Museum of Science and Industry

State: Illinois. Type: large science and industry museum in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood, in Jackson Park beside Lake Michigan. Housed in the former Palace of Fine Arts built for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition; opened as a museum in 1933, founded largely through a pledge by Sears president Julius Rosenwald. Renamed the Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry on May 19, 2024 following a $125 million gift. Home to more than 2,000 exhibits, including the WWII German submarine U-505, a full-scale coal mine, and the Pioneer Zephyr train. Address: 5700 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60637.

The Museum of Science and Industry, officially the Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry since 2024, is one of the largest science museums in the world and a landmark of Chicago's South Side. It occupies the former Palace of Fine Arts, a monumental building constructed for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, in Jackson Park's Hyde Park neighborhood beside Lake Michigan and near the University of Chicago. The museum opened in 1933 during the Century of Progress Exposition, realized largely through a multimillion-dollar pledge from Julius Rosenwald, president of Sears, Roebuck and Company, to convert the aging exposition hall into a hands-on industrial museum. Today it holds more than 2,000 exhibits across dozens of major halls, blending historic artifacts with interactive science. Among its most famous attractions are the German submarine U-505, captured during World War II and now a National Historic Landmark; a full-scale walk-through coal mine; the streamlined Pioneer Zephyr train; a United Airlines Boeing 727; the Apollo 8 command module; and Colleen Moore's Fairy Castle. In May 2024 the museum was renamed for hedge-fund founder Kenneth C. Griffin following a $125 million donation, the largest single gift in its history. It remains a major family and school destination, drawing well over a million visitors a year.

The museum is located at 5700 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60637, in the Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, within Jackson Park and close to the Lake Michigan shoreline. It sits adjacent to the University of Chicago campus, roughly seven to eight miles south of downtown Chicago, in a setting that combines lakefront parkland with the surrounding Hyde Park community.

Chicago has a hot-summer humid continental climate with four distinct seasons, moderated by Lake Michigan. Summers are warm to hot and humid, with July highs commonly in the 80s Fahrenheit. Winters are cold and snowy, with January the coldest month, average lows near 20 degrees, and about 36 inches of snow annually. Spring and fall are milder but changeable. Since the museum is indoors and climate-controlled, weather has limited impact on a visit, though the lakefront setting can be windy and cold in winter and hot in summer for those walking to and from the building.

Because the museum is indoors, it is a good option in any season, including hot summers and cold Chicago winters. Weekdays outside school-holiday periods tend to be less crowded than weekends, holidays and spring-break weeks, when school groups and families fill the halls. Illinois residents can visit on select free General Admission days during the year (with proof of residency), which are popular and busier; checking the museum's calendar helps in choosing a quieter time.

The museum's home, the Palace of Fine Arts, was built for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition and designed by Charles B. Atwood; it was one of the few grand exposition structures built to last. After the fair, the building housed the Field Columbian Museum for a time and later fell into disrepair. In the 1920s, Julius Rosenwald, president of Sears, Roebuck and Company, championed the idea of a great industrial museum modeled in part on European science museums, and pledged roughly $3 million toward converting the Palace of Fine Arts. The organization was established in 1926 (initially called the Rosenwald Industrial Museum) and took its current name in 1928. The rebuilt structure opened as the Museum of Science and Industry in 1933, coinciding with Chicago's Century of Progress Exposition. Over the following decades it accumulated landmark exhibits, including the captured German submarine U-505 (brought to the museum in the 1950s and later designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989) and the Pioneer Zephyr. In October 2019, Kenneth C. Griffin announced a $125 million gift, and on May 19, 2024 the museum was renamed the Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry.

Visitors can explore more than 2,000 exhibits spanning transportation, space, energy, human biology, weather and more. Signature experiences include touring the German submarine U-505, descending into the full-scale replica coal mine, and walking through the streamlined Pioneer Zephyr train and a United Airlines Boeing 727. Other highlights include the Apollo 8 command module, Colleen Moore's Fairy Castle, a large HO-scale model railroad, and hands-on science demonstrations. The museum also operates the Giant Dome Theater for large-format films and hosts rotating special exhibitions. Many exhibits are interactive and geared toward families and students, and the museum runs live science shows and seasonal programming.

