1. Museum Campus

    1. Museum Campus

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    Chicago, IL

    Museum Campus

    4.9 (51 reviews)

    Museum Campus Photos

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    Outside Field Museum
    Steve A.

    Beautiful large area filled with green space and of course museums. It also has lots of photographic opportunities. Museum Campus is a great jumping off point to many attractions and parks. Fun things are here even without going to a museum as you can hang out and look around. The skyline view is one of these things. It might be hard figuring out where you go first with all these museums and attractions. Probably the best known museum in this area is the Field Museum. This is Chicago's natural history museum. Check out dinosaurs and other ancient creatures. There's also many artifacts and tools from ancient civilizations as well. Also you can find more creatures in the Shedd Aquarium. Space fans can get a good look in the Adler Planetarium. Also there's Soldier Field. It of course gets busy around here when there's a game. The best way to avoid this is to get here with public transportation.

    Such a gorgeous view from here
    Jessica S.

    The view of the skyline from this area is absolutely wonderful. It puts me in the best mood just to see how beautiful our city is from here. The Museum Campus includes the Field Museum, Soldier Field, Shedd Aquarium, and the Adler Planetarium, so if you are ever touring Chicago, or are ever bored at home and you live in Chicago, definitely stop by and visit one of these places. The campus is huge and honestly, the area around Soldier Field can be a bit confusing because of all of the bridges. It can also get extremely crowded because of all of the tourist going in and out of each area and exploring. You can come here day or night and find wonderful views; however, I believe that the more breathtaking views are at night because you can clearly see each building and the beautiful lights reflect off of the Lake at night. Every time I am here, I see people taking gorgeous wedding or prom photos, so if you have any special occasions you need pictures for, I highly recommend taking them around here. Be careful with parking because parking around here can get pretty hectic, and there are some pay-to-park meters.

    View 2
    Binio L.

    This area is superb. Whether a walk jog or bike ride the views and paths are great. On top it has a few museums and statues walking distance from each other. Parking lots are nearby and public transportation is very handy This is great to go and spend all day checking things out. Eating from vendors and just relaxing enjoying the whole experience.

    Julia A.

    Museum Campus sits alongside Lake Michigan and encompasses some of the city's most notable attractions: The Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum of Natural History, and Soldier Field, home of The Chicago Bears football team. This has always been one of my favorite spots in Chicago. The views are phenomenal! You could easily spend a whole day in this small corner of the city. A good four to five hours in the Field Museum alone. Park in The Adler Planetarium parking lot - it's $20 for the whole day and is $5 cheaper than everything else around it. Bring your camera & enjoy!

    Hannah H.

    If you want to see the Chicago skyline, head over to the Museum Campus, off of 18th. Park you car and enjoy the view. During the day or at night (when it's best), you can enjoy the complete skyline view of Chicago (including Navy Pier). It's nice to just relax, sit back, and soak the views in with your sigfig other or your friends. +Chicago skyline view :D +metered-parking

    View of Museum Campus from drone
    Jemmie W.

    This is a gorgeous place with several museums including one of the best nature museums in the world (Field Museum) and within walking distance of Soldier Field, marina, Adler Planetarium, etc. You also have one of the best views of the Chicago skyline from here. It's definitely worth a visit.

    Ken O.

    As the previous reviewers have stated, the campus is one best places to visit since three museums, Soldier Field, Northerly Island and the Veteran's Memorial is located within walking distance of each other. The views of the skyline is incredible. The lawn is very nicely manicured and maintained. Transportation to the area is very easy to get go. You have a choice of public transportation such as the #146 bus, nearby El train, water taxi (during the warmer weather). There is plenty of parking available.

    Kathleen M.

    This is a wonderful spot on this planet of ours. Not only is there a world class collection of museums but is also the the premier view of city. If you have out of town company, make sure you bring them here. Heck, bring yourself here! I have been twice this week and each time the view has nourished my soul. Culture, knowledge and a gorgeous skyline, the Museum Campus is a not to be missed experience.

