AMAZING butterfly room. There's sooo many butterflies I was surprised. We were able to watch them release a few too. Sometimes they will also land on your arm. It costs money to get into the museum, then an extra $5 to go to the butterfly room. read more

See all

We had a wonderful time exploring the Nature Museum with our two kiddos (2.5yrs & 5.5yrs old) today! There was tons to do - water play (in multiple areas), living & taxidermy creatures to see/learn about, two play spaces to get the wiggles out, and of course the beautiful Butterfly Haven. We went on a weekday around 11am during spring break and it was moderately busy, but there was no line to get in. We paid extra to visit the butterfly haven (100% worth it!). The 1st exhibit included water play, which our kids loved, but def bring a change of clothes for when they get wet. There is another water play zone on the 1st floor next to the play area as well. The highlight of our visit was the Butterly Haven. It's very beautiful and I honestly could sit there forever watching butterflies flutter around. They release butterflies daily at 2pm, but we didn't see that. We also enjoyed the digital interactive butterfly exhibit, where kids color a butterfly on paper, scan it, and it appears fluttering on a giant digital screen. Street parking was full, but there is a small lot across the street from the entrance and it was $24 to park. It was a short walk to the entrance. The gift shop is super cute and has snacks/drinks, but nothing fresh-made (mostly pre-packaged options). They have tables & high chairs near the entrance for snacking/resting. Also family restrooms, stroller parking, & an elevator. Super kid/family friendly and we'll definitely be back! read more

See all

This was a really cool spot. My absolute favorite part of the museum was the BUTTERFLY Room! There were real butterfly species everywhere and it felt very whimsical, magical, just Beautiful! I was taken aback when I walked in. Pure awe! I also loved the very kid friendly room with digital floors it was almost like a kid space to decompress and run around a bit after seeing all the educational exhibits. read more

See all

This museum is a nice way to spend two hours on a cloudy afternoon. Admission is $17 for adults, but there are Illinois free days and free passes through the Chicago Public Library. Parking is plentiful since it is part of Lincoln Park. I opted to take bus #76 which drops you off in front of the museum entrance. The layout is two floors which are accessible via the stairs or elevator. The first floor is more focused for children and has amphibious animals and a waterworks play station teaching children about levees. The second floor is geared towards older children and adults. There are stuffed animals, a sustainability section, and the butterfly haven (my favorite). read more

See all

The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum was enjoyable for adults even though many of the activities were designed for children. Illinois residents receive a small discount compared to tourist admission. It took me about an hour to explore the exhibits at a comfortable pace. The volunteers were friendly and engaging, especially with kids. *Judy Istock Butterfly Haven: this area was beautiful, filled with plants and active butterflies. Plates of fruit and sugar water drew clusters of butterflies and the well-kept flowers added a calming fragrance. The Dr. Doug Taron Chrysalis Lab located at the exit displayed butterflies in various stages of development. *Wilderness Walk: compact section featuring recreated habitats with taxidermied animals. The animals looked very realistic and the backgrounds were detailed. I wished this area were a bit larger although it was thoughtfully presented. *Mysteries of the Marsh: focused on endangered wetland wildlife. I enjoyed the turtles which energetically climbed and swam around. Some of the viewing glass was scratched making it difficult to see them clearly. *Micole Bird Watch: upper level space offered a view of the Chicago scenery. We did not spot any birds and the area felt rather plain. This area could benefit from a bit more decor or educational content. *RiverWorks: water play area for children. It felt somewhat damp and crowded for my taste though the river fish were interesting to observe. The butterfly and turtle exhibits were my favorites, but families with young children would likely enjoy the water areas as well. I hope the museum enhances the bird watch floor in the future, but overall it was a pleasant and worthwhile visit. read more

