Chicago history museum & day trip report
Nov 1st, 2006, 04:39 PM
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Chicago history museum & day trip report
Thought I would just take a minute to post this incase anyone ever wonders about this museum.
Left Libertyville in the am via train. Took the 151 Bus to Lincoln Park. (We usually would take a cab but decided to give the bus a try based on good brochure Metra puts out on public trans from the trains to many locations in the city. Will post a link if I can find it on line.)
Bus was not bad but it took a very long time to get there, would take a cab next time I go that far North.
The museum was very enjoyable. $12.00 each was very reasonable for all that we saw. The exhibits were very interesting, lots on The World Fair and Chicago Fire. Great little section for kids.
Also enjoyed seeing items that came from Chicago. I saw my first real bike on display. More to see than I can list.
We took about 3 hours to go through it very leisurely.
I would suggest this museum to anyone interested in the city history. I would also suggest that if you are hungry eat before you get there. Cafe is nice but very limited menu ~ we had peanut butter sandwiches!
From there we walked through the Lincoln Pk Zoo and Conservatory. It was cold so we did not stay long. Nice to have a free zoo in town.
From there walked to Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder.
It was as good as I remembered. Not a regular pizza but a unique experience.
Grabbed a cab back to the train and headed home for a night on the couch!
Left Libertyville in the am via train. Took the 151 Bus to Lincoln Park. (We usually would take a cab but decided to give the bus a try based on good brochure Metra puts out on public trans from the trains to many locations in the city. Will post a link if I can find it on line.)
Bus was not bad but it took a very long time to get there, would take a cab next time I go that far North.
The museum was very enjoyable. $12.00 each was very reasonable for all that we saw. The exhibits were very interesting, lots on The World Fair and Chicago Fire. Great little section for kids.
Also enjoyed seeing items that came from Chicago. I saw my first real bike on display. More to see than I can list.
We took about 3 hours to go through it very leisurely.
I would suggest this museum to anyone interested in the city history. I would also suggest that if you are hungry eat before you get there. Cafe is nice but very limited menu ~ we had peanut butter sandwiches!
From there we walked through the Lincoln Pk Zoo and Conservatory. It was cold so we did not stay long. Nice to have a free zoo in town.
From there walked to Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder.
It was as good as I remembered. Not a regular pizza but a unique experience.
Grabbed a cab back to the train and headed home for a night on the couch!
Nov 2nd, 2006, 04:37 AM
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bagsarepacked, glad you enjoyed your trip.
FYI (if you decide to return to this area) and others, you don't have to take the #151 bus all the way from the train station to Lincoln Park neighborhood or Zoo.
You can also take the #22 NB Clark Street bus or #36 NB Broadway bus (of the two, the Clark Street bus is the better, IMHO) from stops on Dearborn in the Loop. The #151 bus goes all the way out to State Street and Michigan Avenue, which is great for sightseeing but which creates more stops. The other two busses are also locals and go up Dearborn (as Clark is one-way SB in that area of the downtown) then WB on Division for a couple of blocks then NB on Clark. So, take the #151 to the closest stop by Dearborn and then transfer to the #22 or #36 from there.
The Chicago History Museum is at North Avenue and Clark Street and the busses stop right there. Lincoln Park Zoo is only 3-4 blocks north on Stockton, a very easy walk - unless it's the weather is inclement.
As I mentioned before, these two are also local busses but have less stops than the #151. There are also a couple of busses that run NB/SB on LaSalle, but they only operate during specific hours (rush time on weekdays).
You'll save about .5 hour (or more, if it's the rush hour, lunch hour or a nice weekend).
Hope this information helps a bit.
FYI (if you decide to return to this area) and others, you don't have to take the #151 bus all the way from the train station to Lincoln Park neighborhood or Zoo.
You can also take the #22 NB Clark Street bus or #36 NB Broadway bus (of the two, the Clark Street bus is the better, IMHO) from stops on Dearborn in the Loop. The #151 bus goes all the way out to State Street and Michigan Avenue, which is great for sightseeing but which creates more stops. The other two busses are also locals and go up Dearborn (as Clark is one-way SB in that area of the downtown) then WB on Division for a couple of blocks then NB on Clark. So, take the #151 to the closest stop by Dearborn and then transfer to the #22 or #36 from there.
The Chicago History Museum is at North Avenue and Clark Street and the busses stop right there. Lincoln Park Zoo is only 3-4 blocks north on Stockton, a very easy walk - unless it's the weather is inclement.
As I mentioned before, these two are also local busses but have less stops than the #151. There are also a couple of busses that run NB/SB on LaSalle, but they only operate during specific hours (rush time on weekdays).
You'll save about .5 hour (or more, if it's the rush hour, lunch hour or a nice weekend).
Hope this information helps a bit.
Nov 2nd, 2006, 07:00 AM
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If the World Fair exhibit was interesting to you, check out this book:
The devil in the white city : murder, magic, and madness at the fair that changed America by Erik Larson
It is cram packed with Chicago history and runs alongside with the monumental building effort of the exhibit during an early American serial killer time.
The devil in the white city : murder, magic, and madness at the fair that changed America by Erik Larson
It is cram packed with Chicago history and runs alongside with the monumental building effort of the exhibit during an early American serial killer time.
Nov 2nd, 2006, 07:56 AM
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Thanks, bagsarepacked, as I'm working on trying to find a date for doing a similar drive but driving there during December when some of my grandkids are off of school.
Is there a decent place to park and what is the fee, if anyone knows?
Is there a decent place to park and what is the fee, if anyone knows?
Nov 2nd, 2006, 10:03 AM
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Thanks for the bus info!
The museum has a really nice parking lot. Not very large but we were there on a Tuesday and it was not any where near filled. There is a lot of info on their website www.chicagohistory.org/
Someone just gave me that book last week. It should be really interesting.
I also am interested because I dated (the Ferris wheel inventor)George Washington Gail Ferris's great grandson in high school.
I also found it interesting to learn more about the things that were invented in Chicago. Nice Riverview exhibit too.
The museum has a really nice parking lot. Not very large but we were there on a Tuesday and it was not any where near filled. There is a lot of info on their website www.chicagohistory.org/
Someone just gave me that book last week. It should be really interesting.
I also am interested because I dated (the Ferris wheel inventor)George Washington Gail Ferris's great grandson in high school.
I also found it interesting to learn more about the things that were invented in Chicago. Nice Riverview exhibit too.
Nov 2nd, 2006, 03:24 PM
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Enjoy the book. I also liked learning about the Ferris Wheel and then watching the old 'Ferris Beuhler's Day Off' on TBS (teen plays hooky and goes to all fave Chicago sites) Surely they picked the character's name for that reason?
