4 (;. If you’re trying to find out why, check out my other reviews.
If you’re a tourist heading to the airport after this place, they’ll gladly hold your luggage for the same price as all other bags and coats.
Overall we spent 2 — 3 hours till closing at the museum. I think we managed to get through everything we wanted in that time span even though we spent so much time in the Eye Spy exhibit as well as staring at the baby chicks hatch. I kid you not, I think me and my boyfriend were staring at the baby chicks hatching for a good 20 minutes. We decided to opt out for the paid exhibits because we were limited on time, and I was a little bummed out I couldn’t go on the naval submarine but it’s okay. All the exhibits were very interactive there isn’t negative I have to say about this place. It’s a good place to go on a date or if you want some family fun.

I know I will probably get flack for the 3 stars but sorry, I was not a fan of the most crowded mocosos (snot nosed kids) running around and screaming like they were without manners. It’s Saturday and maybe that’s the reason. I didn’t want to come in the first place but I had no choice (leave it at that). The fact that the exhibits were quite crowded really made my claustrophobia act up like the witch in the Wizard of Oz. Seriously it was too much for my nerves to take. Maybe if I was here alone I could enjoy the exhibits but at this point it was a headache. I cannot really explain the paradime this visit, but I can say that it was a not so pleasent experience this time around.
I am truly hoping that my upcoming new visit will help me to change this review so that I can be more open minded and have a different view of the experience, but until then, this will have to due for now.

Admittedly this would not have been my first museum pick on our trip to Chicago. But the hubs wanted to relive his childhood memories so here we came.
The space is enormous and can more than easily fill an entire day. My husband hadn’t been there in 30 some years and was both impressed and surprised by the changes.
I thought the displays were great and totally interactive for both adults and children. My favorite was by far the submarine. Very interesting and impressive and well worth the extra fee to see it. Which brings me to my only bone of contention with the museum. There were several exhibits that you had to pay additional fees to enter. I can understand and often see museums charge for a special exhibition but I have not seen it like this museum. It was quite a turn off actually.

One of my favorite museums in the city. I have been there at least 6 times and would go back again. A lot of great exhibits and it never gets boring to learn how stuff works. Also the location is just superb — by the lake.

Showing up with a tent and sleeping bags for the annual MSI member camp out, I was hoping for a wild adventure like Ben Stiller had in «Night at the Museum» –only with the Vortex and the 747. Shockingly, my Hollywood imagination didn’t come to fruition, but we did roast marshmallows over an open flame at the S’mores Bar. Almost as good, no? ;)
If you are a member and want to see the museum «up close and personal», this is worth the effort and cost. ($ 40/​person) A typical Saturday at MSI brings 9000 screaming kids and stressed out parents. –a living nightmare for me. Crowds, crowds, crowds… Strollers everywhere. Overwhelmed toddlers, crying babies, scolding parents… and you have to fight your way to see every exhibit. Seriously. Ugh.
But the MSI Camp Out is just yourself and 900 others. For the size of the museum, 900 is really nothing. No crowds around anything. Not even the Vortex. –In fact, they opened the ropes and let you stand in the middle of it. No crowds to see the Hatching Chicks. No crowds anywhere.
They bring in guest speakers for some of the exhibits such as a pilot for the 747, run the Omni nearly all night, and even have free midnight snacks for the weary.
Accept that you will not get any more than 3 – 4 hrs of sleep though. With all of the lights and exhibits turned on until midnight and the 6am foghorn that could awaken a coma patient, coupled with the fact that you’re sleeping on the floor… this is not a night of beauty rest. But it is a night your little ones will never forget.
With my earplugs and eye mask and my 5 yr old’s knees pressed into my back, her arm thrown around my neck, and her puppy breath in my face, I got 3 hrs of sleep. Exhausting!
They did offer a big breakfast fit for a camp out, but I’d somehow forgotten to pack my hairbrush and makeup. –not feeling social, I stumbled out of the museum looking like a sorority girl doing the walk of shame. Walking to the car, my little one echoed my thoughts when she said «That was fun but I *never* want to do that again!» Ditto, P. Ditto!
It’ll be years before we need to return to the museum. –We saw every inch of the place. But I’ll still always smile about the time I camped out in the very museum I adored as a child. I never imagined I’d actually sleep there someday.
«Mom of the Year» I think I earned that title after this.

