Museum of Science & Industry Coupons, Discount Tickets & More

By Lindsay Eagan

If you and your family are planning a trip to the great city of Chicago, your 'must do' list should definitely include a trip to the Museum of Science and Industry. Why? Because it is one of Chicago's most popular attractions, as it's fun for the whole family. TripAdvisor named it one of the Top 25 museums in the United States. It houses more than 35,000 artifacts all aimed at entertaining, educating, and engaging visitors from all around the world. You could spend the whole day at this museum and still not see it all! Here the subjects of science, technology, medicine, and even engineering are put on display in a way that is relatable and entertaining family-friendly atmosphere. Check out our helpful guide for visiting, packed full of ways to save on admission, tips for visiting, places to eat nearby, and much more.

Looking for Museum of Science and Industry Discount Tickets?

We’ve got you covered – Museum of Science and Industry admission is available with the below money saving options, so you can choose the attraction pass that’s right for you: 1. All-Inclusive Pass – All you can do. Includes admission to dozens of attractions. 2. Explorer Pass – Choose as you go. Includes admission of up to 5 attractions. 3. Build Your Own Pass – Select the attractions you want to visit prior to visiting. See all available passes, attractions & prices – Learn more. Please, note select special exhibits, including the U-505 on-board tour, may require an additional timed-entry ticket to be purchased. The Go Chicago Card is a digital pass that you can easily access from your smartphone, which includes built-in ‘Museum of Science and Industry coupons’ that give you discount admission to visit this attraction.

Tips for Visiting Chicago's Museum of Science

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  1. Non-members should pay for your parking before you leave at one of the automated pay stations. All of the pay stations accept credit cards and some designated color-coded stations even accept cash. The underground garage is attached to the museum, on cold or rainy days this is the best option. Park on Level P3 and you will enter right on the main floor.
  2. Use your museum map to prioritize your interests, and answer any questions you might have about amenities and services.
  3. Pack a lunch, snack, and/or a beverage. Your trip to the museum may turn out to be a long day. In order to keep up morale and avoid hunger-induced crankiness you might want to bring along a snack or even a special lunch to eat while you are on campus.
  4. Wear comfortable shoes. The Museum of Science and Industry is huge. With 400,000 square feet and 4 levels, you will have to do a lot of walking during your visit. Strollers and wheelchairs are available for rent. There are lots of color-coded stairs and elevators to keep the traffic flow moving, but be prepared, and wear comfortable shoes if you are walking.
  5. Dress comfortably. If you are planning a winter visit remember to dress warmly—Chicago has cold winters. Dress for the weather, but layer, you might get hot in the building! The same goes for summertime visits.

Best Times to Visit

MSI can be quite crowded so you should definitely arrive early (before the doors open if possible) in order to beat the crowd and see as many of the exhibits you can in a day.

What You Should Bring

  1. Carry some cash on hand. Cash will come in handy for such activities as the Guest Services amenities such as the coat check and stroller/wheelchair rentals. These services are free to members, but other guests are charged a nominal fee, in cash. If you forget to bring cash, no worries. There is an ATM machine located in the entry hall.
  2. Camera. Many of us are adept at capturing our moments on our Smartphones. However, MSI doesn’t mind if you bring along your camera to record your memories and fun. Cameras are not permitted in the Omnimax® Theater and where posted.
  3. Bring along a family member or friend. This is a place to be experienced with others. Make sure you bring someone along for the fun.

What to Do There

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There is tons of exciting, educational, and fun things to do here - it's the largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere. Here are a few of our favorite exhibits to check out during your visit.

Numbers in Nature

A Mirror Maze is amazing and fun. This exhibit is located on Main Level 2 and while it is free, a timed-entry ticket is required. We recommend you schedule your visit to the mirror maze early in the day so that the mirrors aren’t so smudged. It is amazing how much this adds to the wonder of the exhibit. Navigate the giant mirror maze, and afterwards discover the mathematical patterns naturally occurring all around us.

