Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago) facts for kids

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Museum of Science and Industry

The south facade of the Museum overlooks a reflecting lagoon in Jackson Park.
Former name	Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, Rosenwald Industrial Museum
Established	1933; 93 years ago (1933)
Location	5700 South DuSable Lake Shore Drive Chicago, Illinois, 60637
Type	Science and technology museum
Visitors	1.5 million (2016)
Founder	Julius Rosenwald
Public transit access	CTA bus routes: Metra Train: 55th/56th/57th Street
Chicago Landmark
Designated:	November 1, 1995

The Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry (often called MSI) is a super cool science museum in Chicago, Illinois. It's located right next to Lake Michigan and the University of Chicago. This museum is a special place where you can explore how science and technology work in the real world!

The museum building itself is historic. It was originally the Palace of Fine Arts for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, a huge fair. A kind businessman named Julius Rosenwald helped make it into a science museum. It first opened its doors in 1933. The museum was renamed in honor of Kenneth C. Griffin on May 19, 2024, because of his generous support.

Inside MSI, you'll find amazing exhibits. Imagine seeing a real German submarine, the German submarine U-505, from World War II! You can also explore a United Airlines Boeing 727 airplane, the speedy Pioneer Zephyr train, and even the Apollo 8 spacecraft that orbited the Moon. Other popular spots include a life-size replica coal mine and a giant model railroad. MSI has exhibits on everything from how things are made to environmental science, computers, the human body, and farming.

Exploring the Museum's Past

From World's Fair Palace to Science Hub

A map of the Palace of Fine Arts from the 1893 World's Fair.

The amazing building that houses the Museum of Science and Industry was first built for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. This was a huge international fair! The building was called the Palace of Fine Arts. It showed off beautiful art from all over the world.

Most buildings at the World's Fair were temporary. But the Palace of Fine Arts was special. It was built with strong brick underneath its fancy plaster. This made it much more permanent.

Inside the Palace of Fine Arts. It was built to last longer than other fair buildings.

After the World's Fair, the building became a museum for a while. Later, it was empty for several years. People had many ideas for what it could become next. Finally, it was chosen to be a brand new science museum!

Creating a Museum of Wonder

A group called the Commercial Club of Chicago really wanted a science museum in the city. Julius Rosenwald, a generous businessman and head of Sears, Roebuck and Company, stepped up. He promised a lot of money to help turn the old Palace of Fine Arts into a museum. He ended up giving over $5 million to the project!

During this transformation, the outside of the building was covered in limestone. This kept its beautiful 1893 look. The inside was completely new, designed in a modern style.

Rosenwald started the museum organization in 1926. He didn't want his name on the building at first. For a couple of years, people called it the "Rosenwald Industrial Museum." But in 1928, it officially became the Museum of Science and Industry. Rosenwald was inspired by a science museum he visited in Germany. He wanted to create a similar place in Chicago.

The museum's first director was Waldemar Kaempffert, a science editor. He and his team visited other famous science museums around the world. They gathered ideas for the exhibits. They also worked closely with scientists from the University of Chicago. This helped make sure the exhibits were accurate and educational.

Opening and Modern Updates

The museum opened in stages between 1933 and 1940. The first part opened during another big event, the Century of Progress Exposition. Many exhibits and staff came from this fair to the new museum.

In the 1990s, the museum started big renovation plans. They built an underground parking garage. They also created a new main entrance. Now, visitors go down into a special hall before entering the main building. It's a bit like the famous Louvre Pyramid entrance in Paris!

For many years, it was free to enter the MSI. However, some special exhibits, like the Coal Mine, always had a small fee. General admission fees started in the early 1990s. Today, the museum still offers "free days" for Illinois residents.

A New Name for a New Era

On May 19, 2024, the museum officially changed its name. It became the Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry. This change honored Kenneth C. Griffin for his very large donation to the museum. This gift helps the museum continue to create amazing new exhibits and experiences. Chevy Humphrey became the museum's President and CEO in January 2021.

In 2025, the Driehaus Foundation also gave a large grant. This money will help renovate the museum's south entrance. This entrance was the main one during the 1893 World's Fair. It will make the museum even more welcoming for visitors.

Exciting Exhibits to Explore

The museum's admissions area and store.

The museum has over 2,000 exhibits across 75 main halls. Many of these are permanent, meaning they are always there to explore. Some special exhibits, like the Coal Mine and the U-505 submarine tour, require an extra fee. Other exhibits might need a free timed-entry ticket. Many of the exhibits are interactive, letting you get hands-on with science!

Entry Hall Wonders

The Pioneer Zephyr train, a marvel of engineering.

The Pioneer Zephyr Train

Right in the Entry Hall, you can see the Pioneer Zephyr. This was the very first diesel-powered, streamlined stainless-steel passenger train! It's a permanent display. This amazing train used to be outside, but it was moved indoors in the 1990s.

NASCAR Race Car Display

Also in the Entry Hall, you can find a NASCAR Next Gen 2023 Ford Mustang. This car was added to celebrate Chicago's first NASCAR street race. It shows off modern race-car engineering. Local artists painted it, and it will be on display through 2026.