What an amazing place! Wow, I am blown away.
Came to Chicago for a day-​trip from Madison, WI, so time was limited, but I am so glad that I got to at least stop into the Museum of Science and Industry. This place is wild! Complete stimulation and sensory overload but in a good way.
Got to see some cool exhibits ranging from trains and planes to tornado/​wind tunnels and a giant replica of Newton’s Cradle. As an ex-​Los Angeleno, I honestly thought that Pacific Science Center near USC was the best thing since sliced bread. Boy, was I wrong! This museum knocks your socks off in terms of ultra-​nerdy science-​y and engineering-​y thingies.
My favorite exhibit (in my limited time here, take note) was a game you could play against a partner in which you could battle against one another to see who could remain the most «mindful» and calm. The game follows your brain activity over a period of time. Even though I am a DBT and mindfulness expert, my partner beat me at the last moment, when I got distracted by the staff telling people they were closing for the evening. But still! So super cool, and it really proved to me that all of my meditation and mindfulness exercise has been paying off.
I really need at least half a day just to explore this museum. It’s huge! And from the outside, it’s breathtaking. The building alone is worth the visit. Completely walkable to many nearby restaurants and shops, too. Plus, taxis are waiting outside for those who need shuttling.
I can’t wait to come back to Chicago to explore!

This was the anchor location for our 3^rd full day in Chicago. I wasn’t actually sure how well-​suited it was for us (parents + late teen). It turned out to be the overall highlight of our trip.
I have visited other science museums and until now, the Exploratorium in S.F. was the gold standard. However, this venue tops it both for sheer size and for the variety of exhibits. There are things to interest anyone in your group from age 3 — 100. I would go back next month if I could.
The only drawbacks to the museum for me were the noise (it was very loud for much of the morning and early afternoon) and the sheer number of people + school groups that were there on a Tuesday. But hey, it’s popular! Plan accordingly. There were no ‘bad’ exhibits. Some were more geared towards younger kids, and some not. Evaluate your own group and plan /​adjust accordingly.
Lunch here (at their café /​cafeteria) was decent. Salads were okay and smoothies are available.
I didn’t have a specific time-​budget for this museum, but we ended up spending more than 6 hours here. We could probably have spent even more time. The special exhibits (when we went) were mostly worthwhile, though we skipped the Lego area. The U-​Boat and Coal Mine are both highly worthwhile.
Tip: Use the self-​service ticketing kiosks to save time. Also, get there within 30 minutes of the opening time to maximize your experience.
Also, do not be afraid to follow the museum’s website’s instructions on public transport. We did; we took the Red Line subway to the stop near the Harold Washington Library, and then transferred to the #6 bus for the remainder of the trip. It was easy, especially if your are using a multi-​day CTA card (for both bus and subway). In the afternoon, we just returned to the stop across the street from where we exited. The only partial twist was that the return bus did not go immediately to the same subway station. We ended up getting off near Michigan Avenue and the river and walking the 3 — 4 blocks to our hotel from there.
We did not have a rental car, but you can apparently park in multi-​level below-​ground decks with immediate access to the museum (going rate is ~ $ 22 or so).

NERD ALERT NERD ALERT NERD ALERT!
I love this museum. I want to go back. It reminded me a lot of the Franklin Institute in Philly (if you like this museum, you’ll live FI)
I came here literally because I saw the museum maze on instagram. And I was like… I need to go there. Museum maze aside (which I think is sadly temporary) The rest of the museum was so much fun. I loved the whole thing.
#YAAAAAASSSSSS

The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois always brings back fond memories from childhood on to my last visit three years ago. When I was a kid, our family went to all the museums –a lot. Each time it was a good time. Back when I was growing up, my favorite exhibit was always the little bitty chicks in their incubator. It still is my favorite today.
On one side, there are eggs in various stages of hatching. Most are sitting under the warming lights and still have a long way to go before they hatch. Some of the eggs are completely solid but they are moving a little; there’s activity happening in there. Other times you can see them picking a little hole in the egg, and other times, you can see them break almost all the way open. There’s a separation between the two spaces, most likely because the temperature has to vary, depending on the stage of the hatching. On the other side of the hatchery are the newly-​hatched, skinny, wet and scraggly-​looking chicks, along with ones who have hatched a day or two ago and are fuzzy-​heads, and all fluffed up.
Another exhibit I really enjoy is the coal mine. It’s fun riding in the coal cars underground and seeing how mining is done. It’s cold down there, but it’s a welcome respite from the overheated museum in some areas.
Last time I was there, I was with my sister, niece and boyfriend. My niece loves the trains. There is a cafeteria there that serves a variety of food, most of it pricy.
They’ve moved the submarine from the outside to the inside, but I don’t know when. I just know that I was about five years old when it was outside. That must’ve been an arduous task to move the submarine, and it had to be done in several pieces because the sub is humongous! It’s such an amazing thing to see what tight quarters the gentleman had to live in. It’s claustrophobic, so if that bothers you, you might want to skip touring the submarine. Trust me though, it is very, very interesting.
This museum is enormous, and has three floors, so plan to spend the whole day there. I have to say, I’ve been to a great many museums, and the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago is the best museum I’ve ever been to. Bar none.