    Chicago skyline view from the Adler Planetarium
    Justin S.

    This review is actually for the sights by the Planetarium, not for any of the specific museums. I was looking for a place to take a picture of the Chicago skyline. I finally settled on this place and boy it did not disappoint. It seems to be a very popular spot for wedding pictures and prom pictures as well. A good panorama can include the aquarium, Willis Tower, Hancock Tower, and the Lake Point tower all in one shot. Get your panoramic apps ready or your wide angle lens and frame a beautiful shot. Bonus points if taken at night! See attached picture for skyline (got some awesome accents thanks to the cloudy weather).

    Deborah W.

    One of my favorite places in the world. With all the museums, beautifully landscaped rolling terrain, lakefront skyline, fireworks, winding paths, 12th street beach - it's a must visitor stop for both locals and tourists!

    Eileen K.

    My #1 favorite spot during my visit!!! We didnt go into any of the museums, but if you're short on time like we were, walk towards the back of all the museums, and you will be treated with the best view of the city. There is a long pathway to the aquarium, and they have stone steps you can sit on and you're RIGHT on the river. You see joggers and bikers. The color of the water, the peacefulness, the wide spacious sky and water stretched out before you, the cool crisp breeze...breathtaking and absolutely RELAXING. You can walk to the left as the path curves and as you keep walking, on one side of you the stone wall, and on your right the water, you slowly see the buildings of the city appearing before your eyes from afar. Beautiful. I felt like I had delved into a secret spot, a hidden gem. So grab a hot dog from a vendor (YUMMY) and go here to relax by the water and people watch. :)

    Chicago on a December Night

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    14 years ago

    One of the most beautiful places in Downtown Chicago.

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    15 years ago

    Great place to walk, run, bike, picnic, sightsee...whatever! One of the best parts of the city!

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    Review Highlights - Museum Campus

    It's essentially what it sounds like -- green space and lake space connecting Chicago's top museums (Field Museum, aquarium, etc).

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    Griffin Museum of Science and Industry

    Griffin Museum of Science and Industry

    4.3
    (1.6k reviews)
    5.7 mi

    This museum is wicked cool! I got lucky that I was able to visit for free as part of a dinner/party…read morefor a work conference I was attending. The place is MASSIVE -- you could easily wander for hours, but I only had about 1.5 hours so I went through some of the exhibits VERY fast. That said -- the German U-boat exhibit is particularly cool (you can even get on it/walk through it if you wait in a fairly long line!). They also had a Spiderman exhibit that was fun, a blue planet immersive experience that was just beautiful (and directed at raising awareness about microplastics/ocean pollution), several science exhibits about weather, and a couple other whole sections of the museum that I didn't make it to that was about the costumes/design from the movie "Wicked." There were several other areas in the museum as well that I just didn't have time to get to, but around pretty much every corner you'll find something unique, educational, and very cool! Lots of interactive stuff in the exhibits too, this place would definitely be very fun for kids like on a family trip, or a school field trip. My favorites were the WWII and U-boat exhibits, and the blue planet immersive exhibit. Would absolutely rec a visit to this museum if visiting Chicago and you only have time for one! It's super unique and VERY large so if you have a good chunk of a day you can definitely get your money's worth walking around here.

    This is one of my favorite--if not my absolute favorite museum in Chicago. There are lots of cool…read moreactivities. It looked like the museum had a wealth of information and knowledge. The exhibits appeared exciting and fascinating. They have a place where you can get food. The MSI has also hosted cool events in the past. There are lots of exhibits, so one can feel like there is enough activity to make the visit worthwhile. The exhibits were well done. The museum has a cool layout. Some exhibits felt larger than life. I lost count of how many times I went to the Museum of Science and Industry.

