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    Chicago History Museum

    4.1 (410 reviews)
    Closed 9:30 am - 4:30 pm

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    Zay M.

    I visited here with my son at 1pm on Sunday after leaving museum of contemporary art. We were using Go City pass. Check in was quick and easy. They have a free coat check which we utilized. They had two public tours that day. We saw the exhibits solo and not with the tour. This museum was large and had two floors. It's located near bus stops, if visiting and using public transportation. There was an exhibit for Emmitt Till that was very informative yet saddening. I'm glad there is a dedicated section for this tragedy. The Chicago fire exhibit was engaging, informative, and interactive. There was full size L train car in the exhibit. Normally, you could go inside but it was closed due to renovations. There were sooo many areas the touches on all the history of Chicago and it's fairly thorough. I really enjoyed the interactiveness and the various designs. It's more inviting and interesting vs traditional museums, especially for children. I highly recommend this. I wish I had allotted more time here.

    Sunny K.

    Chicago is so rich in history... Had no idea... Learned so much... Fell in love with Chicago even more... Exhibits were fantastic Staff was wonderful The hot dog stole the show with the kids Highly recommend

    This is a blue book which is from the 1900s in Chicago. If you wanted to look someone up and find their address, you used this.
    Maralyn O.

    The museum itself is incredible so many great exhibits. I learned something new every time I go there. But what I really love to do is go to the research library where you can look up anything about Chicago. The researchers there are really interested in your project and will help you. Maggie was helping me learn about the 1891 bldg I live in!

    Ann-Marie H.

    For Indigenous Peoples' Day, I decided to visit this museum since I had the day off, and it was a free day! Honestly, you have to come see it for yourself, which is why I'm not posting any pictures--I don't want to spoil the experience for others. I'm glad I came on a free day because, to be honest, the museum was smaller than I expected, and it didn't have as much as I thought it would. We were able to walk through it in under an hour, so if I had paid full price, I might have been a bit disappointed. That said, for someone like me who's passionate about history, particularly African-American history and culture, it's a place I'd definitely bring my parents when they visit. My favorite exhibits were the train section and the jazz and blues exhibit. I loved the interactive aspect of the jazz portion, where you could participate in a "table conversation" with cards that made it feel like you were in the 1920s. The Chicago Fire exhibit was also interesting. The museum has a lot of interactive elements, which is why I'm giving it four stars. It would've gotten five if some of the exhibits or interactions weren't roped off or out of order.

    Demetria C.

    The museum was interesting especially about the history of people , places and things. Alot of things I didn't know about Chicago but was informed about at the museum. There are different exhibits from politicians , music , politics ,trains and clothing . So many things to see and read about . It's 2 levels to the museum, you won't get bored , plus there is a kid interaction area. It was a few feild trips there , and the kids seemed entertained. Overall great visit to learn about Chicago

    Stephanie G.

    The Chicago History Museum is a great encapsulation of the city's history from its early days to its fire, the World's Fair, and Abraham Lincoln's visit. Their displays are very engaging, and a full-sized train car and city dioramas were cool to see. It was disappointing to see signs for item removals. It's a fairly expensive museum for there to be empty cases for an exhibit that is not even that old, removed not for preservation but for rewriting history. There is also a sign in each exhibit about how the museum was on stolen lands, but no word if the museum is donating its profits or giving the land back. The sheer number of signs and requirements for the tour guide to read the sign was a bit overdone and no longer in the spirit of solely presenting facts. The exhibit on the fire was very thorough, and we luckily came when a tour was being offered. Our guide was very knowledgeable, and the exhibit itself was detailed and well-done. The other exhibits took less time, but everything was worth the walkthrough. The entire museum takes a few hours, and some of the exhibits are great. The gift shop is pretty bad with almost nothing with the museum's name on it. There's a small cafe on site, but if you hang onto your ticket, you can leave and reenter as needed. It's worth doing as a tourist, but I do hope the emphasis stays on presenting facts related to Chicago's history.

    Travis T.

    A museum outside of the usual museum campus area by the Loop. Overall, I enjoyed the museum and the $17 ($19 for non-students and non-seniors) admission was worth it. Too bad one of the special exhibitions on the first floor was closed. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the museum especially the exhibit related to the Chicago Fire of 1871 and how life was in Chicago back then.

    Nick P.