I’m a scientist, so anyplace that is a museum of SCIENCE and industry is a pretty big draw for me. The Museum of Science and Industry is an institution, not just in Chicago, but for the nation. My father has told me for years about the coal mine experience. Seriously, he went into that exhibit like 60 years ago. Some of you might say, «wait, they haven’t changed the displays for that long»? Yes. And there is a reason — The display is AWESOME. In fact, all of the MSI displays are awesome. Interactive, educational, and modern. I’m seriously quite impressed. I especially like the Foucault Pendulum.
Don’t bother driving here. Take a bus or other public transportation. But make sure you get here early, especially in the winter. Because regardless of what you think, they will close earlier than you think they will. Yes, I came here when their website said they closed at 5:30 pm and they kicked my ass out at 4:00 pm. Actually, a bit before. So, make sure you know what time they close and plan accordingly.
Otherwise, I love this place and will be back often. But seriously, make sure you know when they close and get here early.

My family and I had the best time! The staff was friendly, attentive and extremely helpful. We had a problem at one of the kiosk and charged for an extra ticket but the staff was extremely understanding and the issue was resolved quickly. Looking forward to returning.

Hands down my favorite museum in all of Chicagoland! MSI took me back to my earlier days when I was a child growing up in San Francisco, where the Exploratorium became the field trip highlight of the year. Little fun fact: the same designers for the Exploratorium also worked on MSI!
While a little bit far from the city, it is completely worth the time and money to visit. There is a single bus on Lake Shore that will take you down to the MSI, so transfers don’t need to be a thing. My friends and I went here in November, and we were greeted with their famous Christmas Tree exhibit. We definitely got into the holiday spirit after spending nearly four hours in a museum that we couldn’t even finish.
Some highlights:
— We took an additional tour of the U-​505 submarine, and what a thrill that was! Our tour guide was spunky and knew just the right cues to share the secrets of this wartime vessel with us. Be careful– if you are claustrophobic, then this exhibit may be a bit too much.
— The Mirror Maze is extremely fun yet dizzy.
— The tornado simulator is fun for all ages! You really get hands on with all of the exhibits.
— For all the public transit nerds like myself, you can board an old Boeing and Red Line train from the olden days.
There is truly something here for everyone to enjoy. Plan ahead, as you may wound up spending more time than you think on this large museum. I appreciate that MSI is so close-​by that a weekend trip is nothing short of a bus ride.

I had a awesome time there with my family.
The only complaint I had was it was soooo hot in the museum I couldn’t cool off in the middle of winter.
The staff was so nice and the exhibits were very interesting. I wish I had more time and money to see the Greek exhibit and 3d movie.

Wasn’t all that impressed. Lots of exhibits but many you need a separate ticket and a reserved time for. It makes it difficult to have any kind of organization to the day when you are running all over.

Instagram hungry ppl, rejoice! This place is a treasure trove of Instagram worthy moments.
Science lovers rejoice! Well, science.
Kids will love this place. Your inner kid will absolutely thrive! Just jump up and down in the pure joy of everything!

My boyfriend and I are planning a trip to California this spring to visit some of their National Parks. When we saw that the MSI was playing a documentary on the parks we decided we needed to see it. The documentary was good but I was disappointed that it was only 40 minutes long. With so many parks I thought they could have offered more information. We spent the rest of the morning discovering the museum. I always like to go visit Colleen Moore’s Fairy Castle. I saw they took the phones away and had replaced them with information over the speakers. I liked this because I don’t like germs but they were kind of hard to hear. Maybe since I’ve been to this museum so many times it’s beginning to lose it’s magic, but I don’t think it was worth the $ 54 for the 2 of us to get it. I would save it for one of the days when it’s free!

