Chicago’s embarrassment of cultural riches includes such venerable institutions as the Shedd Aquarium, Art Institute, Adler Planetarium, and home and studio of legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry and Field Museum are two of the biggest, brightest and best such attractions in town. Between them this pair of cultural giants chart the entire history of this planet we call Earth, from weather systems and animal evolution to ancient Egyptian burial rites and the space race. But which should you visit when on vacation in the Windy City? We take a closer look at the Museum of Science and Industry vs the Field Museum, covering must-see highlights, best times to visit and how long you’ll need for each.
Griffin Museum of Science+Industry: The Lowdown
Vital Statistics: The Griffin Museum of Science+Industry (or MSI) is perched on a reflecting lagoon in Chicago’s Jackson Park, and housed inside the former Palace of Fine Arts, built for the Chicago World's Fair in 1893 and opened as a science museum in 1933. Inside, a collection of some 2,000 pieces celebrate the very best of human endeavor, ingenuity and achievement across 75 cavernous halls. The museum has plenty of pulling power, welcoming more than a million visitors every year, thanks to its hands-on exhibits, major touring exhibitions and epic five-story wraparound theater.
The MSI in Brief: Anyone with even a passing interest in the technological progress of the human species through the ages will find much to enjoy at the MSI. Here’s where you can ogle the world’s first stainless steel diesel-powered train, get down and dirty in a full-size replica coal mine, step aboard a captured WWII German U-boat and poke around in a 13-foot interactive 3D heart. And that’s just for starters: there are also simulated storms, lunar capsules, a toy-making lab and a huge domed cinema showing immersive films that highlight the very best of the human race. And more!
When to visit: Regular opening hours are 9.30AM–4PM daily, with extended hours during summer and school holidays. The museum is closed on Christmas and Thanksgiving. There’s at least a day’s worth of entertainment here, but four hours is enough to tick off the big-ticket exhibits. Avoid school holidays and summer if you don’t like crowds, as these are – perhaps unsurprisingly – the most popular times for families to visit. Visit the official MSI website for up-to-date information on opening hours and exhibitions.
Field Museum: The Lowdown
Vital Statistics: The Field Museum can be found on Chicago’s Museum Campus, a few miles north along the shore of Lake Michigan, neighboring the excellent Shedd Aquarium and Adler Planetarium. This epic natural history museum was largely conceived around exhibits acquired from the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair and first opened its rather impressive doors back in 1894. Since then, it’s gone from strength to strength, amassing a collection of around 40 million objects, specimens and artifacts, charting 4.5 billion years and drawing in over a million history-hungry visitors each year.
The Field Museum in Brief: This one is a naturalist’s nirvana: nearly 500,000 square feet of preserved dinosaur skeletons, meteorite fragments, Ancient Egyptian mummies, animal dioramas, Incan and Aztec artifacts, intricate totem poles, and more magnificent historical artifacts than you can shake a giant T-Rex femur at. Fun fact: the phrase “the customer is always right” is attributed to Marshall Field, the 19th-century department store magnate who gave the museum its name and was its original benefactor.
When to visit: The Field Museum is open daily from 9AM–5PM, with final admission at 4PM. It’s closed on Christmas and Thanksgiving. You could very easily spend a whole day or more exploring the collections here, but four hours should give you a decent overview of the highlights. Arrive for opening time to secure the most elbow room – the museum tends to be busiest from late morning until mid-afternoon. Get the latest exhibition information and further details on opening hours at the official Field Museum website.
Field Museum or MSI: Which Should I Visit?
These are two of the biggest, best and most family-friendly museums in Chicago, so we’d really recommend visiting both if you have time. Go Chicago attraction passes mean you don’t have to pick favorites either, as both the Field Museum and Griffin Museum of Science and Industry are included, alongside other Chicago must-sees like the Skydeck, Navy Pier Ferris wheel, Children’s Museum, and Shedd Aquarium. Find out more and choose your perfect Chicago attraction pass here.
Museum of Science and Industry Highlights
Must-see highlights of the permanent collection at the MSI include:
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The Pioneer Zephyr: the world’s first streamlined, stainless steel, diesel-powered train; a gleaming vision of the future of rail travel from way back in 1934.
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The Henry Crown Space Center: here’s where you’ll find all things intergalactic, including the Apollo 8 spacecraft, a lunar module, and Chicago’s largest immersive domed movie theater.
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Wartime wonders: fans of militaria can ogle the captured German submarine; there are also several US Navy warship models and fighter jet simulators.
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Science Storms: physics and chemistry collide in this fascinating multi-level exhibit, which features a Tesla coil, a tsunami tank, and Foucault’s pendulum. You’ll also get the chance to control a 40-foot-tall tornado.
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Coal Mine: ride the train through this full-scale mine replica, containing original 1930s equipment.
Field Museum Highlights
Don’t miss these wow permanent exhibits at the Field Museum:
- Animal Halls. The Field Museum is home to some of the most realistic animal dioramas on the planet. Case in point: Carl Akeley’s ‘Four Seasons’, depicting wild white-tailed deer across the seasons, is a veritable work of art. Also don’t miss: the fearsome man-eating lions of Tsavo and the polar bear protecting her cubs.
- Inside Ancient Egypt. Decipher 5,000-year-old hieroglyphs, worship at the shrine of the cat goddess Bastet and come face to face with ancient mummified people and animals inside an authentic Egyptian burial chamber.
- Roarsome Dinosaurs. Grab the selfie of a lifetime with Sue, one of the most complete T-Rex skeletons on the planet, and meet her plant-eating pal Máximo, an absolute monster at 122 feet long and 28 feet tall! A dino-mic duo indeed.
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