U-505 Submarine Exhibit

Features the world famous U-505 from the Battle of the Atlantic. Learn about the U-505’s dramatic capture and so much more. The U-505 submarine, one of just two German submarines captured during World War II, and the only one on display in the western hemisphere has been on display at MSI since 1954. This exhibit is unforgettable; check it out on the Lower Level 1.

Colleen Moore’s Fairy Castle

This exhibit was recently renovated and it is more magical than ever. Here you will experience the enchantment of a Fairy’s dream home. Every detail is incredible and the intricacies are mind-boggling. This exhibit features a miniaturized version of an actual castle complete with plants, fountains, furniture, books, and even musical instruments. Don’t miss this one, located on the Lower level 1.

Genetics: Decoding Life & Baby Chick Hatchery

This is an interactive exhibit located on the Main Level 2. Here you can learn about DNA, discovering what makes us all unique while across the room others are watching a baby chick peck out of their shells. There is plenty of cuteness and new information found in this exhibit hall. You will learn how genetics affect human and animal development through interactive teaching and learning tools. You could spend hours in here. You definitely need your camera to catch a shot of the chick pen where very cute and newly hatched chicks are playing around.

Science Storms

Science Storms is a multilevel exhibit, beginning on Main Level 2, features among other things, a 40-foot water vapor tornado! There are demonstrations allowing kids to get involved and other wonders such as a tsunami tank, Tesla coil, a Wimshurst machine, and a heliostat system. Here you will be able to investigate the science behind natural occurrences by controlling the tornado or triggering an avalanche.

YOU! The Experience

Located on Balcony Level 3, this may be my favorite exhibit of all. You will see yourself in new and fascinating ways as you interact with 50 fun experiences. Here you will find a 13-foot tall interactive and 3-D heart as well as Body Slices or Cadavers exhibited in 1⁄2 inch thick pieces. Children will find lots to do here to as they learn about relaxation, sleep patterns, nutrition, exercise, and the role of emotions in our everyday lives.

Nearby Attractions

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As if the backdrop of Chicago’s skyline in the distance isn’t enough, The Museum of Science & Industry’s campus is located south of downtown just west of scenic Lake Shore Drive, in beautiful Jackson Park and the neighborhood of Hyde Park. Nearby points of interest include: the University of Chicago, 57th Street Beach, and Chicago’s Lake Shore Drive. This location is photo perfect, regardless of the season. If you are not too tired after leaving the museum you might want to check out these other nearby things to do.

Need to Know

Hours

  • Daily, 9:30 am-4:00 pm. Last admission at 3:30 pm.
  • Extended hours during spring break, summer, and holidays.
  • Closings - Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. All holiday hours are subject to change without notice.

Directions & Address

57th Street and Lake Shore Drive 5700 S. Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 60637 Public Transportation: Take CTA: Metra trains stop at the 57th Street station, just two blocks from the Museum‚Äôs north entrance. Buses #2, #6, #10, or #28 also have convenient stops two blocks away from the Museum.

Save on Tickets with a Go Chicago Card

Chicago's Museum of Science & Industry is loved by the locals and recognized by vacation experts as one of the best museums in the world. Remember, the Go Chicago® Card is the best choice for maximum savings and flexibility, which includes Museum of Science and Industry tickets, plus admission to your choice of other top attractions. Save up to 55% on top museums, tours, and activities vs. paying at the gate. Visit multiple Chicago attractions for one low price.