See all

Great museum, it seemed sparse at times and was definitely geared towards younger children. Beautiful building with a lot of natural light, although the hallways are long and mostly empty to get from side to side. At times it's not clear what entrance to take, or how to return. The walking is a lot, although it's all handicap accessible other than the sheer step count. The gift shop was also small... Our favorite parts were the snapping turtle and animals, and the butterfly room! There's also a nice view of the skyline from the bird walk, which was nice. They definitely do an accurate mourning dove call sound... it's quite calming to hear. Definitely worth a trip, don't plan on spending too much time here if you're over 10. read more

See all

Very cool nature museum. Lots of cool exhibits. My favorite is the Butterfly Haven. The rates for entry vary. They have rates for local residents, nonresident, Police/EMS & military as well a senior citizen discounts (inquire). Near by parking outside and ample handicap parking as well. read more

See all

This was such a beautiful place. I'm not sure why I hadn't been any sooner. It was like the DuPage children's museum but for nature when you enter on the lower level, they had a really cool ecosystem or irrigation exhibit that the kids loved playing in the water, there's three levels the butterfly garden I believe is on level two so many different animals not in the sense of a zoo, but in terms of nature, turtles snakes, etc. the butterfly garden was beautiful. It was huge and we saw quails in there as well. I've never seen them in person. There is a bus that you can take all the way down, but I booked spot here and walked about 5 to 7 minutes and it's right across the street from Lincoln Park zoo. read more

See all

We came here first before the zoo and enjoyed the relief of AC. Too bad no option of cafeteria inside. Anyways, our kids loved the water tables and playscape. Afterwards the next favorite exhibit was the butterfly house. Overall this was win with botanical garden reciprocal free admission. We were shooed away after visiting outdoor birding platform and going downstairs where they had a class taking lunch break. I told staff to use the nearby cones to block off the stairs and was told rudely just go back where we came from at top stairs. I think their staff got tired of explaining but some people enjoy making their lives more difficult. Anyways, it is rewarding to visit both places with paying parking just once. read more

See all

Cool museum in Lincoln Park good for teaching kids or anyone. It's about nature, and there's not any better place in Chicago to learn about it. The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum is located by the North Pond Nature Sanctuary. Both of these compliment the other, so be sure to check out each. You can see butterflies and more. Although it may be aimed more at kids, that doesn't mean it can't be interesting for adults. It has the goal of getting you to have appreciation for nature. That's a goal anyone should have for sure. Admission is about $10 for adults. There's also days of free admission for Illinois residents. Among the animal exhibits, the most popular are the butterflies. The garden is nice and they release the butterflies into it every so often. Also there's taxidermy which is good if you like seeing dead animals. Those who don't can still use it as an educational experience at least. Good place in the park to learn about nature and habitats. It's better for kids or those who care about nature. The museum is a smaller one and the admission can be high, but there's free admission at times for residents, and you can find these on the website. read more

See all

This place is seriously perfect for some kid friendly fun! My toddler had a blast here this morning- both exploring the beautifully maintained garden paths outside and playing with all of the engaging hands on activities inside. The whole museum was very clean and easy to get around and there are plenty of tables for snacks. Family restrooms are conveniently located around the museum. The butterfly area is very best but small. read more

See all

This is such a fun museum to go to if you are a kid or kid at heart. The Nature musuem is a delight to go to even if you are no longer a kid! My niece has fond memories of visiting this museum and she looks forward to any excuse to visit even though she is much older now. My little kiddo had a wonderful time here and we spent hours going to all the different exhibits. Details (From the website): - Open 7 days a week from 10am to 4pm, with the exception of select - Starting Sunday, February 5 2023, open at 9am on Sundays and Tuesdays for member early access - Discounts for IL residents - Purchase tickets in person or online read more

This is a hidden gem if you have little one that want to explore nature. I used to bring my little ones here to play and look at the butterflies. They have butterflies from all over the world. I love the love pond animal exhibit too. They have a huge snapping turtle. read more