MSI: what can I say to accurately describe you? I feel like any review I could write would be a disservice. This place is a science lover’s dream.
There are so many exhibits, you could hardly experience everything in a day! The Tesla coil, the tornado, Toymaker, Ball Factory (kids water and ball playing area), IMAX movies, magnets, an airplane (yeah), trains, a mine, and so much more.
There is underground parking so close to the door you can leave your coat in the car. There is a food court with burgers made from fresh ground beef. There is an ice cream shop. A members lounge with free coffee. (I highly suggest the membership)
First and foremost, get the membership. For like $ 100 you and your immediate family plus a guest can go whenever you want! You also get free parking! That saves like $ 20 a visit! You also get a discount at the gift shop, IMAX, and invites to special member events.
My tips:
1) Get there when they open at 9:30.
2) Leave right after you eat lunch
3) Don’t feel like eating at the food court… bring a lunch.
4) Get the membership… you don’t have to wait in line to buy a ticket… you just walk up!
5) Leave your coat in the car. There is so much to touch, you will need your hands free
6) Wear comfy shoes.
7) Don’t bring your kid in fancy clothes… they will get soaked in the ball factory water area.

I still stand by my older review that this museum is a lot of fun for everyone, except they’ve lost a star in my update. What kind of a museum this huge closes at 4pm on a busy Saturday packed with people? They charge $ 18 plus another $ 15 or so for special exhibits and an Omnimax film, and then the museum doesn’t stay open a full day?

The Museum of Science and Industry is history itself: it is the last building left from the Chicago World’s Fair (which sounded pretty amazing — why didn’t they leave all the buildings up?). That said, it’s a pretty fantastic venue for this awesome museum. I much prefer going to this one over the Field Museum (the other big museum in Chicago).
It’s a bit more exciting as a kid — and there’s a lot of kid-​friendly, hands-​on exhibits — but you can still really enjoy it as an adult if you don’t go too often (because, let’s face it – museums can become tedious if you return to the same exhibit over and over).
Some of my favorites here:
+ The coal mine!
+ The huuuuuuuge model train set! So fun!
+ Giant locomotive.
+ The airplane that you can walk into.
+ Fairy castle.
+ Farm exhibit.
+ Baby chicks!
+ Yesterday’s Main Street (I like town replicas).
+ Fun exhibits and decorations in the stairwells.
+ Robotic exhibit/​Toymaker.
+ The submarine.
+ The Omnimax theater — kind of awesome.
+ And more… of course.
There’s also specialty exhibits that come in for a short time and leave (I think once there was a Harry Potter one? And Christmas trees around the world? Disney? Just to name a few…).
I can spend a good morning or a good afternoon exploring the museum. A whole day? Probably not (unless it was a school field trip).
The reason I only gave this place four stars and not five? The exhibits are getting more expensive and the trip out here (taxi or parking or whatever) takes a bit of planning and even more money out of your pocket. Sigh. Take advantage of free days or discounts if you can!

One of my all time favorite places to visit in Chicago, this is my second time here, I forgot to check-​in my first time lol. But it was great revisiting and exploring new areas in this Museum. I got to say my kids love it here, you should see thier faces. I think it’s a wonderful place to take your children and family when you have time. My favorite exhibitions are the classic trains and the U-​boat exhibition. However, I’m not a big fan of the glass maze, it was very creepy. I kept feeling the need to hold on to my kids, very tightly for some reason. But in all, it was a wonderful trip and a hell of way to spend the day with your children and family. I would recommend this place to my family and friends for sure.

One of the world’s great museums, and it has been for a long time.
I recall my first visit in the mid 70s while visiting relatives who had resettled in the Midwest from New York. By this time I’d become familiar with most of Gotham’s major museums, so, in prototypical New York fashion, I just assumed that anything in the Second City would be comparatively second rate.
It didn’t take wrong to realize the folly of such thinking, but it take long for me to put up the white flag in surrender and acquiesce to suggestions that we get moving. The exhibits thrilled me with their cutting-​edge displays of the ways science is the engine of industry.
A subsequent trip back several years ago did nothing to disabuse me of my initial impression about this museum’s greatness. But by then I had fully understood that just because something bears a «New York» stamp, not to assume it’s made better there than you can make it anywhere.
Kind of my awakening to the folly of the famous New Yorker cartoon with Manhattan all foreshortened in front of the nondescript projection of the rest of the U.S.A.

