A Visitor's Guide to The
Museum of Science & Industry
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Is this the Museum of Fun & Excitement? |
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Perhaps it should be. At the Museum of Science & Industry (MSI) life-size machines make industry burst to life, while the many hands-on exhibits make understanding the how’s and why’s of science more interesting. Put on your walking shoes and get ready to tread new ground at the Museum of Science and Industry. |
Plan Your Visit for Best Results
To see all the best that the museum has to offer will take a little
planning. I think a floor by floor approach will help cover it all. We’ll
start on the Ground Floor where some of the biggest and best attractions
are located. Here is a
link to a great, printable museum floor plan layout that should help
you follow along if you print it out.
NOTE
Read the Museum of Science
& Industry's Summer 2008 Newsletter.
TO BEGIN
After you’ve bought your tickets, head up the main escalator and make an
immediate left, following the signs for the
Henry Crown Space Center and the
U-505. But before you get ahead of
yourself…
Have Fun, Go ahead, Clown Around
Whether you’re headed to see spaceships or submarines, be sure to spend
some time frolicking in the
Circus and Eye Spy chambers. The Circus has
funhouse mirrors, clowns and even its own ringmaster while Eye Spy offers
a more hands on approach where you can create works of art with your own
shadows, or play a giant keyboard with your feet. It’s a good place to let
the kids (and their imaginations) run wild.
Once you have your feet set firmly on the ground, prepare for launch at
the Henry Crown Space Center.
The Henry Crown Space Center - An Unearthly Display
The Henry Crown Space Center
is an out-of-this-world exhibit that features some truly remarkable
artifacts from NASA’s ongoing campaign of space exploration. Some of the
displays are mock-ups, like the Lunar Module
mock-up, on which astronauts practiced landing on the moon. But there are
also real spacecrafts that have been to outer space and back. The Museum
is lucky enough to have on display the Aurora 7 Space Capsule that completed three orbits around the Earth in
1962. Also be sure to check the TV screens when you first enter because
you’re likely to catch live footage of astronauts currently in space. And
if you have time be sure to see the Omnimax movie “Magnificent
Desolation”, which gets you closer to the moon than you ever imagined.
| TIP: See the Omnimax movie later in the day if you can. By that time you’ll have less crowding from the local schools. And if you haven’t bought your U-505 tickets yet, you can purchase them in the Henry Crown Space Center and save yourself a trip back to the entrance of the museum. |
The U-505 exhibit is right next to the
Henry Crown Space Center, so head there next.
U-505 Submarine - Better Than Ever
Responsible for the deaths of thousands of American sailors, the German
U-505 submarine was the most difficult of its kind to capture because of
its stealthy reputation.
Now after years of restoration and refurbishment,
the Museum of Science and Industry has a permanent indoor home for the
only German submarine in the United States.
This exhibit has three sections that will enthrall, astound and enlighten.
The first part gets you involved right away with a multimedia reenactment
of the days leading up to the capture of the German U-boat. The MSI
masterfully mixes raw footage with wartime re-enactments to put you in the
thick of the battle. The second part will take your breath away, as it did
for me. Just when you think you are rounding the corner to see the final
act of the battle, you come face to face with the giant sub, and it’s at
that point when you realize how big the vessel is. The final portion is
the actual tour of the U-505 itself.
This part of the tour is optional and you will need to buy a separate
ticket, but it is well worth the price. It is a guided tour and is so
chock full of special effects that you will think you’re really submerged.
| TIP: You must buy your tickets for the U-505 tour before you get to the exhibit. And when you buy your tickets you will have to sign up for a time to take the tour. Try to schedule it for within 45 minutes of your arrival so you can get out of the way early. Oh, and watch your head on the sub!! Ouch!! |
While still on the ground floor plow a path
to “The Farm”. There you can check
out how Illinois farmers cultivate their crops and raise their animals and
still manage to have food on your plates each night.
The Farm at MSI
This exhibit takes you through such farm tasks such as milking cows,
harvesting grains and even designing your own cereal. While the exhibit is
more geared to kids under 18, it doesn’t matter what age you are because
sitting in the driver’s seat of either the huge tractor or the massive
combine and plowing the fields is simply a blast, and makes for a great
photo opportunity.
Now head one flight up to where you will see exhibits that range from
underground mining to soaring above the clouds in a fighter jet. On the
Main Floor you will discover how men built entire industries using only
their bare hands. And then you will find out how technology will help us
to keep building on our industries well into the future.
| TIP: Take the stairs on your way up to the Main Floor. Each of the main stairwells has an educational theme, ranging from the gravity to the periodic table of elements. Education in stairwells? Something I like to call “Higher Learning”. |
When you reach the Main Floor go straight
to the Coal Mine to see why it is the most popular attraction.
The Coal Mine – Anything but “Boring”
Ask anyone what the first thing is that
comes to mind when they hear Museum of Science and Industry and, odds are
good, that person will say
The Coal Mine. I don’t know if it’s the 600
foot ride in a pitch black elevator, the ride on the authentic coal train
when you get down to the Earth’s core, or whether it’s witnessing actual
coal mining machinery at work. But whatever it is, this is the most
beloved attraction and shouldn’t be missed.
After that journey it’s time for a nice relaxing stroll down Main
Street...Yesterday’s Main Street that is.
1900's Main Street - Back in
Good Old Days
Situated off in the corner by the Coal Mine is
Yesterday’s Main Street.
There you can revisit the early 1900’s where life was simpler and things
were cheaper. Grab an old-fashioned ice cream cone and pop into a 5¢
cinema or just park yourself on a bench while you reconnect with a bygone
era.
Now let’s take it up a notch. Head due south and gear up for some
high-octane action in the
Transportation Zone.
