Museum of Science and Industry

Museum of Science and Industry Review

The beloved MSI is one of the most-visited sites in Chicago, and for good reason. The sprawling open space has 2,000 exhibits on three floors, with new exhibits being added constantly. The museum's high-tech interior is hidden by the Classical Revival exterior; it was designed in 1892 by D.H. Burnham & Company as a temporary structure to house the Palace of Fine Arts for the World's Columbian Exposition. It and the Art Institute are the fair's only surviving buildings. On a nice day, take a walk behind the museum to the beautifully landscaped Jackson Park and its peaceful Osaka Garden, a Japanese-style garden with a waterfall.

Highlights

Descend into the depths of a simulated coal mine on a "miner"-led tour that explores the technology behind digging energy out of the ground.

The opulent and detailed-as-a-film-set Fairy Castle (really a giant dollhouse) has tiny chandeliers that flash with real diamonds and floors that are laid with intricate stone patterns. It's enough to make us daydream about what the world's fairy-tale characters might have lived in.

Tour the cramped quarters of the only U-505 German submarine captured during World War II (there's an additional fee). Don't feel like waiting in line? Explore just the free interactive exhibits surrounding the sub, which give stunning insight into the strategy behind the war at sea.

Learn how scientists can make frogs' eyes glow or watch baby chicks tap themselves out of their shells at the "Genetics-Decoding Life" exhibit.

The Omnimax Theater shows science- and space-related films on a giant screen.

Tips

Use the museum map to plan out your visit. Your best bet is to hit a couple of highlights (the U-boat tour alone will take at least an hour) and then see a couple of quirky exhibits.

If the kids get grouchy, bring them to the Idea Factory, a giant playroom where they can play with water cannons, blocks, and cranks. Limited to ages 10 and younger.

Relax with some ice cream in the old-fashioned ice-cream parlor, tucked away in a genteel re-creation of an Illinois main street.

On nice days, hordes of sunbathers and kite-flyers camp out on the giant lawn out front—it's almost as entertaining as the museum itself. Lake Michigan is across the street.

The museum has free-admission days, but the schedule changes often. Check the Web site for details.