See all

I visited here on a Saturday recently and I can't believe it has taken me this long to finally step into this incredible museum. There's something for all ages but if you have littles then it's a dream. It makes for a perfect rainy day family activity. You can easily spend all day here with the kids. The museum has multiple indoor play spaces, a butterfly garden, and a vast collection of animal specimens. They also house a number of animals like snakes, frogs, turtles, ferrets, and a tarantula. I didn't have enough time to do the nature walk, so that'll have to wait until my next visit. It was surprisingly not crowded at all the day I came, probably because it was a warm day and people were flocking to the zoo instead. Overall this museum surpassed my expectations and is easily one of the coolest, underrated, family friendly places to go in Chicago. read more

Adorable museum. Take your date to see the butterflies!! The room is magical and relaxing. Don't forget to look to the right on the right on the way out to see all the cocoons. They are so cool and you might see in hatching read more

See all

So fun! My family and I were wanting to check out a museum that we hadn't been to before so we decided to go here! Although the taxidermy animals did freak us out a bit, we really enjoyed it! My favorite was the butterfly garden, but walking through here was fun and we liked the little bridge too where you can read about birds. Would definitely be a fun place to take kids! read more

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Employees need to be taught how to handle panic attacks in the butterfly haven. My 7yo daughter had a panic attack seconds after walking in. My husband tried to exit through the entrance with our daughter as it was next to us. The lady forced them to go through the crowded room to reach the exit as she panicked and screamed. 2 minutes later that same lady, exited through the entrance. What was the point of that humiliation ritual? To prove a point about rules are rules ? Do better next time. It was handled poorly. A special circumstance. An exception for a child. Disappointed read more

Our 18 month toddler loves this place Easy to find parking if you come early in the morning like right at opening Other families with young children often waiting at the door for it to open Amazing butterfly room, our kiddo goes crazy for the butterflies The secret woods playground is also fun New kids area with water area is also loved though bring a change of socks because your feet will get wet and they ask you to take off your shoes before going into the area Another cool water exhibit to understand dams etc Smaller than some of the other Chicago museums but the perfect size for a small child because they don't have the stamina for big museums anyway Also not nearly as busy or crowded as other museums so that's great We came so often I bought family membership! read more

See all

What a delightful experience in between college visits! It is geared as educational for kids, but we enjoyed it as well. We can find that inner sense of aww at the beautiful diversity of nature also. We had a few hours to explore, but the butterfly habitat was our favorite exhibit and worth the price of admission alone. We also enjoyed walking among the tree tops to view the birds. The butterflies are all over in a lovely garden. It was fun to try to find all different species and see how they camouflage themselves. Before exiting the exhibit, a security guard looked us over for any hitchhikers. See the additional 14 photos I added; it only let me post the first 10 here. You can park along the street or use public transportation. read more

See all

Great for kids, but adults may find there isn't as much to do here. We were in Chicago with a friend and decided to check out this museum since we had done most of the other big museums in the city. We really enjoyed the butterfly area which was some of the reason we came here in the first place. There are other areas in the museum which are kids only which we did not realize when we first got a ticket. The native gardens around the building were interesting and beautiful to look at. We spent less time here than we originally thought and it seems there is room for improvement on the museum side. I have been to other kids science and nature museums which are geared towards kids and they still had parts which could be interesting to both kids and adults, especially since it's educational. With that being said I would say children under 13 is the main audience here, with there being special areas for those even younger. I'd suggest to make it more educational and interactive for both adults and children to enjoy, some areas felt like more of a jungle gym than an educational exhibit. read more

See all

A great family day activity. A lot of hands on activities for kids. Informational facts for adults. Staff members were approachable! Just be prepared for a herd of children. I went here for an event, so I'm not sure of the admission fee. Highlights: The Butterfly Room, located on the second floor. We went around noon, and it was a great experience. Butterfly Release at 2pm. Thomas Manglesen Wildlife Gallery. Stunning wildlife photography. Mesmerizing . read more

