CHICAGO MUSEUMS

Free for all Illinois residents from 5-8 p.m. Thursdays.

Michigan Avenue Entrance: 111 S. Michigan
Modern Wing Entrance: 159 E. Monroe
Chicago, Ill. 60603-6404
(312) 443-3600
www.artic.edu
Hours: 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Sunday; 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday (Family Room open until 5 p.m.)
Admission: $25, $19 students and seniors 65+, free kids under 14. Free Thursday evenings for IL residents.

A great place for families to begin their visit is the Ryan Learning Center on the first floor of the Modern Wing.  Admission to this part of the museum is always free. The Family Room in the education center includes hands-on activities kids can use to learn about art from building blocks to puzzles of the great masterpieces to the “Curious Corner” computer interactive. Don’t miss the exhibition Materials Inside and Out. Inspired by the work of architect David Adjaye, this installation offers a hands-on exploration of how architects use building materials to create form and atmosphere. Visitors of all ages can arrange material samples of wood, fabric, ceramic, tiles, and sketches to create a “mood board” and consider how color, texture, and cultural context create a specific feel. Art-making takes place in the Family Room all day, every day. Food is available at an on-site cafe, bathrooms have changing tables and free strollers are available for use in the museum. When the weather is nice, follow up your trip to the Art Institute with a visit to Millennium Park and Crown Fountain, just across the street.

Free:
June: 21-23
August: 11, 27, 29
September: 10, 17-19
October: 2, 16, 30-31
November: 27
December: 3-4, 18

Exhibits related to science, environment and culture can be explored. From ancient mummies to endangered plants to a complete T. rex, the Museum boasts a treasury of 30 million specimens. The Crown Family PlayLab has six themed play areas and is perfect for younger kids. Kids can dig up dinosaur bones, grind corn in a pueblo and play instruments. The PlayLab offers family bathrooms, stroller parking, infant zones and a staffed reception desk. Many other areas of the Museum also offer interactive elements for children, who can find out what their name looks like in Egyptian hieroglyphs, test your strength as both a small and large animal stuck in an ice-age tar pit, digitally search for birds in the rainforest, or ‘Meet a Scientist’ every Friday in Stanley Field Hall.

700 E. Grand Ave. at Navy Pier
Chicago, Ill. 60611
(312) 527-1000
chicagochildrensmuseum.org
Hours: Winter hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Wednesday; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday.
Admission: $14, $13 seniors, free kids under 1 and members. Visit website for free admission days.

Chicago Children’s Museum is three stories high and filled with engaging, educational exhibits, including a dinosaur dig and a water play area (bring a change of clothes–kids will get wet). In the Tinkering Lab exhibit, kids are given the opportunity to build, destroy and build again using real tools, materials and objects. Kids also enjoy the Kids Town and Treehouse Trails exhibits. Learn about fire safety in the Play it Safe exhibit where kids can practice safely exiting a smoky bedroom. Exhibits geared toward preschoolers and toddlers are gated. Older kids will love climbing on the museum’s Schooner–three stories of ship’s rigging from cargo hold to crow’s nest. When you’re ready for lunch, Navy Pier offers a food court and numerous restaurants. Plenty of indoor parking is available, but be prepared–Navy Pier parking is some of the most expensive in the city. However, the museum does offer a membership that includes free daily parking.

Always free Tuesdays 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

White walls and space-age lights make this museum a tranquil escape from the traffic outside. With artwork on four floors, the MCA is big enough to fill up a few hours and still manageable enough to fit around naps and school schedules. Exhibit halls are filled with brightly colored artwork and sculptures even young kids will enjoy. Stroller tours offered first Wednesday of the month. Family Days are held on the second Saturdays of the month (October-May) and include hands-on art activities designed and led by Chicago artists; admission is free for families with children 12 and under, and activities are appropriate for all ages. The MCA Café is the restaurant on-site that offers lunch daily with convenient and tasty options and indoor or outdoor seating.

MSI offers thousands of fun, interactive exhibits and one-of-a-kind, world-class experiences to inspire the inventive genius in everyone. Explore the power of play with new temporary exhibit Brick by Brick. See your heart beat 13-feet tall. Climb aboard a World War II German submarine. Work alongside robots in a toy factory. Take a tour of your digestive system. Plunge into a working coal mine. Control a 40-foot tornado. Step into the future. Discover new permanent exhibits “Science Storms” and “YOU! The Experience.”  The “Idea Factory” caters to a range of kids-from infants to toddlers and 10-year-olds–a perfect one-stop shop for the Museum’s youngest scientists where they can explore the attributes of basic objects and test theories about the fundamentals of construction, simple machines, light, color and water. The National Parks Adventure Omnimax film starts March 11 and focuses on ultimate off-trail adventure experiences in America’s awe-inspiring great outdoors. Choose from a variety restaurants at MSI, The Brain Food Court, Jazzman’s Café and Finnigan’s Ice Cream Parlor, serving something for every taste
September: 6-9, 12-16, 19-23, 26-30
October: 4-6
November: 3, 10
December: 1

Visitors can explore the ever-changing world of amphibians in the aquarium’s new special exhibit. Guests can also discover the dolphins and whales in the Oceanarium and get a view from below after watching the aquatic show. In the Polar Play Zone, kids can get a diver’s eye view of all kinds of sea creatures, including otters, dolphins and beluga whales, plus they can touch a live sea star. Sharks swim around visitors and stingrays swim below their feet in Wild Reef. For an extra fee, take a behind-the-scenes tour or join an overnight at the aquarium. Food is available at the aquarium’s restaurants or bring your own. Public, paid parking lots are located nearby on the museum campus or take public transportation. Shedd offers free days for Illinois residents, but avoid the long lines and reserve tickets ahead. Be prepared for crowds in the exhibits on free days.
June: 13-14
August: 29-30
September: 5-6, 12-13, 19-20, 26-27
October: 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25, 31
November: 1, 7-8, 14-15, 21-22, 28-29

Free on Sundays from May 10-Oct. 31.
Michigan Avenue at Wacker Drive
99 Chicago Riverwalk, Chicago, IL 60601
Chicago, Ill. 60601
(312) 977-0227
www.bridgehousemuseum.org
Hours: May 14 –October 31
Admission: $5; $4 children 6 to 12 years old; free for children age five and younger, on Sundays and for Friends’ members.

The McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum celebrates Chicago’s river and world-famous movable bridges by shining light on their significance to the city. Beginning at river level and spiraling five stories up, the museum provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity to explore a historic landmark bridgehouse. At river level, visitors can view the massive gears of Chicago’s most famous movable bridge and then journey through time as they experience the story of the Chicago River. Once at the top of the bridgehouse, visitors are treated to magnificent 360 views of the city and river, and will gain a whole new perspective on the beauty and complexity that is Chicago. See website for special events.

The Richard H. Driehaus Museum immerses visitors in one of the grandest residential buildings of 19th-century Chicago, the Gilded Age home of banker Samuel Mayo Nickerson. Philanthropist Richard H. Driehaus founded the museum on April 1, 2003 with a vision to influence today’s built environment by preserving and promoting architecture and design of the past. To realize his vision, Mr. Driehaus commissioned a five-year restoration effort to preserve the structure and its magnificent interiors. Today the galleries feature surviving furnishings paired with elegant, historically-appropriate pieces from the Driehaus Collection of Fine and Decorative Arts, including important works by such celebrated designers as Herter Brothers and Louis Comfort Tiffany.

Location
The Museum entrance is located at 40 East Erie Street, Chicago, IL, 60611 (View map)
For general information, call 312-482-8933, ext. 21 or email info@driehausmuseum.org.
Hours:
Tuesday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
The Museum is closed Mondays, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
Note: The Museum will be closed to the public Tuesday, June 14.
Admission
$20 Adult
$12.50 Senior (65+) 
$10 Student with valid I.D.
$10 Youth (6-12 years)*
* Children five years and younger are free.
Accessibility
The Driehaus Museum is wheelchair accessible. Access to the building is via 50 E. Erie Street. For additional information or specific inquiries, please call 312-482-8933, ext. 21.
For guests’ comfort, the Museum utilizes modern air conditioning and heating systems throughout the year.
Parking
Discounted parking is available for Driehaus Museum visitors.
ROW Self-Park
50 East Ohio Street
Chicago, IL 60611

Part gallery, part artist co-op, Pilsen Outpost is the brainchild of Chicago artists Teresa Magaña, Pablo Ramirez and Diana Solis. The three artists, whose work stretches across generations and art media, are co-owners and co-curators; not only do they sell pieces by local artists, but they also host monthly openings and workshops. Pilsen Outpost has quickly become a destination for Pilsen residents and visitors alike and proves that there’s a whole lot going on south of 18th Street.

www.pilsenoutpost.com/

Kids love making themselves into a giant Chicago-style hotdog, hopping on the city’s first ‘L’ car, and getting swept away by the Museum’s newest film, “The Great Chicago Adventure.” The Chicago History Museum offers fun ways to learn about history for the whole family. In Sensing Chicago kids can explore the city’s history through their five senses by smelling the (sometimes awful) smells associated with the city; becoming part of a Chicago postcard; or posing in front of a big green screen. Explore a gigantic floor map of Chicago featuring famous Chicago locations or choose a fifth star for the Chicago Flag in The Fifth Star Challenge; Afterwards grab a bite to eat in the Museum’s North & Clark café. A public parking lot is nearby–make sure to get your parking ticket validated at the Museum to get a parking discount.

This is a lovely way to introduce children to nature. The highlight for most children is the Judy Istock Butterfly Haven where butterflies from around the world fly free. There are also exhibits to climb in, splash in and explore an extreme green house. This spring, check out the new “From Weather to Climate: Our Changing World,” a self-curated exhibit that connects weather to the science behind global climate changes and how it affects human and animal communities around the world. The museum offers a variety of daily events for children and adults, including animal feedings and butterfly releases. Strollers available for rent. Food is available at the restaurant on-site. Paid parking is available nearby or look for free street parking. It’s also convenient to public transportation

Open for tours: Wednesday, Friday-Saturday: 9 a.m.-1 p.m., 2-7 p.m. Thursday. Fischer Farm is believed to be one of the oldest remaining homesteads in the county. The Fischers established the home around the year 1838. Through the years, the Fischers built barns and a large farm house in 1920. The five acres of land at Fischer Farm is a Bensenville Park District park open to the public 7 days a week. The land just north of the cabin has been left untouched and is valued for its original seedbeds. This unchanged landscape is what settlers looked upon when they arrived in the area.

This museum is dedicated to understanding spiritual questions of all cultures. Its permanent collection includes Renaissance and Baroque religious pieces.

A family-friendly historic mansion and education center with many interesting exhibits and history-related programs. “By All Accounts: The History of Elmhurst” a new ongoing exhibit that takes visitors on a journey from Elmhurst’s settlement days to the present and explores the forces that changed Elmhurst over more than 150 years. See web site for family program info.

Location
1155 E 58th Street
Chicago, IL 60637
773.702.9514 General Info
773.702.9520 Museum Office
Museum Hours
Tuesday: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 10:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.
Thursday: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Friday: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Saturday: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Sunday: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Closed Mondays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day
http://oi.uchicago.edu/