Chicago Museum of Science and Industry
Posted On March 7, 2011
Welcome to an interactive retreat within an architectural retreat! Yes, situated in the Palace of Fine Arts, the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry is the North America’s first interactive museum that guarantees endless fun time for all ages. Adorning the Hyde Park neighborhood near Lake Michigan, the museum is always in the list of the must to see attractions of Chicago. This is because a trip to the museum is not only about of marveling at its exhibits, but is also includes a hands on approach for imparting knowledge. So, tune into this lively world of science and technology where you can excitingly run a real U-505 submarine.
Within the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, there are over 35,000 objects of which the major highlights are the working ToyMaker 3000 factory now housing robots (loved the most by kids), a running Coal Mine to take the patrons 50 feet down for exploring a real mineshaft, a stretching railroad as The Great Train Story speaking about the moving tale from Seattle to Chicago, a cool U-505 Submarine captured during the World War II (not to be found anywhere else), and the first train of steel on diesel named as the Pioneer Zephyr in the Entry Hall (take up a free tour offered at an interval of 10-20 minutes).
In this vast gallery of 75 vital halls, there are a few more worthy ones besides the above displays or interactivities. Ride the United States’ real Boeing 727 jet plane as the ‘Take Flight’ tour from San Francisco to Chicago, explore the Colleen Moore’s Fairy Castle (more liked by kids), look for a Ju 87 R-2/Trop as well as the Super marine Spitfire, spot the two World War II warplanes, learn all of air as well as land transportation in the Transportation Zone that houses a 999 Empire State Express engine, the first of its kind on the planet to run over 100 mph, discover the rare Stuka dive bomber, and check out for the NASA spacecraft of Apollo 8 mission, a replica of the space shuttle, Scott Carpenter’s Mercury Atlas 7 spacecraft, 5-storey Omnimax Theater of ‘virtual reality’, and a Lunar Module trainer in the Henry Crown Space Center.
In the famous list of interactives, the are many exhibits: A Fab Lab MSI where you can create anything; ToyMaker 3000 for watching a playing toy top; Decoding Life exposing the drama of genetics; and the new multi-level exhibit of Science Storms that houses a real Wimshurst machine, water vapor tornado, tsunami tank, Tesla coil, as well as a heliostat system.
Some more exhibits in the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry include Animated Industrial Gears, The Chick Hatchery, Body Slices, All Aboard the Silver Streak, Enterprise, IMAGING: Tools of Science, Networld, The Farm, Mercury Space Capsule, The Idea Factory, Out of the Vault, Prenatal Development, Robots Like Us, Reusable City, Ships Through the Ages, Petroleum Planet, Whispering Gallery, Walk-Through Heart, and the Yesterday’s Main Street of Chicago (replica) with Berghoff’s restaurant, Post Office, Lytton’s Clothing Store, Law office, Gossard Corset Shop, Jewel Tea Company grocery, The Nickelodeon Cinema, and Finnigan’s Ice Cream Parlor. Among these structures, the last two are made in such a way that you can easily enter as if you are on a real Chicago Street. It is worth a try as you will really enjoy the cool vibes of the air conditioning. Obviously, it will make you fell a breezy evening ambiance.
Timings
- 9:30 am to 4:00 pm from Monday to Saturday
- 11:00 am to 4:00 pm on Sundays
- Closed only on December 25
Admission fees
- $13 per adult and $9 per child (3 to 11 years old) for museum visit
- $20 per adults and $14 per child for both museum and Omnimax visit
- $5 for the U-505 Submarine Tour
- $14 per vehicle for parking
Reaching the museum
Follow the Lake Shore Drive from the downtown until 57th Street in south followed by a right turn to reach to the west of this attraction. Parking is in the left.