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here for the first time in many years and have to say I was pretty underwhelmed. The exhibits have not changed much at all since when It first opened when I was a kid. You might like it if you are into taxidermy....My favorite display was of birds you can find in Illinois that allowed you to hear what noises they make. The butterfly garden was cool and they had a lot of different types of butterflies. Once a week they also have a session where you can learn more about the butterflies and see them release into the garden. If you are already in the area to visit the zoo or lakefront I'd stop by. read more

A last minute recommendation from a person I met during my recent Chicago trip led me to visit this museum, which only reinforces how sometimes the best experiences are serendipitous! Located in Lincoln Park, part of the joy of visiting was the ability to walk through the expansive park on my way to the museum. Once I arrived, the friendly staff member gave me a pamphlet that outlined the museum's layout. There are several exhibits that provide an overview of local Chicago/Illinois ecosystems in the past and the present. I learned about the museums extensive collection of animal models (both replicas and preserved specimens), and I got a sense of how Chicago has changed as its inhabitants (both human and animal) varied over the years. There's also an exhibit that details the types of animals you can find in different wetlands on the 1st floor. The highlight of my visit was seeing the Judy Istock Butterfly Haven, which is a greenhouse with an extensive collection of butterflies and birds that you can explore at your leisure. There's a daily release of new butterflies, and I got to see how exciting it is to see these exquisitely intricate creatures take flight. The museum volunteers and staff patiently answered questions about the butterflies and allowed visitors to explore them up close. You should definitely check it out if you visit! I also saw a temporary art exhibit on the 1st floor, and luckily, the artist was present to explain how her vividly colorful paintings were inspired by both flora and fauna. While the museum is not exceedingly modern, it was definitely worth stopping by! read more

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum - Butterfly thought bubble: "Feed me!" - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went with the husband and kids. Museum was a little small particularly for the admission price. Tickets cost $15 for adults, $8 or 10 for children. The butterfly room was very nice, and the kids really enjoyed it as well as me and the husband. It was very nice to see all the butterflies flying around. The rest of the museum was a little meh. They did have a nice panoramic "Van Gough" type 360 screen of various nature scenes which was very nice. They also had some a few other exhibits - moths, stuffed animals/taxidermy of birds, etc, as well as a play area (that was reasonably nice), etc. The cafeteria was closed. For the money there wasn't much to do. Parking was easy to find and we parked in front of the museum for free. read more

See all

I give this place 10 stars - great place for a rainy day and EXCELLENT interactive exhibits!!

There's something very relaxing about being in an enclosure with lots of butterflies flying all around you. Besides the fact that it's a temperature controlled environment, and a Tropical Paradise in the winter time, I enjoy coming to the Peggy Norbert museum at any time of the year. A lot of school field trips come here, and it's easy to get overpowered by them, but just watching the kids having fun is joy in itself. Most people will think of this as a museum for children only, but there are many exhibits and activities for adults as well. Of course the favorite for anyone who comes here, is the butterfly enclosure, the Judy Istock butterfly haven, which is large and tropical.  It also features some rare birds as well as many different species of butterflies. Take lots of pictures, as the opportunities are plentiful and the enclosure is very inspiring. Don't forget to explore the rest of the museum because there are Hands-On water exhibits, nature exhibits and some of the best outside walking trails in the city. read more

See all

Cool place if you are into nature. I am not, but the butterfly garden was awesome. I had came just in time for the new butterfuly release for the day, so that was exciting. It was so neat so see all the different species of butterflies in one place. I could easily see me bring my godchilden here juat for the butterfuly garden alone. Many families where here, taking their little ones around the different exhibits. There is not a food court from what I could tell, so just FYI to bring a lunch wuth you if this became a weekend activity with the kids. Snacks are here at a reasonable price. I came to the locatuon due to a community service fair, so this location can also be a nice space for having a event. The 2nd floor had a event space. read more

