Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum
1300 S. Lake Shore Dr., open seven days a week 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; first Friday, 9:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Features three floors of exhibits on astronomy, space exploration, telescopes and navigation. Featured attraction is the sky theater. Admission to museum with two sky shows is $18 adults, $16 children age 4-17 and $17 seniors age 65 and over; admission with one sky show is $13, $11, and $12 respectively. Chicago residents with ID save $1 on admission. Call for show specials (312) 922-STAR.
Art Institute of Chicago
Michigan Ave. at Adams St., open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Thursday 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Ongoing exhibitions, with an especially good collection of Impressionist art. Recently "Expanded Galleries of American Art" and "1945: Creativity and Crisis" opened. You must pay something for admission—suggested donation is $12 for adults; $7 for students with ID, children ages 5-14 and seniors; and free for children under 5. (Tuesday is free day.) You must pay to check certain items: long umbrellas, backpacks, backpack-style baby carriers, briefcases, large handbags or shopping bags. No food or drink can be carried in. (312) 443-3600 artic.edu.
Chicago Children’s Museum
Navy Pier, 700 E. Grand Ave., open daily 10 a.m.-8 p.m. (Shortened hours June 1, 3, and 11, and July 3.) Features more than a dozen hands-on, interactive exhibits. Admission is $7 for ages 1-59; $6 for seniors; and free for children under one. Free Thursdays 5-8 p.m. (312) 527-1000.
Chicago Historical Society
1601 N. Clark St. Adult admission is $5, $3 students (13-22) and seniors, $1 children, free for children under 6. Free Mondays. Located at the south end of Lincoln Park, the Chicago Historical Society is a major museum and research center specializing in Chicago and American history. Open Monday through Saturday 9:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m., Sunday noon-5 p.m. Clark Street at North Avenue. (312) 642-4600. chicagohistory.org.
The Field Museum
1400 S. Lake Shore Dr., is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Enjoy exhibits and displays of more than 15 million artifacts and specimens, including "Sue," the world's most nearly complete Tyrannosaurus Rex. Admission for Chicago residents is: Adults $17, seniors and students $13, and children $8. Discount days are June 5-10. (312) 922-9410, TDD (312) 665-7009 fieldmuseum.org.
The Hellenic Museum
at 801 W. Adams St., is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Admission is a suggested $4. (312) 655-1234. hellenicmuseum.org.
International Museum of Surgical Science
1524 N. Lake Shore Dr. Summertime museum hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday closed. Admission is $6 for adults and $3 for students and seniors. Tuesdays are free. Guided tours of the museum take place Saturday at 2 p.m.; make a reservation at ext. 3130. For more information, call (312) 642-6502 or visit imss.org.
Latvian Community Center and Folk Art Museum
4146 N. Elston Ave. Emphasizes textiles and ceremonial costumes. Hours 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. and by appt. (773) 588-2085.
Mexican Fine Arts Museum
1852 W. 19th St. Free. Open Tuesday-Sunday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Call (312) 738-1503.
Museum of Broadcast Communications
400 N. State St. (312) 245-8200.
Museum of Contemporary Art
220 E. Chicago Ave., open Tuesday 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Wednesday-Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Modern art, with music, dance and theater performances. General admission $10, $6 seniors and students, free for children 12 and under. Free Tuesdays 5-8 p.m. (312) 280-2660.
Museum of Contemporary Photography
600 S. Michigan Ave., open Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., until 8 p.m. Thursday, and Saturday noon to 5 p.m. Features works by national and international photographers. Free. (312) 663-5554.
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
2430 N. Cannon Dr., open weekdays 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., and weekends 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Chicago's newest museum, with interactive nature exhibits and a butterfly haven. $7 adults, $5 seniors 60 and over as well as students 13-22, $4 children ages 3-12. Chicago residents receive a $1 discount on admission. Free Thursdays, though it's suggested that adults donate $7 on Thursdays. Parking in the lot costs up to $8. (773) 755-5100 naturemuseum.org.
The Polish Museum of America
984 N. Michigan Ave., is one of the largest and oldest ethnic museums in the country. Housed in an old ballroom, the museum has a permanent collection of Polish cultural and historic artifacts, and hosts a rotating series of art exhibitions. The museum is open daily, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., except it's closed Thursday. Admission is $3, $2 for seniors and students, $1 for children under 12. Call (773) 384-3352 for more information.
John G. Shedd Aquarium
1200 S. Lake Shore Dr., open every day from Memorial Day through Labor Day 9 a.m.-6 p.m. (Thursday until 10 p.m., though oceanarium closes at 8 p.m.)The world’s largest indoor aquarium and oceanarium, with more than 6,000 freshwater and marine animals. $23 for adults/$17 if Chicago residents with ID; $16 for children ages 3-11 & seniors/$12 if Chicago residents with ID. Parking in the close lot costs $13, and parking in the further lots costs $8 (only available when close lot is full). (312) 939-2438, TTY (312) 986-2302
sheddaquarium.org.
Spertus Museum
618 S. Michigan Ave., displays historic photographs and artifacts depicting the Jewish experience. The museum is also home to the Rosenbaum ARTiFACT Center, where kids can unearth replicas of real archeological treasures in a "dig site." Admission is $5 adults; $3 seniors, students and children. There is a $10 family rate. (Spertus has free admission 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday.) The Spertus Museum is open Sunday through Wednesday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; and Friday 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; it's closed Saturdays. The ARTiFACT Center is open weekday afternoons beginning at 1 p.m. For more information, call (312) 922-9012.
Swedish American Museum Center
5211 N. Clark St., open Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Located in Andersonville, a Swedish enclave in Chicago. The Swedish American Museum Center offers the Children's Museum of Immigration for kids aged 3-12. The museum lets children experience hands-on the perils and pleasures of leaving the old world for a new life in America: Kids swaddle a baby, cook on an old-fashioned iron stove, board a 20-foot steamer, enter a pioneer log cabin, and weave, spin and card fleece. Admission is $4, $3 for children, students and seniors, and free for children under one. Family admission is available for $10. For more information, call (773) 728-8111.
Ukrainian National Museum
2249 W. Superior St. Open Thursday - Sunday 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Monday - Wednesday by appt. Admission $2 per person. Known for its collection of Ukrainian Easter eggs. (312) 421-8020. |
