We are members here and we do not come here enough! I would say we average about 3-4 visits a…read moreyear. However when we do come, our toddler has a blast! Your children will as well. As members, we do get discounted parking at Navy Pier. While it does help, it still can be a little pricey. Ok there is a gift shop right before you enter so if you can support it, great! Head up the stairs or elevator and get ready for 2 floors of fun! Whether you visit the dinosaurs, construction area or the fire station, this museum appeals to every childs interests. This particular day we spent a lot of time in the firehouse as seen by the video. Regardless, he had fun, make some friends, had some snacks (2nd floor) and had a great time! We love coming here!

We recently returned to the Children's Museum, and our young boys really enjoyed the experience…read more While the water area was closed (which was a disappointment as it's a fan favorite), my kiddos continue to enjoy the makeshift CTA bus and firetruck. The rotating display this time around was 'castle,' which had fun dress up options and little play areas. While we like the children's museum, with the water area closed and tickets still $21/person, we likely won't come back for some time. However, definitely a great spot to check out if you've never been!

The ice cream hotdog was nasty and the smoked salt that was on the peach Paloma made the whole…read moredrink horrible

What a fun time!! The staff is very energetic and seem to enjoy their job. I wish there were more…read morerooms to explore but you can eat all the nice cream you want. While the hot dog ice cream was the worst thing I ever tasted, it will be a lasting memory for my family and the laughs we had trying it. This a fun stop to explore for all ages. Signed- Le'Mon Keezy (my ice cream name) . This isn't a spot I'd continually visit but you should definitely give it a try!!

A neat small place to learn about Chicago architecture and it's development, with short…read more timelines on the walls and miniature model of the city and another ofWrigley Field. I bought a perfect, sturdy canvas bag labeled Chicago Architecture Center.

The museum has great models of Wrigley field and downtown. There is a video that discusses the…read moreevolution of the city. There are interactive displays that describe prominent buildings, architects , and architectural styles in Chicago. A good place to learn about Chicago architecture!

For myself and three kids it was $200. Pretty steep for essentially 20 vats of slime to try and a…read morecouple extra things like walking on slime or making slime. The process was easy. The place seems upkept and clean. Staff was very nice. It's just a short experience. I think younger kids would like it for an hour.

So many feelings. First of all I loved this WAY more than I thought I would. I HATE slime but my…read moregirls love it. So deep breath and who cares if clothes get ruined?! We went on Good Friday, lots of kids were off of school. We got the first time slot! Highly recommend this! The place is self guided and you can always go back to feel some more! If you think about germs and are easily grossed out, there's plenty of hand sanitizer around, or bring your own! But everyone is basically reaching in to feel the same slime you are. There's a small area the kids can take their shoes off and play in. Some squishes and slime they can go into (it's hard and doesn't stick to clothes!). They also have the "get slimed" station. I believe it's $30 and from the looks of it, it's just blue water. Didn't seem worth it to me. But my kids loved watching! The best part is being able to make your own slime! You can pick the consistency, smell and color! And as an added bonus you can pick out 3 charms! There's no food or drinks allowed in and they have a complimentary coat/bag check! Take a picture of your bag in case you drop your ticket! In addition, I find it hilarious that people are complaining about the price. Of course the place raises the price during peak hours. Now do I think $56 for a ticket is steep, yes! But plan ahead and always purchase tickets ahead of time! We paid $135 for 3 and were there almost 3 hours! We only left because we had lunch reservations!

I missed this at our last visit, so I made it mandatory on this one…read more It is a very interactive space, so it is great for kids and adults alike. Front desk staff are polite and helpful. They provided a discount for educators with my wife being a music educator at a prestigious music school. There were numerous authors I am fans of that were featured here. But Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett are my favorites. I have read essayist EB White's work as well. Of course, Roger Ebert material is here too. You could try to write a story with fill-in blanks and see how close you are to the original. You can use an old skool typewriter for "fun and games" of the technology of the past. It is fairly priced for what it is and should take you about one (1) hour or less. I even got a complimentary book marker for a cool author.

This was my first time visiting the American Writers Museum, and I came here as part of a field…read moretrip. The museum is quite large and well laid out, with a lot to explore. If you enjoy reading or writing, this is a museum you'd likely appreciate. It's a good place to spend time learning and getting inspired by different writers and literary works.

Figured the kid would like this, and she did. And so did we…read more Kind of expensive, I think $40 for adults and $30 for kids, but worth it. Very nice space packed with illusions, many classics but some unusual ones. And staff were great, from the front desk to the manager to the lady who helped us fully experience the exhibits with hints on how to see them best, and ideas (plus some had photos nearby with suggestions.) Kind of small, we spent about an hour, but had a lot of fun. We went right when they opened on a Sunday and it wasn't crowded then, but things picked up by the time we left. So come early to have a bit more freedom to roam.

Miana, was amazing. She took pictures. She gave us some good feedback and a lot of education. She…read moremade the experience one notch above other experiences!! Thank you Miana!!!! Carla Work

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.

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.

The Africa Fashion exhibit was everything. The colors, the fabrics, the way each piece told a story…read moreit gave me chills. Seeing over 20 countries represented in one space felt powerful and inspiring, and honestly it made me look at fashion in a whole new way. This is one of those shows you have to catch while it's here. It's not just fashion, it's history, culture, and art all in one. You can check out my full review and everything I did on Instagram and TikTok: @travelnistaonthemove

The Money Museum is a great free museum and an interesting place to learn about the history of the…read moreU.S. Federal Reserve System. There is a lot of information throughout the museum, along with interactive exhibits and several visual displays that really showcase what $1 million looks like. I'm the type of person who likes to go through every exhibit, so I spent a good 2.5 hours exploring the museum. While that may seem like a long time, there was plenty to see and learn. I was able to learn about the origins of U.S. currency, the different types of military currency used during various wars, and the role and responsibilities of the Federal Reserve Chair. The interactive exhibits also helped make some of the information more engaging and easier to understand. Overall, this was a great experience, especially considering that admission is free.

Free and interactive museum! Can take pics and learn about our financials. Got take take home…read morepictures and some shredded money Fun fact: Cash is made of 75%cotton and 25% linen Best of all free admission, need to scan your bag before going in through security

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.

One of the best and biggest art museums I've ever been to…read more I brought my 11-year-old son with me on a Monday morning in August. The only downsides were just how insanely packed it was, and the price of admission - $32 for adults (but free for my son at least). But it's worth it to fork over the cash and brave the crowds. The collections are stunning and expansive and truly breathtaking. The paintings are well spaced out with ample descriptions and information. Like most museums of this size and prestige, the building and the people watching are just as interesting as the art. Definitely hope to return someday as I've barely scratched the surface!