Must-see exhibits include the WWII German submarine U-505 (a National Historic Landmark), the walk-through Coal Mine, the Pioneer Zephyr train, the United Airlines Boeing 727, the Apollo 8 command module, Colleen Moore's Fairy Castle, and the large model railroad. The Giant Dome Theater screens immersive large-format films. Note that some attractions come and go: the museum's long-running baby chick hatchery closed in 2025, and the Henry Crown Space Center was temporarily closed for maintenance as of research, so check current exhibit availability before visiting.

The museum is on Chicago's South Side, reachable by car, transit, taxi or rideshare. O'Hare and Midway international airports serve the region; from downtown, the museum is about seven to eight miles south along DuSable Lake Shore Drive. Metra Electric District trains stop near the museum at a Hyde Park station a short walk away, and CTA buses serve the Hyde Park area. Paid on-site parking is available in the museum's garage. Driving down DuSable Lake Shore Drive from the Loop is straightforward, and rideshares are widely available.

As of research, the museum was generally open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., with limited hours on select dates and closures on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Hours can vary by date and season, and some exhibits or theaters keep their own schedules, so confirm current hours on griffinmsi.org or tickets.msichicago.org before visiting.

As of research, general admission was listed at about $25.95 for adults and $14.95 for children ages 3 to 11, with children under 3 free; special exhibits, the Giant Dome Theater, the U-505 on-board tour and the Coal Mine tour carry additional fees (for example, the U-505 on-board tour was listed around $18 adult / $14 child and the Coal Mine around $12 adult / $9 child). Discounts apply for Chicago residents, and Illinois residents can get free General Admission on select days with proof of residency; military/veterans and Illinois teachers were listed as receiving free General Admission. Members enter free. Confirm current pricing on the official site, as prices change.

Plan for at least three to four hours to see the major exhibits; a full day is realistic for families or anyone adding the paid submarine tour, coal mine and a Giant Dome Theater film, given the museum's size.

The Hyde Park neighborhood around the museum offers some hotels and guesthouses, often tied to the University of Chicago, along with short-term rentals. Many visitors stay in downtown Chicago or other neighborhoods and travel to the museum by car, Metra or rideshare, since central hotels are numerous and the South Side location is well connected. Rates are generally higher downtown and in peak summer; there is no lodging inside the museum.

The museum has on-site dining, including a food court and cafe options. The surrounding Hyde Park neighborhood, anchored by the University of Chicago, has a range of restaurants, cafes and casual eateries within a short drive or bus ride, spanning many cuisines and student-friendly price points. Because it is an urban location, off-site dining is easily accessible if visitors prefer to eat outside the museum.

Nearby attractions include Jackson Park itself (site of the 1893 exposition, with the Wooded Island and Garden of the Phoenix), the University of Chicago campus, the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center, and the Lake Michigan lakefront and beaches. Downtown Chicago, the Museum Campus (Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium) and the Loop are a short trip north. This makes it easy to combine the museum with other South Side and lakefront sights.

The nearest rail service is Metra's Electric District line, with a Hyde Park-area station a short walk from the museum; CTA buses also serve the neighborhood. O'Hare and Midway airports connect to the region, with Midway somewhat closer to the South Side. Paid parking is available in the museum garage, and taxis and rideshares are readily available.

Inside, follow exhibit rules and keep children supervised, especially in interactive areas and on the submarine and coal mine tours, which involve stairs and confined spaces and may have restrictions. When walking to and from the museum along the lakefront, use marked crossings on busy DuSable Lake Shore Drive and dress for the weather, warmly in winter against wind and cold, with sun protection and water in summer. For any emergency, dial 911.

Comfortable walking shoes are useful given the museum's size. Bring a light layer for the climate-controlled interior, and weather-appropriate outerwear for the walk in and out. A card or cash for admission, add-on tours, parking and dining, plus a phone or camera for photos, are worth having. Families may want snacks and supplies for children.

Buying timed tickets online in advance can save time, especially on weekends, holidays and Illinois free days, which are busy. Budget extra for the paid add-on experiences (U-505 on-board tour, Coal Mine, Giant Dome Theater) if you want them, and check which exhibits are open, since some, like the Henry Crown Space Center, may be temporarily closed. Arriving near opening helps beat school groups and crowds, and taking Metra or rideshare avoids parking hassle.

For any emergency, dial 911. The museum's general information and ticketing line, per its official site, is (773) 684-1414 for non-emergency questions.

Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry - https://www.griffinmsi.org

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.