With museums covering subjects from science and natural history to architecture and modern art, Chicago is a playground for culture lovers. It would take months to visit the city’s 60 museums, so here are a few that should be at the top of your list.
Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History is one of the largest of its kind. You’ll journey through four billion years of the Earth’s history and see dinosaurs and ancient Aztec artifacts, and one of the world’s largest collections of gems and diamonds.
The Art Institute of Chicago is one of the largest art museums in America and home masterpieces by Van Gogh, Renoir, Picasso, and more. The museum has an extensive collection of modern art including Grant Wood’s famous American Gothic.
Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry boasts a collection that encompasses a full-sized World War II German submarine; the first ever diesel-powered railroad train; and a replica of a working coal mine. The museum’s exhibits are diverse; you’ll find displays on everything from weather and electricity to airplanes and space stations, alongside a collection of real human specimens.
Many of Chicago’s early historical documents were destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, but those that survived can be found in the Chicago History Museum. The museum highlights the city’s past and present and showcases exhibits on Abraham Lincoln, the Chicago Blues, and even the Chicago Hot Dog.
Journey through space and time during an immersive theatre experience in America’s first planetarium. In addition to space adventure shows and and star programs, the Adler also features hands-on astronomy exhibits where you can learn about the first moon landing, black holes, comets, and more.
Discover the stories of Chicago’s architectural treasures at one of the city’s newest museums, the Chicago Architecture Center. You’ll find models of the city’s most impressive skyscrapers and an interactive films that explains how Chicago was rebuilt after the Great Chicago Fire.