Great place to take kids, or anyone for that matter. Excellent exhibits and well organized layout. Decent access for a metro location, but make sure to take a carload, since the parking is pricey. When inside, you’ll know exactly where to go to get tickets. When up in the main lobby, you’ll have an option at a reasonably priced food court with several options.
All of the exhibits are organized by wings and floors and are separated by the discipline on display. There is anatomy, aviation, physics (a favorite), maritime (the U-​boat display is a must see), rail logistics, and the list goes on…
If you’re visiting Chicago and have only a few choices of places to visit, make this place one of them!

If you are a science geek or not, I would highly recommend this world-​class museum. There are various ways for a guest to purchase tickets — at the counter, on-​line, and via kiosk, which there is a representative to assist you. All of the guests will receive a map of this impressive place. There are various extras you can add-​on to the general admission fee. This time, I had added The WOW Tour. This tour will take you behind the scenes of four current displays. I would recommend this add-​on.
There is so much to see here. Before you arrive, I was suggest that you check out the museum’s website to plan your visit. There are so many hands on exhibits. Plan to spend almost the entire day at this museum.
I would highly recommend this museum and looking forward to my return trip.

I visited the Museum of Science and Industry in August when I went to Chicago for the first time. This place is awesome! My favorite parts were probably the mirror maze, the science storms exhibit, and the coal mine tour. I also enjoyed seeing the baby chicks hatching and, of course, the twinkie from 2009 that looks virtually unchanged for all these years (yikes!).
If you visit Chicago, I highly recommend you take a ride to this museum and check it out! There’s a lot to see so you can spend all day there, but even going to see a few of the exhibits is really worth it. The museum is interesting, visually engaging, family friendly, and you learn a lot while having fun!

Who loves a free museum day? Me, me (arm up high in the air)! Okay, I would have loved it more if it wasn’t also a holiday and really crowded, but nonetheless it was free. And I really mean free – like we got into the coal mine exhibit free.
As part of my kiddos’ birthday weekend, the Museum of Science and Industry was in high order. Since Monday was a holiday and day off from school, we decided to take advantage of Free Museum Days and got up early to get there right when they opened. Wow, wow, wow, was it crowded! With temps six below, and a huge line of cars heading to the underground parking garage, my kids were really nervous that we weren’t going to get a space. Of course I assured them that everything would be okay, but I was honestly shocked that we actually got a space. The garage is a fooler and bigger than you might think.
When we got into the museum, the lines were ginormous but moved rather quickly. This place really knows how to handle the crowds. We got lucky and only had to stand in line half way, because they just started looking at Illinois drivers licenses and scooted people right in. We wanted to purchase tickets for the coal mine exhibit and asked one of staff members if we could still do that, but he said it’s not working. Noooo way! This is what we came for since it wasn’t working the last time. Once we got past check in, we went directly to the coal mine exhibit to see what the deal was. It was working! We explained the situation and how they pushed us through and told us it was down. What the guy meant was that the ticket system wasn’t working at the moment. They let us into the exhibit for free and asked us to make a donation in exchange. Score!
The coal mine was a blast. I thoroughly enjoyed the bicycle exhibit, which I hadn’t seen before. So many unique models (spoiler alert… look for the cardboard bike) and the colorful array of bicycle seats on display.
Though we are a family that doesn’t do well in big crowds, we managed to navigate our way around. The museum staff really kept us happy from beginning to end. Such a great experience, and I’m so happy we didn’t give up when we saw those lines.

This museum is one of the best museums I’ve visited. I’m usually not a museums person and get bored easily, but spent hours in this one and loved it!
It highly recommended for families, and if you’re coming make sure you get there early because there is so much to see and you can spend the entire day there.
It is divided to different sections, including space, robotics, the U505 submarine, and many many more! The submarine was super impressive, the astronaut experience was interactive and fun, and in general most of the exhibitions were very interesting. We didn’t buy tickets for any of the special exhibitions but I didn’t feel like I missed something. Seriously, this place is gigantic and it is hard to see everything in one day.
They have a pretty big food court, mostly fast foods and snacks, and to me it was pretty disappointing as I searched for a more healthy option. Eventually we went outside to a restaurant a couple of blocks away, but if I knew I would probably plan ahead and bring lunch with me.
Overall this museum is very recommended if you’re visiting Chicago.