The Transportation Zone - See The Spirit of America
Whether its planes, trains or automobiles,
the Transportation Zone has you covered. Chug on over to revisit a time
when the only “L” train seen in Chicago was a Locomotive. Then guide
yourself to the Spirit of America, a one-time land speed record-holder
that topped 520 miles per hour (the current record stands at over 750
miles per hour).
And if you have time, fly on upstairs to take a tour of a real
Boeing 727 and see what it’s like to take a
trip from San Francisco to Chicago in only 7 minutes.
| TIP: You can't miss the huge model train display in the middle of the Transportation Zone, but be sure to stick around because twice an hour the house lights are brought down and the replica of the Chicago skyline is lit up. |
Right next door to the
Transportation Zone is where you can
witness the miracle of birth – chicken style – at the
Chick Hatchery.
The Chick Hatchery - A Great Place to Meet Chicks
Break out the ooh’s and the aah’s as you
watch adorable chicks hatch themselves and manage their first steps. There
are two stations to choose from – the hatched and the yet-to-be hatched.
If you have enough patience and luck you might be able to see one emerge
before your very eyes.
After you’re done fawning over those adorable little chicks, stop by the
Navy exhibit and get strapped for the ride of your life.
F-35 Navy Exhibit - Do you have the Need for Speed?
Climb aboard an
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and maneuver your
way through hostile territory shooting at targets above and below. But
this is not your normal flight simulator, where you sit back and enjoy the
ride. YOU fly the plane, YOU shoot the missiles and YOU take out the
enemy. Are YOU ready? (Additional charges apply)
| TIP: If you don’t think you can stomach the ride, you can still watch others in your group as they take part. With the on-board cameras located in the simulator’s cockpit, it’s almost as fun as being there yourself. |
After you get your bearings, take a walk
across the Main Floor’s rotunda to see the latest audio and visual
technologies available.
Whispering Gallery - Use Some Common Sense(s)
First stop in the Whispering Gallery
and see how it’s possible to stand 40 feet away from someone and still be
able to hear them as if they were standing right next to you. Then stop by
Imaging: Tools of Science and see how
imaging tools play a role in performing medical procedures, creating
special effects and exploring the universe. Then have your hand at being
sleuth for a day, as you play the part of forensic scientist and try to
help solve crimes using the most up-to-date imaging technology.
The last thing to see on the Main Floor is
the Toymaker 3000. If you’ve ever
wondered how your favorite things are made, here’s your chance. MSI brings
the factory to you and presents a glimpse at how machines handle the
fabrication from start to finish.
Toymaker 3000
Marvel at how robots help us design, build and assemble while you watch a
choreographed demonstration of speed and precision. The grand finale of
Toymaker 3000 gives you a chance to see the whole process as robots build
your very own customized spinning Gravitron
spinning top. (Additional charges apply)
Last but not least is the Balcony floor. While it doesn’t pack quite the
punch of the other levels, it is an important education station.
Balcony – Tops in Education
Parents, you can take advantage of specific
educational zones to teach your kids about their health. The Brain
and Heart exhibits are great places to
start, whether you want to preach the perils of smoking and staying
physically fit, or whether you want to help your children understand the
importance of exercising their brains. Be sure to walk through the giant
14 foot heart.
Another stop on the Balcony Floor should be in the Reusable City.
Here you can observe the processes in place is preserving our planet’s
resources, from water treatment, ozone protection and even recycling.
| TIP: While on the Balcony, make your way to the Transportation Zone and look down on the model train display that you visited earlier. It’s quite a sight from the bird’s eye view 40 feet above. |
A MSI Summary
That is the Museum of Science and Industry
tour from top to bottom. And speaking of which, on this tour you were
taken to the bottom of the Earth’s core and then to the top of the world
and beyond. You were able to fly a fighter jet off into the horizon and
then drive a tractor until the cows came home. Solving crimes, hatching
chickens, making toys…it’s all within your reach at the Museum of Science
and Industry, I mean the Museum of Fun and Excitement.
My Must See List – If you’re on a
limited time frame, see these attractions first
1. Coal Mine – Everyone’s favorite, and it will be yours, too
2. U-505 – the biggest and best new exhibit
3. Henry Crown Space Center – some amazing space artifacts
4. Imaging: Tools of Science – hands on fun for everyone
Read the
Museum of Science & Industry's
Summer 2008 Newsletter.
| Do’s and
Don’ts for your visit – things to ponder before your visit DO consider parking at the museum if you have a car. The museum parking is the closest you’ll find for the price. DON’T take a cab to and from your hotel. It will cost far too much. DO consider taking a bus. It is economically and environmentally friendly. But try to get an express bus because it will eat up less time. DO be prepared for rush hour traffic. The surrounding roadways can get very busy. DO print the museum floor plan before you go to plan your visit. Print the layout. DON’T forget to buy Omnimax tickets when you buy your admission. You get a price break by buying both at the same time. DO consider bringing extra snacks or even packing lunches. That helps cut costs. DO call ahead and inquire about free days. Who doesn’t like to save money? |
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Note: The
Go Chicago Card includes this attraction |
LINKS
- Visit the Museum of Science & Industry Official Web Site.
- Our Museum of Science & Industry Attractions page.
- Print the Museum of Science & Industry Floor Plan.
Buy Your Tickets Online
To
guarantee tickets and head straight into the Museum,
buy and print your tickets online. You can purchase general admission,
Omnimax®,
Game On 2.0 and
U-505 optional on-board tour tickets through this hassle-free
method. Just go to our
online tickets page, select your preferred date and time to visit,
print your tickets, and voila! - enjoy express access to the Museum.
'Go Chicago' Card
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