    Photos
    Christmas!
    Christmas!
    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.
    Mini city

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    Mini city
    Field Museum

    Field Museum

    4.2
    (1.5k reviews)
    0.2 mi

    One of my main reasons for this trip was the visit the Pokemon fossil exhibit. Not sure why there…read moreare not more reviews about it yet! Anyways, it's an additional add on to your base ticket pricing to go inside during a timed entry. Arrived at 9:15am like many other enthusiasts but I absolutely loved it. Once you walk in there's an Aerodactyl and excavator pikachu figure that is a great photo op. The exhibition itself walks you through the history of Pokemon and the different types of fossils that can be compared in the real world. This was so exciting to see and to go through. The life sized fossils were amazing to stand against and compare. Another photo op the end and that's where you get a voucher to purchase up to 5 items in the store with a limit 1 of excavator pikachu plush. After the Pokemon exhibit, there's a ton to see and do. My next favorite was the sue T REX exhibit and the dinosaur fossils too. There were the taxidermy animals too which were nice to see how many different species of animals there are in the world. The field museum is so big that you could literally spend the whole day here. So much to look at and see. Probably the best museum I've been to! Definitely worth checking out.

    One of the best museums I have ever been to (and I've been to a LOT)…read more They have great exhibits, and I always go look at the Plants of the World area when I go. My only complaint is the hours--there are simply not enough hours in one business day to see everything. They should do multiple day passes!

    Photos
    Ancient Americas Totem Pole
    Ancient Americas Totem Pole
    Main lobby
    Main lobby
    Field Museum

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    Museum of Contemporary Art - Chicago

    Museum of Contemporary Art - Chicago

    3.9
    (626 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    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.

    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!

    Photos
    Takashi Murakami
    Takashi Murakami
    Outside
    Outside
    Museum of Contemporary Art - Chicago

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    Color Factory

    Color Factory

    4.5
    (116 reviews)
    1.1 mi

    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.

    The Woman in the photo is a current employee at the Color Factory in Chicago…read more She made our experience TERRIBLE As soon as we walked into her location inside the ball area she greeted us rudely and spoke to our kids as if she didn't want to even be there. She does NOT like this job and does NOT know how to speak to children or treat them. It was our child's birthday with all her friends from school and kept rolling her eyes at them to the point where I finally approached her and told her the way she is talking and behaving in front of children is unacceptable Please get this girl proper training She is NOT cut for a job around kids Rudest employee I've ever met

    Photos
    Color Factory camera using the provided QR code
    Color Factory camera using the provided QR code
    Color Factory
    Balloon room fun

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    Balloon room fun
    Chicago History Museum

    Chicago History Museum

    4.1
    (410 reviews)
    3.0 mi

    I wish I had the time to actually stop and fully experience each of the exhibits more clearly. I'll…read morehave to take another trip. The kiddos enjoyed the sensing Chicago exhibit. I enjoyed learning more about the Chicago fire, the world fair & about the history of Uptown Theater. There is a cafe with coffee and other Chicago staples. I didn't eat there but I love the attention to detail on their menu offering. The kiddos said they love seeing the old trains & thought they looked better than the current or new ones.

    If you've been to Field Museum, MSI, Institute of Art, Shedd Aquarium, and are looking to satisfy…read moreyour museum craving, this is a great option. You can get a discounted ticket on Groupon, and they also offer free tours to the public. The museum has two levels - the first one is mainly a theater and a diorama exhibit, while the second floor has a lot of artifacts about the history of Chicago from 1600-1700's and into the 21st century. What I liked in particular is that it covered multiple aspects - immigrants, industry, fashion, art, commerce, civil rights, architecture, famous people, and so much more. You'll definitely learn a lot - plan at least 3 hours. The only thing that could have improved the experience would be better designed plaques with text (or lighting). Some of them were hard to read because it was either too dark in the room or the text was white color on yellow / pale-blue background which didn't provide enough contrast. Other than that, this museum is definitely worth visiting!

    Photos
    Chicago Jazz & Blues
    Chicago Jazz & Blues
    Coal mine exhibit
    Coal mine exhibit
    Chicago Jazz & Blues

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    Chicago Jazz & Blues

    Museum Campus - museums - Updated July 2026

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