If you’re near Hyde Park, this is the best museum to check out. It’s gigantic with all sorts of exhibits including a theater, rides, robots, and food court. There are so many opportunities to interact and experiment.
Parking is ample in their lots. Join as a member because it’s totally worth it.

I liked the museum and had a fun time but my god I couldn’t wait to leave. Between all the epilepsy worthy visuals, the kids screaming, the lightening striking every 15 minutes, and every other noise imaginable, I walked out of here with the biggest migraine.
The exhibits were fascinating but it was all too much for me. Lines for their interactive exhibits can be long & kids are sneezing, coughing, and running all over the place. Definitely more kid than adult friendly.
My boyfriend and I were at the museum for about three hours and still didn’t finish seeing everything. If I ever go again, I’ll make an effort to go on a weekday when this place isn’t packed.

What a wonderful place to enjoy quality time with your loved ones. This museum has one of the most amazing exhibits — Boeing 747, U-​Boat, Kids water zone, Natural Elements and so many more fun things to do. Highly recommended for both adults and kids.

DO NOT PAY FOR THE ROBOT EXHIBIT. You have been warned. I cannot believe they charge extra so you can see, among other things, a Roomba and a tic-​tac-​toe playing robot that messes up every single game. Now the mirror maze? That is freaking awesome. I could hang out in there for hours. I also enjoyed the human body exhibit and was pleasantly surprised by the food options in the museum.
I am not a huge science fan, hate crowds, and hate them even more when they are comprised mostly of children. So, needless to say, the majority of my time was spent wondering how much more time was left before I could escape the nightmare. My daughter, however, enjoyed the experience, for the most part. She was also a bit frustrated by the crowds at times, which prevented her from being able to see and do everything.

The Museum is one of my favorite places to visit in the city. Exhibits constantly change and the atmosphere is always exciting. There are several old favorites like the Coal Mine (an added cost), strolling down Main Street (very nostalgic but not such a long walk that ends with a very small silent movie theater), the Fairy Castle (absolutely intriguing details, including a video of its installation), the U505 submarine (an actual sub with information about code breaking), and the ever popular Whisper Gallery (go early to enjoy a whisper experience without the usual crowd of tourists). There is a very large food court with a plethora of choices, but you can also pack a bag and bring your own lunch and munchies, especially helpful for the vegan, vegetarian or picky eater. The customer service is friendly but many parents don’t teach their children to wait their turn, so there are always a handful of rude spoiled kids trying to jump ahead of users for various gadgets.
ABOUT THE ROBOTS EXHIBIT: I was so not impressed! The $ 9 coast was to much for the poor equipment that kept breaking down, and the small amount of hands-​on options available to explore robots. Robots played soccer but no one explained that the robots were controlling themselves based on some tech grid in the ceiling… until it was asked. The flying drone show was a little droll and monotone. The one particular display that kept falling made me feel like I was in an old arcade and the floor attendant had to keep reseting the machine like a classic donkey kong gone awry. Still, an AWESOME museum experience with plenty to do and see, mostly for kids but adults can learn a thing or two also.

Growing up in Chicago, going to the museum was always a much anticipated event. Not having gone in a while made me anticipate the trip today with enthusiasm. It was disappointing that the museum is a shadow of its former self. Most of the «cool» exhibits now have additional fees associated with them. Also, there are photographers at all the major exhibits trying to stop you for overpriced photos.
We ponied up the extra cost for the Robots exhibit and after seeing it, wished we hadn’t. I can see how the exhibit might fascinate children but it held little interest for an adult. The signs give the impression that you’ll encounter Terminatoresque type robots but the majority of what they had were smaller than and about as interesting as a roomba.
The biggest robot there played tic tac toe (and didn’t do that well). Many of the machines were malfunctioning and froze or got stuck in the corner often. Combine that with too many children that have never been taught to wait their turn and my recommendation is to pass on this exhibit.

OH MY GAWD!
The Museum of Science and Industry is probably my favorite museum that I’ve EVER been to. There’s a plethora of learning experiences for all ages and it is very kid-​friendly.
During the Christmas season, they have their Christmas trees from around the world exhibit. It’s basically self-​explanatory, with 50 well-​decorated and well-​lit Christmas trees. It’s fun and extremely festive. You can learn how the different cultures celebrate the holidays! I LOVED the tree from Belgium. It was decorated with Belgian waffles!
I enjoyed the U-​505 submarine tour. It was cool being able to walk inside an actual submarine from that era and kind of re-​living what happened when the submarine was captured by the Americans. Very interactive!
The Mirror Maze was pretty trippy. Although, there may have been too many people inside for me to actually consider it a maze.
I would definitely come back to see more! I would rate this museum even higher if I could!