Lindsay Eagan
Go City Travel Expert

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Where to stay in Chicago

Made up of a long list of neighborhoods and districts each offering something different, deciding where to stay in Chicago can be a bit of a headache, especially if you’re a first-time visitor to the city. Whatever you’re looking for out of a leisure trip to the windy city, our pick of the best areas of Chicago to stay is sure to be a help! The Loop Enclosed by the Chicago River to one side and Grant Park to the other, the Loop is probably the best place to stay in Chicago for those new to the city since its streets include the central business district and many of the city’s top attractions, including the Willis Tower’s Skydeck observation level and the Art Institute of Chicago. It takes its name from the elevated railway which has looped around it since the Great Fire of 1871. Synonymous to most with the downtown area, it’s also one of the commercial hubs of the city. Being at the heart of the action (Route 66 starts here too), there’s no shortage of hotels either. 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Things to do in West Loop, Chicago

Head to Chicago for your vacation and want to know what's good? Give West Loop a try. There's so much to do and see, you might never leave. Here's our list of the best things to do in West Loop, Chicago. Including: Street Markets Park walks Go bowling Get cultural Try climbing and more! Get Marketeering Let's start this shindig with a smattering of shopping. West Loop has an abundance of markets where you can pick up anything from fresh groceries to hand-crafted jewelry. If you're looking to wheel, deal, and shave a few bucks off your purchases, head over to Randolph Street Market. In the summer months, you'll find over one hundred vendors taking over the Chicago Journeyman Plumbers Union Hall parking lot. Within this bizarre bazaar, you'll discover stalls filled with antiques, old records, hand-crafted wonders, and other assorted knickknacks. Or, if food is your purchase of choice, give Chicago's French Market a go. 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Thankfully, West Loop has some great green spaces, so if you're visiting Chicago, get that green in you. Perhaps its better-known park is Union Park, where the annual Pitchfork Music Festival brings farmers from all across America to get angry at things. Not really, it's a music festival, and a good one at that. However, if you don't make it in July, there's still loads to do. Pools to jump in, courts to play in, and that sweet grass to relax on. Or, if you want to entertain the little ones, stop by Mary Bartelme Park. It has an amazing children's playground with unique and exciting play equipment you won't find anywhere else. It's also good for dogs, if your little one walks on four legs. The Climb Picture the scene. You're a secret agent, climbing up a rocky cliff face. You receive a call on your sweet futuristic sunglasses. It's your secret spy agency, and they have a job for you. You choose to accept it, and throw the glasses off towards the camera as they self-destruct. Yeah! So if the climbing part of that interests you - and nothing else - head on over to Brooklyn Boulders. There, you'll find lots of surfaces to climb, which is what you want. If you're a seasoned pro, feel free to hit the walls and do some sweet flips, or whatever climbers do. If you're new to the climbing game, never fear. They have expert trainers on hand to teach you the tricks of the trade. And who knows, maybe they're secret agents too. Hiding in plain sight, at Brooklyn Boulders. Would you like to play a game? If you go to sleep listening to the distinctive cling of pinball tables and assorted beeps and boops of old arcade machines, you might like this next place. Take a running jump into Emporium Arcade Bar and fall into a world of old-school arcade action. With a slew of pinball-flicking, foosball-spinning, puck-slapping, and pool-shooting fun, it's a lovely place full of joy and smiles. If you have friends, bring them with you, and pump the fun up to stratospheric levels. After you've spent all your money on machines, take out a loan and go enjoy a refreshing cocktail or IPA at the bar. You will love it. Won't you? Yes. Culture! If all of that wasn't fun enough for you, how about a little learning and culture to take that fun factor to the next level? At the National Hellenic Museum in West Loop, you'll learn about Greek-American culture, and how Greek immigrants helped make Chicago the city it is today! Or, if you want to see some awe-inspiring art, check out the Kavi Gupta Gallery. Inside, you'll find artworks of all shapes and sizes to ponder over. Does it get any more cultural than that? No, it does not. State of the Union Station Want to see one of Chicago's most recognizable landmarks up close? West Loop has you covered with Union Station. Built back in the 1920s, it's the transport hub that brings many out-of-towers into the city. Its Art Deco stylings are so iconic that it's featured in heaps of Hollywood productions. 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