    I've been here once but it was a memorable experience. Cost of admission is cheap. For adults it's $19 and they do have select free days for Illinois residents. From the name of the museum, people might find it less intriguing and would rather attend the bigger, more popular ones downtown. I can assure you that this one is far more interesting than the Adler Planetarium. I spent roughly 4-5 hours here, looking and reading everything that I wanted to look at. I don't want to give anything away but recommend you check out their website. They have tons of photo opportunities in the exhibits. It's located close to the Lincoln Park Zoo. For parking, you can either look for free parking close to the zoo or use an app like Spot Hero to find a guaranteed spot. Since this museum is not nearly as busy as the other ones, you can go anytime. It wasn't super crowded. When you finish, the Lincoln Park area has an excellent selection of restaurants.

    Pritzker Family Tree
    Steve A.

    Chicago has lots of very interesting history, so it's hard to get it all in one museum but this one tries anyway. It can be good for a few hours of fun and learning. The Chicago History Museum also has free admission at certain times for local residents, allowing them to avoid the kind of high prices. Look at some interesting artifacts from around the city. You can find many that are serious and not so serious so it's a good place for both adults and kids to look through. A pretty big museum because there's a lot of history to cover. It has some of the oldest stuff on the first floor. There's exhibits on the settlers and the digging of the canal and that kind of stuff. Also there's an exhibit of local sights and smells good for children. There's a big figure of a Chicago style hot dog and it documents the ingredients. More stuff is on the second floor. This covers the history of things like the Haymarket Riot and the Union Stock Yards. Of course there's a large exhibit about the fire. There's also exhibits on local sports. Good stuff if interested in the history of the city. It's kind of expensive but local residents can get free admission on certain days that happen every now and then. These are listed on the website.

    Checks the look and flavor boxes. Great job by those involved! May the hot dog gods bless you and your families.

    Really great museum! Wish I had visited it sooner. You can see the bed Lincoln died in which I was unaware of before my visit. Also their cafè is really nice! Thought it was gonna be like most museum cafes that serve characterless food but I must say this chicago style dog hit right.

    Hunter S.

    Located in old village, a few miles out of the loop/tourist district, this is not the typical museum stop in Chicago. I wouldn't call it a must see, but if you want to know more about Chicago, it's history, neighborhoods, population, and how it became the city it is today, this would be a great start to your Chicago trip. The main reason I came here is to see the Lincoln death bed. There is also a section on Lincoln's Chicago. There is a prominent, poignant section on the Chicago fire. It tells the history, the rebuilding, and the long term effects on the city, but most impressively the exhibit displays artifacts from the fire: knickknacks, decor, melted buckets of nails, a burned hymnal, even cookies that burned so hot and fast that they turned to charcoal cookies. There was also a section on polish Chicago, which was so large and detailed that you'd really have to have an interest in the subject. There were sections on advancement of transport (trains, rail) as well as business (Sears, Montgomery Ward, Oscar Mayer etc). They covered several historical disasters in Chicago. They had a small superficial exhibit on race and civil rights, though it was whitewashed and weak. The Chicago blues section was pitiful and put together as an afterthought. Some displays were oversimplified and almost geared toward kids. There is an actual interactive kids section. If you want to know more about Chicago, this is the place to start. Admission is 19 bucks.

    Great museum! Loved the dioramas and the movie theater. They had both general American history as well as Chicago history

    Admissions prices (June 2022)
    Brian F.

    Chicago has such a rich history and this museum did a great job of capturing it all. It's located a little more north of Chicago near Lincoln Park but it's only a short bus ride away. There were two floors and most of the stuff to see was on the second floor. The admission pricing is as followed (as of June 2022): - Adults 22-64 ($19) - Seniors 65+ ($17) - In state children 0-18 (free) - In state students 19-22 ($17) - Out of state children 0-12 (free) - Out of state students 13-22 ($17) One of the biggest events in Chicago history was of course the Chicago Fire. The exhibit detailed where it started in the O'Leary's barn, how fast it spread day by day, and the life of residents in 1871 when this all happened. There was a ton to read and I really liked how all the descriptions were both in English and Spanish. If you don't want to read you can also reserve tours and the guides will give more interesting tidbits, such as things about the real items that survived the fire. We also saw the lamp that started the Iroquois theater fire that killed 600 because the doors opened inward and not outward. Along with the Chicago Fire exhibit, we saw the actual bed that Lincoln died on, a timeline of Martin Luther King Jr.'s life and his speeches in Chicago, a history of Chicago architecture, and Chicago entertainment such as sports, theater, and music. I also found out that the following were invented in Chicago (along with many others): the bowling ball, the tennis ball, Morton salt, and the Weber grill. We spent about two hours here because there was just so much to read and explore. If you can make the time for the trip up north, I'd highly recommend checking this museum out.

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    Ask the Community - Chicago History Museum

    Review Highlights - Chicago History Museum

    I really like the diorama room where you can look at models that make it seem like your back in time.

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    Griffin Museum of Science and Industry - Christmas!