This museum is awesome and their is so much to do with the kiddies!
*** Advice*** Go to a Chicago Public Library and ask them for the «Museum Pass.» Each location has one and it will give free admission to a family of (4.) I only had to pay for parking! ;)

What an amazing museum! This place is not only great for kids, but adults as well. They have underground parking which I can say is great once the winter season is in full gear. There is a giant train right when you enter the museum. This place has multiple levels/​sections. We were there for 4 hours and only saw about ¹⁄₃ of it but this is because our kids found areas that they absolutely loved and wanted to spend more time. The hands on kids section is really cool with a water and ball feature. I like how they limit the amount of kids allowed in at a time and limit the amount of time you can spend there. The model trains were massive and we could have watched those for hours.
They had a hurricane and tornado section too which was cool.
I thinkt he kids loved the mirrored maze the best through and were laughing so hard as they bumped into the walls.

Best museum in Chicago! Love going to the Museum of Science and Industry. First time I have went during the holiday season. It was nice to see the different Christmas Trees around the world.

This museum is a must see if you are in Chicago! It is absolutely massive and has so many unique exhibits! The only downside is it is outside of the city and approx. a $ 20 (and 25 min) über ride from Wicker Park. That being said, the drive is absolutely worth it and provided us with 3 hours of entertainment on a cold and rainy afternoon. There is a little bit of everything here, from an indoor tornado to hatching chicks, to a huge WWII submarine and antique bicycles– cool stuff everywhere you look! Just like the Art museum, prices vary according to date of visit, place of residence, age, student status, etc. Basic admission is approx. $ 20. There are also options to add on special exhibits like a tour inside of the Sub or an IMAX experience– these require an additional cost. There is also a large gift shop on the main floor with a great selection of souvenirs!

My group got stuck in traffic and only had forty minutes to spare. Given that the museum was about to close (4pm on a Saturday), the lady only charged us $ 7.50 to rush through the museum.
Totally worth it!!!
So what did see in forty minutes? The captured submarine and the hatching chicks. If I have kids, I would definitely come back and spend more time going through everything. But being the A.D.D. adult that I am, forty minutes of time was absolutely perfect.

We spent the majority of the day here and still didn’t see it all. Beautiful exterior, so many clever exhibits (many hands on), friendly staff and well maintained.
We bought these extra exhibits and enjoyed all three: shuttle mission omni theater, coal miner tour and U-​505 u-​boat submarine tour. The tour guides were exceptional — so knowledgeable, enthusiastic and played their roles well!
The only disappointment was the food court — lines were long and quality was mediocre, but we didn’t go to the museum for the food.
This visit was a key one in this trip to Chicago and we had a great time!

In diesen Museum steht soweit ich weiß das einzige noch erhaltene deutsche Typ-​IX U-​Boot (U 505) in einer eigens dafür angelegten Halle, die dem Innern eines typischen U-​Boot Bunkers an der französischen Atlantikküste genau nachempfunden wurde! Viele (damals) hochbrisante Funde die an Bord des U-​Boots gemacht wurden sind auch ausgestellt. Das absolute Highlight ist natürlich die Enigma, die sich in virtueller Form dort auch vor Ort bis ins Detail ausprobieren lässt (man kann sogar die Reihenfolge der Scheiben und deren Anordnung und auch die Verkabelung selbst festlegen und dann sogar die so verschlüsselte Nachrichte unter den einzelnen Maschinen verschicken — wirklich sehr cool!). Auch ein damals den Alliierten noch völlig unbekanntes akustisch gesteuertes Torpedo gibt es zu bewundern (damals absolute High Tech).
So und das war nur der U-​Boot Teil! Allein dafür lohnt es sich schon zu kommen aber es gibt noch so viel mehr, alles super auch für etwas ältere Kinder aufbereitet also quasi viel zum ausprobieren und anfassen. Viele Flugzeuge gibt’s (Ju-​87 Stuka, Spitfire, Spirit of St. Louis uvm.), ähnlich dem deutschen Museum in MUC auch ein Kohlebergwerk (was aber leider geschlossen war als ich da war) und noch viel viel mehr u.A. einen sehr coolen Museumsshop mit vielen Gadgets.
Am besten den ganzen Tag dafür einplanen!