6 Illinois Museums Worth Traveling For

Quiet observation isn’t allowed in the Museum of Science and Industry, the the Western Hemisphere’s largest science museum. Among the 14 acres of hands-on exhibits, visitors climb aboard a World War II German submarine, descend into a coal mine, feel the breeze of a 40-foot tornado and go for a spin inside a human-sized hamster wheel.

Make it a Getaway

The museum, Washington Park and Lake Shore Drive are walkable from nearby hotels including Chicago Lake Shore Hotel, La Quinta Inn and Suites Chicago – Lake Shore  or Hyatt Place Chicago-South.

Photography, textiles, Medieval armor, architecture and Impressionist paintings are just some examples of the more than 300,000 works that fill the Art Institute’s permanent collection. Spread across eight buildings, the museum takes a day (at least) to tackle. Need a starting point? History buffs enjoy the renovated, older galleries that span 5,000 years while the Modern Wing showcases 20th- and 21st-century pieces. Or just skip ahead to some of the world’s most famous works including Georges Seurat’s A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, Pablo Picasso’s The Old Guitarist and Grant Wood’s American Gothic.

One of the country’s oldest and largest art museums doesn’t skimp on the culinary arts either. When you need to rest your legs, stop at one of four dining spots. There, local chefs use organic ingredients to prepare everything from gourmet Italian dishes to deli-style sandwiches and pastries.

Make it a Getaway

Area properties including Chicago Athletic Association, The Palmer House Hilton, Club Quarters Hotel Central Loop and Hampton Inn Majestic Chicago Theater District are just a few blocks from the museum, Millennium Park and Lake Michigan.

Three museums—the Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium and Field Museum of Natural History—and one beautiful lakefront are all tied together with lush greenspace. Easy-to-navigate roads mean the campus is walkable, despite being 57 acres.

Make it a Getaway

Don’t want to attempt all three museums in one day? Check in to a local hotel such as The Blackstone Hotel, Congress Plaza Hotel, Marriott Marquis Chicago and Hilton Chicago on Michigan Avenue, and you might be able to see the museums from your room.

America’s first planetarium was—and still is—a major leader in science education. In the permanent exhibits, get the lowdown on our solar system, race against the clock to save the Apollo 13 crew and join the debate on Pluto’s status as a planet.

The Adler Planetarium is also home to three full-size theaters that feature daily programs. The films cost a little extra but are worth the splurge. Check out the planetarium’s website for showtimes.

At the Shedd Aquarium, get up close and personal with more than 32,000 animals including piranhas, stingrays, giant octopuses, seahorses and sharks. Exhibits are arranged by region, so visitors can check out underwater life from far away (don’t miss the Amazon and Philippines displays) and near home in the Great Lakes.

Visitors who want to dive in deeper stick around for daily chats with experts and presentations that offer a glimpse into how whales, sea lions and dolphins are cared for. In the interactive animal encounters area, curious guests get their feet (or hands) wet in the touch exhibits featuring stingrays, sea stars and sturgeons.

One of the globe’s largest natural history museums, the Field Museum houses more than 20 million specimens ranging from some of the earliest fossils to a high-tech DNA research lab. Examine hieroglyphs and mummies inside an ancient Egyptian tomb; admire rare gemstones; check out meteorites; and meet Maximo, the world’s largest dinosaur (beating out Sue, the once largest and best-preserved T-rex fossil to ever be discovered). Maximo, a titanosaur aka Patagotitan mayorum stands 122 feet from snout to tail.

Round out your visit with a 3-D flick. Watch Sue come to life, explore ancient Egypt, meet China’s First Emperor or take a guided tour of London’s History Museum.