See all

Very cool hangout with the kids on a cold Chicago day!! Or great for a break from adulting. Lots of interactive displays to learn more about the environment. Awesome bug and bird displays. Butterfly conservatory is by far the best feature. New hatchlings released everyday at 2 pm. A great place to feel the sunshine and watch the butterflies dance all around you. Be sure and look through the lab windows when you leave the butterfly haven to see the developing hatchlings. Lobby area has nice tables for lunch (bring your own). Next to Lincoln Park Zoo so you can make a day of it. Parking lot and on street available. ASTC Passport Program participant. read more

See all

THIS REVIEW IS FOR BRIDES (and grooms!) TO BE! My husband and I went on a wedding venue tour here back in December 2017, and we were super excited to potentially book with them. Lindsay is such a doll and I absolutely loved her! I could see how she would easily make your special day smooth for you! There is a fee to rent the space, but then the whole museum is yours for the entire evening. Guests are welcome in the butterfly exhibit (or ANY exhibit!), during cocktail hour or after dinner. I feel like guests would get totally excited wandering around and forget they were there for a wedding, which was actually one of the only reasons we didn't book! There is an option to have an outdoor or indoor ceremony, as well as an outdoor or indoor dinner reception. All of the pictures are absolutely gorgeous, whether you're looking for green and lush, or the full city scale. Although we ended up not booking with them, I would easily see this being an absolutely perfect day that you wouldn't regret! read more

This museum has a lot of great animals to view (both dead and alive). They have turtles, frogs, stick insects, cockroaches, grasshoppers, and of course butterflies!! There is A LOT about butterflies. They even have a haven made especially for them. I am extremely fearful of bugs (any bugs!!! it doesnt matter if they bite or not!) so walking into the haven was extremely challenging for me. But I survived it! If I can do it, so can you!! It was actually very beautiful. There are butterflies and birds flying around here. Apparently they live in peace together because these birds do not eat insects. Lots of beautiful butterflies (some of them were HUGE!). The haven definitely made our trip here worth it! Parking in the area SUCKS, but we were lucky and found a spot somewhat close by. Luckily the meters haven't gotten here yet so street parking is still free here. read more

See all

The Green City Market is now indoors on Saturday mornings at the Nature Museum which has an additional stream of patrons...food and nature lovers. The indoors market has a host of farmers and vendors selling a bounty of fruits and vegetables as well as healthy drinks and cooked food. It's one of the few places which sell organic young chinese cabbage. The mushroom farmer sells a bag of three kinds of mushrooms for $10. The blueberry farm is also one of my favorite vendors selling fresh blueberry jams. There are cooking demonstrations and food samples. Afterwards the rest of the museum is accessible for a nominal fee. The free Lincoln Park zoo or consevatory is conveniently withing walking distance. Or visit the secluded and lovely gem of the area...the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool surrounded by rock formations and fauna with lots of places to rest and enjoy the beauty of nature. read more

See all

Fun stuff for sure. We arrived at 12:30 had a nice walk through pulled by the desires of a 2 year old. Pop by and say hello to the Polar Bear, play with the interactive water works, look at the fish and turtles then head upstairs. Plenty to see in the Birds of Paradise exhibit with interactive exhibits and information then on to the BUTTERFLY EXHIBIT! There are plenty of butterflies zipping around all the time it is just that at 2 PM the introduce some more to the mix. If you have layers on because it is cool outside take a few off it is a warm space. We learned a bit about the program they have and the life cycle of the winged creatures then watch a number fly for the first time. Worth the price of admission and if your young ones/or yourself are up for it it can be a nice combo with the Lincoln Park Zoo, across the street, for a lovely afternoon. read more