    Griffin Museum of Science and Industry

    4.3(1.6k reviews)
    8.7 miHyde Park

    Wow, our minds were blown away by this Smithsonian quality museum! We only expected to check it…read moreout for a few hours but ended up spending the entire day here. Although the submarine was their signature piece, what we enjoyed the most were the thoughtful and engaging displays with the trains and airplanes (especially the airplane engine). This museum is truly a gem and we were lucky to spend the day here.

    What a lovely museum and a must see for any parent with a kid visiting the Chicago area (parents…read moreenjoy it too). You can spend days here! Our main excitement was U-505 submarine. We bought the additional tour of the submarine and it was well worth it. My kiddo is obsessed with submarines and what a story this submarine has to tell and even more incredible how they got it here. We also loved the exhibit on Paul Tazewell which was a limited engagement to see his beautiful pieces of art (costumes) especially those from Wicked which were just out of this world. We also loved all the interactive exhibits like the one where butterflies land on you on a screen based on how still you can be. We also spent a great amount of time looking at the space artifacts and even took in a movie (additional cost) which was a great way to unwind a little after being on our feet the majority of the day. Love this museum!

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    Griffin Museum of Science and Industry - Inside IG: @ammysalamii

    Inside IG: @ammysalamii

    Griffin Museum of Science and Industry - A view of a miniature Seattle skyline at The Great Train Story exhibit at MSI.

    A view of a miniature Seattle skyline at The Great Train Story exhibit at MSI.

    Griffin Museum of Science and Industry - Inside

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    Inside

    The Art Institute of Chicago - Adult ticket $32

    The Art Institute of Chicago

    4.7(2.5k reviews)
    2.3 miThe Loop

    Wheeeew, grab a map when you walk in!! We tried to go without and it didn't end well. Not only did…read moremy boyfriend and I lose each other very early on, but we also lost track of what sections we had been in. Eventually we reconvened in the main area and consulted the visitor guide to ensure we maximized our time here, but it was still impossible to see everything. We happened to arrive right before noon, so we were able to peep in Fullerton Hall, which was cool. We also combed through the impressionism area and I enjoyed all the Monets. I then went on a MISSION to find American Gothic, which ended up being in an entirely different wing -- eventually I found it though. Paradise Lost was another highlight of course, as well as the Chicago Stock Exchange room recreation. We wrapped things up in the modern wing, and I was hyped to see several pieces from Andy Warhol, plus a Dali. If we didn't have a flight that night, we easily could've spent 2-3 more hours here.

    Visiting the Art Institute of Chicago had long been on my bucket list ever since taking an art…read morehistory class in high school, so it was a dream come true to finally see it in person. I booked my tickets in advance on the morning of my visit and walked over from River North in the afternoon. Upon entering the galleries, I went up the central staircase and immediately found myself in a room with my favorite Impressionist masterpieces, including works by Monet, Seurat, Caillebotte, Van Gogh, and Matisse...just to name a few. I wandered through the other galleries and continued to spot my favorite paintings from other art periods. I even found a mummy! The museum layout was a little confusing, but the galleries were well-labeled, and the staff was very friendly and knowledgeable in helping me find my way. Thinking that I would only spend about an hour in the museum, I ended up staying almost until closing. Before leaving, I stopped in at the gift shop to pick up some postcards to commemorate my visit. I highly recommend the Art Institute of Chicago to anyone visiting the city, and I would definitely consider coming back when I have more time on my next visit.

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    The Art Institute of Chicago - Members lounge is worth the investment- even for an out of towners! Free coffee, tea, views, bathroom

    Members lounge is worth the investment- even for an out of towners! Free coffee, tea, views, bathroom

    The Art Institute of Chicago - Sculpture

    Sculpture

    The Art Institute of Chicago - The Art Institute of Chicago is now open on Wednesdays.

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    The Art Institute of Chicago is now open on Wednesdays.

    Field Museum - Ancient Americas, first level

    Field Museum

    4.2(1.6k reviews)
    3.2 miNear Southside

    This was my last stop on Saturday while I was in Chicago, and it was actually my first time…read morevisiting the Field Museum. I'm honestly so glad I finally got the chance to go. First off, the front of the museum is so elegant and beautiful. As soon as you walk in, it honestly reminded me of the movie Night at the Museum, which made the whole experience even cooler. One thing I didn't know before going was that they were closing early that Saturday at 5 PM because there was an event happening at the museum. Because of that, my family and I had to rush a little and pick and choose which areas we wanted to see. We went through the gift shop and checked out the Dinosaur Evolution exhibit where we got to see SUE the T. rex. It was honestly so cool seeing her in person and learning about the history behind dinosaurs and their evolution. I was also hoping to get the extension to see the Pokémon fossils, but unfortunately they were already sold out for the day! Definitely something I'll have to try for next time. We also got to see the Grainger Science Hub, Native Truths, and a bunch of other exhibits and galleries. There was honestly so much to see that I wish we had more time. I'd definitely plan things out better next time so I can see more of the exhibits and galleries without feeling rushed. Overall, I really enjoyed my visit and would recommend the Field Museum to anyone who enjoys museums, history, dinosaurs, or just places where you can spend hours walking around and learning new things. Definitely worth checking out if you're in Chicago!

