Parenting HeadQuarter

Top 10 Chicago Museums

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by

Travel Mom
in

Chicago area has many best museums, here are top 10 museums pick from about.com site, and we agree! I am sure you will love these museums pick as well. I lived in Chicago for 2 years and loved visiting all the museum, restaurants and parks there. It is very cold and windy city though and in summer it gets very hot, so dress accordingly.

1. The Shedd Aquarium


Location: Museum Campus, just Northeast of Soldier Field

1200 South Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605
(312)939-2438

The Shedd is dedicated to “engaging, inspiring, entertaining and informing” the public about the life in our oceans and waterways. They feature an Oceanarium, Wild Reef exhibit, Amazon River exhibit, and they pride themselves on their dedication to conservation and the protection of wildlife habitats.

2. Museum of Science and Industry

Location: Hyde Park at Lake Shore Drive and 57th Street on Chicago’s South Side

57th & Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60637
(773)684-1414

Since 1933, this enormous museum has been dedicated to educating the public about science and technology. From the coal mine exhibit with a working elevator to the captured German World War II submarine, the museum’s collections and hands-on exhibits seem almost endless.

3. The Art Institute of Chicago


Location: Downtown Where Adams Street Meets Michigan Avenue

111 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60603
(312)443-3600

The Art Institute consistently ranks among Chicago’s most-visited museums. From French Impressionist paintings to African masks to the new wing for Modern Art, the museum offers visitors a rich cultural experience.

4. Museum of Contemporary Art

Location: Michigan Avenue, a Few Blocks East of the Old Water Tower

220 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
(312)280-2660

Chicago’s contemporary art center explores, exhibits, and collects art created since 1945. They’re dedicated to allowing the public “to directly experience the work and ideas of living artists, and understand the historical, social, and cultural context of the art of our time.”

5. National Museum of Mexican Art

Location: Southwest of the Loop in the Pilsen/Little Village Neighborhood

1852 West 19th Street
Chicago, IL 60608
(312)738-1503

The National Museum of Mexican Art is dedicated to stimulating and preserving knowledge and appreciation of Mexican culture. It is one of the largest collections of Latino art in the nation, and it is also the only Latino institution to receive accreditation from the American Association of Museums. The current collection includes more than 5,500 objects.

6. Adler Planetarium


Location: Museum Campus, East of Soldier Field

1300 S. Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605
312-922-STAR(7827)

Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum, founded in 1930, is America’s first and oldest planetarium. It now houses two star-gazing theaters, a unique collection of antique instruments, extensive exhibit space, and many hands-on exhibits. It also offers one of the most wonderful views of the skyline in the entire city.

7. The Chicago History Museum

Location: In Lincoln Park on Chicago’s North Side

1601 N. Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60614
(312)642-4600

The Chicago History Museum exhibits artifacts from the depth of their 22 million item collection and from the breadth of the city’s history. From the Chicago Bulls to the Great Chicago Fire, the museum covers it all and offers contexts and exhibits to make Chicago’s history relevant to our lives today. (Formerly the Chicago Historical Society.)

8. DuSable Museum of African American History

Location: East Side of Washington Park on Chicago’s South Side

740 East 56th Street
Chicago, IL 60637
(773)947-0600

DuSable is the nation’s oldest museum dedicated to the exploration, documentation, and celebration of the African American experience.

9. The Field Museum of Natural History

Location: Museum Campus, directly North of Soldier Field

1400 South Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605
(312)738-1503

The Field Museum is probably best known for its dinosaur displays, but it also has a rich and deep dedication to “the diversity and relationships in nature and among cultures.” It currently holds, conserves, studies more than 20 million objects, a collection which grew from holdings received after the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893.

10. The Notebaert Nature Museum

© Jennifer Roche

Location: Just North of Fullerton in Lincoln Park on Chicago’s North Side

2430 N. Cannon Drive
Chicago, IL 60614
(773)755-5100

The Nature Museum is devoted to “inspiring people to learn about and care for nature and the environment.” The museum works in conjunction with the collections and scientists of the Chicago Academy of Sciences to create exhibits, programs, and more. The museum also features a live butterfly exhibit.

Check out Free Museum Days in Chicago Museum Post to see when to visit museum for Free.