Pros: way bigger than I expected! Lots of things to do. 2 indoor playgrounds and so many snakes and turtles. Even though my child is only 2, there was plenty that he could understand. He didn't want to leave. Cons: The large field trip groups are completely out of control. There are areas where it's clearly meant for young children- for example one of the playgrounds is designed for kids under 5 or so, with a big "NO GROUPS" sign on the door. My toddler was having a great time until a giant group of kids- some of whom were clearly over 10, ran in and made a beeline to the equipment where my son was playing, nearly trampling on him and injuring him. I politely told their teachers this area was designated for no groups, they ignored me. No employees were anywhere to be found. These large groups basically made it impossible for a little kid to do anything for more than 5 seconds without getting trampled. Your child's safety should not be a concern at a childrens museum!! It's a shame because outside of this, it was a lovely museum. read more

Butterflies!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've been to Chicago many times .. and everytime i find something new. I met a lovely Italian girl at the zoo that told me about this museum .. it wasn't open that day so I called every number i could find to verify they had butterflies. No answer so took the bus their and glad i did. Lots of butterflies for 9 dollars. Very close to zoo and lily pond. read more

See all

My first thought was "Wow! A nature museum! Gotta see that!". After I visited this place, I realized that I wasn't a big fan of nature. When we got there, I was surprised to see how small it was. It's not your typical big museum. It's really known for its butterfly exhibit. I love butterflies, but being in such close proximity with so many of them reminds me that they are insects, and I don't really like insects as a whole. I do think this is a great place to take children. Don't go here if you are a group of adults. The exhibits are very kid-friendly and educational. I've already learned enough about how animals reproduce and hunt for food so I didn't really enjoy myself. read more

See all

Bring kids with you (be sure to ask parents permission first ) or $9 is not enough content to keep adults entertained for longer than an hour or 30 minutes if you're ADD like me. Plus, if you drive, parking is $20, no..no..no Most of your time will be spent at the butterfly garden (DON'T sit down! And don't ask me why I said that...) and on the 3rd floor catwalk pressing buttons to hear different birds make loud noise (too loud, but surprisingly fun). read more

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum - Butterfly Yelp Elites at a fine dining raw restaurant - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

First of all.... I'm not exactly a child friendly person and I'm the first one to admit it. Having said that, I did find this museum to be very child friendly. Little kids seemed like they were having fun with all of the hands on exhibits. Many of the exhibits were bilingual. I thought that was pretty cool. The museum is very well laid out to keep everyone attention. There's even a small play area for a little time out. The exterior of the building is very sharp. My big question ....what's with Carrot Top in the Eww! What's Eating You? exhibit? The butterfly room was pretty cool. The butterflies were not being any glass cases - flying through out the room. The staff were pretty friendly. Plan to spend an 1 - 1 1/2 hour at this museum. read more

See all

A great place to take the kids, especially if they are bored. It's just a shame it closes so early, they really need to extend the hours to at least 5pm. read more

This is an absolute hidden gem in the Chicago area and you absolutely love it. My girlfriend and I are members here and my kids absolutely love it!!!! The first thing to point out is there is always available parking. Whether it be paid parking or getting a street spot, you'll always be able to get a place to park which always helps. The next thing to note is how cost effective this place is. The daily entente fee is very reasonable and the memberships are dirt cheap. In fact I think the current special is but 2 years and get 1 year free for a total of $110. That's a great deal and I plan on taking advantage of it. We most recently came here on 12/09/18 and it was another great visit. We came in the mid afternoon and the crowd was great. There were families there, but it wasn't that crowded at all. There is a new Dora The Explorer exhibit which is really good. It's very interactive and has some great stuff for the kids to play with. We enjoyed that quite a bit. We also really enjoyed the reptile area downstairs and the water area. It's the perfect balance for learning and recreational stuff for the kids. The staff is always super friendly and helpful. They answer questions and do their best to make sure you have a good time. The girl working check yesterday was really friendly and treated us well. Do yourself a favor and come check this museum out. You will have a great time!! read more

See all

One of the best museums in the city for all ages. I had an opportunity to walk through all the exhibits including the butterfly observation haven, there are over 10 different species that you can actually touch in one place - How awesome is that! I bring all my friends here and they literally spend the whole day here and a good place to meet other nature fans here. read more