    We recently visited Yellowstone National Park, and we remembered that the Field Museum in Chicago…read morehas a life-size bison on exhibit! If i recall, it was on the east side of the second floor. We saw a large herd in Yellowstone, and several scattered pairs and individuals. We were about ten feet from one while we were driving to Old Faithful. This felt like that experience. Yikes! Yeah, they are this big.

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    Field Museum - One of the museum curators

    One of the museum curators

    Field Museum - Ancient Americas Totem Pole

    Ancient Americas Totem Pole

    Field Museum - Main lobby

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    Main lobby

    Museum of Contemporary Art - Chicago - Restaurant

    Museum of Contemporary Art - Chicago

    3.9(628 reviews)
    1.1 miStreeterville, Near North Side
    $$

    I loved my experience! I really appreciate the free Tuesday nights for Illinois residents. That's…read moresuch a treat! Beautiful museum with multiple floors, excellent customer service, plenty of comfortable seating, cool gift shop, and a cafe and restaurant too. It has everything I need! The vibes are good here. I enjoyed all the floors and saw an impressive variety of art. I also wanted to see the Yoko Ono exhibit and I really enjoyed it. I appreciated how interactive it was. There were a few writing stations with activities, such as writing about your mom and taping it to the wall, and writing a wish on a tag and tying it to the wish tree. One room was blue and there were blue markers available and people were encouraged to add to it. Fabulous venue!

    Finally visited this River North museum during my return to Chicago. Since I wasn't a CHI/IL…read moreresident, the adult ticket price was $22, however you can also opt for the Pay As You Wish option, which is essentially Suggested Donation. While the museum is 4 floors, the exhibits weren't as plentiful. The 1st floor is basically their cafe. The 2nd and 4th floors are prob the floors with more artwork. The 3rd fl felt like an "in-between" floor. Thankfully, the Yoko Ono exhibit was on display, which featured several interactive activations, like a Wish Tree or writing on a wall, which were fun. Their Museum Shop also spans from floors 1-2. I wouldn't say that this museum has the popular artists. The overall artworks are a mix of abstract, photography, and mixed media. I wouldn't recommend it as a "Must See" for tourists, personally. However, I'm an art enthusiast and still thought it was a decent museum to walk through. Perhaps opt for the Suggested Donation for this one.

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    Museum of Contemporary Art - Chicago - Takashi Murakami

    Takashi Murakami

    Museum of Contemporary Art - Chicago - Outside

    Outside

    Museum of Contemporary Art - Chicago

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    Color Factory - Confetti room

    Color Factory

    4.5(119 reviews)
    2.3 miThe Loop

    When we first visited Color Factory two years ago, my daughters did not want to leave. On our most…read morerecent trip back to the city, they wanted to see it again. We still had a good time, but the venue was pretty much the same, so there was nothing new for them to get as excited about. We still enjoyed walking through the rooms, etc. Hopefully, the CF team can develop some new experiences in the space to get us to go back on our next visit to the city.

    This was the most wonderful experience! I highly recommend it if you're in Chicago. It's located in…read morethe Willis Tower, so if you're going to the Skydeck it's a quick little jaunt over before or after. I wasn't sure what to expect, and it ended up being so much better than I imagined! All the people working were friendly, knew what they were doing, and helped us have the best experience we could have. I loved every part of it, and it was awesome tying in all the senses to color! The tasting one was so fun, I ended up guessing mine right! I think my husband and I had the most fun with the partner drawing activity, that's a keepsake for sure, haha! Other faves were the poem and balloon exhibit and of course, the ball pit. We came with our 6 year old nephew but I think the adults had more fun than he even did! It was fun to let loose and be a kid again. I was thankful for all the fun photo ops, it made it easier to get great pics without having our phones out the whole time. The only bummer was the ice cream. We paid $1 per person for it and it was just one tiny little ball with a wooden spoon, and I could taste the spoon more than the ice cream.

    Photos
    Color Factory - Color Factory camera using the provided QR code

    Color Factory camera using the provided QR code

    Color Factory
    Color Factory - Balloon room fun

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    Balloon room fun

    Chicago History Museum - museums - Updated September 2026

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