05/05/09

Additional Info for visiting the Museum

by MSI

**NEW FOR 2009**

The Museum of Science and Industry’s mission is to inspire the inventive genius in everyone by presenting captivating and compelling experiences that are real and educational. Located at 57th Street and Lake Shore Drive, the Museum is open every day of the year except December 25.

Regular Museum hours are 9:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. everyday. Extended hours of operation are offered during select times of the year and for special exhibitions.

The general admission pricing is $13 for adults, $12 for seniors and $9 for children ages 3 to 11. City of Chicago residents receive a discount on general admission.

The Museum offers indoor parking for $16 all day and is accessible by CTA and Metra.

For more information, visit the Museum's Web site at www.msichicago.o.r.g or call (773) 684-1414 or (800) GO-TO-MSI outside of the Chicago.

10/01/08

my reveiw of this musuem!

by kittkatkatie

I' v been to about ten different museums but thus one was the best!!!! i went with my friends and my family and they also loved and that's how awsome it really was

• Pros: the whisper gallery got my attention by a lot
• Cons: the 3rd level wasn't to hott

07/02/08

Fun, educational, lots of extra costs

by IceMouse

I took my girlfriend here because we missed Chihuly's Pittsburgh exhibit and were lucky enough to find his Macchia here in Chicago while we were in, and had also heard good things about the museum. We got there via the convenience #10 bus which goes right to the museum. The general admission price for adults was $13, but if you wanted to see the special exhibit, which "The Glass Experience" was, you had to pay an extra $10 per person. Upon entering, we were amazed by the size of the place. Two floors absolutely filled with exhibits of all kinds, all kinds of interesting topics, covering topics from business to energy to genetics to the environment. The only issue I had was that if you want to do anything except look at small exhibits and read information cards, you have to pay extra. Some of what you had to pay extra for was not even listed. The submarine tour, the smart house tour, the navy flight simulator all were additional costs. It would have been nice if they sold an all-access pass, but regardless if you have the money to spend it is interesting to adults and fun for kids. Aside from that, some of the exhibits are just really cool! The petroleum exhibit had a 20-foot tall room with several multi-colored sections with bubble-filled water that just looked cool to stand in.

• Pros: Interesting exhibits, cool displays
• Cons: Expect to pay $13 to get in, but no less than $30 to make it worth it - Would just rather they be upfront

08/09/07

Great museum for ALL ages!

by wandaz

First off, I disagree with several of the other recent reviewers. I'm a 30 something mother of 2 and enjoy coming to this museum quite a bit. It is my husband's favorite museum in the city of Chicago (maybe the country, though it might place 2nd after the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC).

There is plenty to do and see here for all ages, not just the Omnimax films, but the U 505, the coal mine, the trains, the Apollo 8 space exhibit, ToyMaker 3000, NetWorld, the Lunar Module, F airy Castle, the new Farm exhibit and soon to be new Henry Crown Space Center. There are also many special exhibits that are worthwhile to see. I can't imagine being bored here with a bunch of teenagers. What more do you want from your science museum? There's plenty here for the whole family from your toddler up to Grandpa.

Second, there are options for families looking to save some bucks. There are free days, check with the museum to be sure when, but they are often an entire week while school is out. Also, if you are a Chicago resident and you go to the Chicago Public Library, you can ask for a museum passport for this museum (and many others). You can have the pass for a week and it will admit 2 adults and 2 kids (I think, check the library for more details). It may be hard to catch one of these passes in the library, (they cannot be reserved) but it can be done.

The last money saving option is to become a member. I go to this museum often and there are many benefits to membership. One of the best is that you can get free or discounted parking (depending on level of membership) and free admission to many other science museums across the country (and discounts to Chicago museums like the Children's Museum & the Peggy Notebaert Nature Center).

One more money saving tip is to pack your lunch and eat it while watching the pinball machine.

Also, the hours change during the seasons. In the winter, the museum is often open until 5:30 p.m.

• Pros: Great variety of exhibits, decent food court
• Cons: Long lines, but if you're a member you can bypass them all!

10/18/06

A hands-on behemoth that entertains and educates visitors about everything from genetics to space exploration.

by Contributor

Overview
Six miles south of the popular Museum Campus, this institutional ode to scientific wonders and human accomplishments is a worthy satellite. Expansive and low-lit, it features four levels and nearly three dozen permanent and temporary exhibits, most with interactive components, appealing to kids aged 6 to 96. The Brain Food Court and Finnigan's Ice Cream Parlor are good spots to refuel.

The Appeal
This is the only place in the city to see hatching chicks, a coal mine, a captured World War II German submarine, a space capsule that orbited the moon and a human heart big enough to walk through. Other popular exhibits include the 3,500-square-foot Great Train Story, Yesterday's Main Street and a Boeing 727 hovering over the museum's main floor. The Omnimax Theater, a five-stories-high wraparound screen, is the centerpiece of the Henry Crown Space Center, which also features exhibits for the would-be astronaut, sci-fi fan or extraterrestrially interested.

08/29/05

A definite "must see!"

by bluehensfan

This musuem is a must for visitors of all age ranges. A broad range of exhibits includes the newly renovated U-Boat display, as well as traveling exhibitions such as Body Worlds and one featuring anumber of video arcade games, new and old. Don't miss the coal mine (but take note of the hot dog smell as you enter parts of the mine thanks to the adjacent food court). See a real United 727 and plan on spending at least an entire day here because of the number of exhibits. There are a few bus lines as well as a tourist bus that serve the museum and cabs are plentiful.

08/09/05

Outstanding!

by kc_danimal

Visited the MSI for the first time last weekend. What a wonderful experience!

Do yourself a favor, purchase tickets online and avoid standing in line just to gain admission. Also, go early as some special exhibits (i.e. Bodyworlds) are only available at certain times of the day.

There is no way to see all this museum has to offer in one visti. We enjoyed the U-Boat 505 exhibit and the Navy flight simulator. However, Bodyworlds was far and away the most fascinating exhibit I've seen. Real human bodies preserved through a process involving liquid plastic. If you have any professional or personal interest in health, exercise or anatomy and physiology it is a must see.

• Pros: U-Boat 505, Bodyworlds
• Cons: long lines, limited weekend hours

04/05/04

i miss them...bring them back

by caseynatalie

What happened to the free days that this and other museums in chicago used to have. Seems as if everyone is money hungry. Families with 3 or more children plus mom and dad can't afford to pay$8 or $9 for each person for each museum. I think each museum can afford to have at least one day out the week foe free. Kids are out of school for spring vacation, we used to be able to take the kids to the various museums, but they all charge now so you could spend a couple hundred dollors maybe more just to take them. HELP

02/08/03

Y'all are trippin'!

by lampin42

I can't believe this museum has only been given an 8.5. No, it is the best museum in Chicago. The only museum that might be superior is the Smithsonian. Thank you.

• Pros: Good Parking, No Crowded, Tons of exhibits.
• Cons: Needs longer hours.

10/28/02

Not worth it by far...

by scatteredshadows

((Part 1))

For the last 16 years I've been coming to MSI 2 or 3 times a year. Sometimes to see special exhibits, sometimes for Omnimax films, and sometimes to requaint myself with old favorites or to show them to visitors for the first time. For the last several of those 16 years, MSI has charged an admission. I never once thought it wasn't worth the additional charge.

My perception has changed completely on my latest trip, however.

Let's start with the short hours. 9:30 until 4 ON A SATURDAY! Let's also keep in mind that weekends are the busiest days, especially once school is in session. Indeed, we waited in line for almost 40 minutes just to get tickets.