Lower Level Adventures

The U-505 Submarine

The German submarine U-505 is a real German submarine captured during World War II. It's one of only six such submarines captured by the Allies. Since 1954, it has been the only one on display in the Western Hemisphere. It's a National Historic Landmark!

For 50 years, the U-505 was displayed outdoors. In 2004, it was carefully moved indoors into a special exhibit. This new exhibit, The New U-505 Experience, opened in 2005. You can see the submarine in a large bunker. There are also artifacts from the sub and interactive games. You can even take a guided tour inside the submarine for an extra fee!

Henry Crown Space Center

The Henry Crown Space Center is a special part of MSI. It opened in 1986 and was updated in 2024. Here, you can explore space travel!

The Space Center features the Apollo 8 command module. This spacecraft carried the first humans to orbit the Moon! You can also see the Mercury-Atlas 7 capsule, which took the second American into Earth's orbit. There's even a NASA lunar module trainer and a SpaceX Dragon 1 cargo spacecraft.

Inside the Space Center is the Giant Dome Theater. It has a huge, five-story screen that wraps all around you. It's perfect for watching exciting movies about space!

FarmTech Exhibit

The FarmTech exhibit shows you how modern farming works. You'll learn how farmers use technology like GPS to grow food better. The exhibit includes a tractor and a combine harvester from John Deere. You can also see a greenhouse and learn how many foods we eat come from soybeans. It also explains how we use cows for many things, from energy to milk.

Other Lower Level Fun

The museum's lower level also has exhibits on transportation. You can see models of "Ships Through the Ages" and a collection of historic racing cars.

Black Creativity: Architecture explores the history of Black architects. Mold-A-Rama™: Molded for the Future shows how plastic items are made. You can even see several working Mold-A-Rama machines! Colleen Moore's Fairy Castle is also here. It's a tiny, magical house filled with amazing details. The 90 and Beyond exhibit, opened in 2023, celebrates MSI's 90th anniversary with objects from each decade.

For younger kids, there's the Swiss Jollyball. This is a giant rolling ball sculpture made from recycled materials. It's like a huge pinball machine and holds a Guinness World Record! The Idea Factory is a water play area for toddlers. The Eye Spy gallery is a fun hallway with humorous scenes behind windows.

First Level Discoveries

Transportation Gallery

The Transportation Gallery is on the first and second levels. It's packed with cool vehicles!

In the middle is The Great Train Story. This is a huge model railroad, covering 3,500-square-foot (330 m²)! It shows a detailed journey from Chicago to Seattle. You'll see tiny cities, mountains, and even a cargo port.

On the main level, you can see NYC & HRR Locomotive No. 999. This steam locomotive, called the Empire State Express, might have been the first to go over 100 miles per hour! It was donated to the museum in 1962.

You can also see a replica of Stephenson's Rocket. This was the first steam locomotive to go over 25 miles per hour! There are also historic and modern cars and carriages.

The second level of the Transportation Gallery has the Take Flight exhibit. Here, you can explore the first Boeing 727 jet plane used by airlines. One wing was removed, and holes were cut to let visitors walk through it! A replica of the Wright Brothers' first airplane, the Wright Flyer, is also on display.

Two World War II warplanes are also here. One is a German Ju 87 R-2/Trop. Stuka dive-bomber. It's one of only two complete Stukas left in the world! The other is a British Mark 1A Supermarine Spitfire.

Science Storms

Science Storms opened in 2010. It's a permanent, multi-level exhibit all about natural forces! On the first level, you can see a 40-foot (12-meter) water vapor tornado. There's also a rotating sand avalanche, a Foucault pendulum, and a tsunami wave tank. You can even see hot air balloons and solar-powered cars!

On the second level, a Tesla coil fires electricity every 30 minutes. It's amazing to watch! You'll also find a Wimshurst machine, a giant Newton's cradle, and sections on fire, chemistry, and magnetism.

Coal Mine

The Coal Mine is one of the museum's oldest exhibits, opening in 1933. It recreates a real deep-shaft bituminous coal mine. It uses original equipment from a mine that closed in 1923. Guides, dressed as coal miners, lead you through the exhibit. You'll ride a genuine mine train and learn about coal mining and energy production. This experience takes about 30 minutes and requires an extra fee.

Numbers in Nature: A Mirror Maze

Inside the Mirror Maze.

Numbers in Nature: A Mirror Maze teaches you about patterns found in nature. You'll learn about the Golden Ratio, spirals, fractal branching, and Voronoi patterns. The exhibit includes a fun mirror maze to show off geometric patterns. This exhibit requires a free timed entry ticket.

The Blue Paradox

The Blue Paradox is an immersive exhibit that opened in July 2023. It teaches visitors about the problem of plastic in our oceans. It was first shown in London before coming to MSI.

Genetics: Decoding Life

Genetics: Decoding Life explores how genetics influence human and animal development. It used to have a chick hatchery where baby chickens hatched from eggs. This exhibit closed in 2025, and the baby chicks were moved to the FarmTech exhibit.

Yesterday's Main Street

Yesterday's Main Street is like stepping back in time! It's a replica of a Chicago street from the early 1900s. It has cobblestone roads, old-fashioned lights, and several shops. You can see early versions of famous Chicago businesses.

One of the shops, The Nickelodeon Cinema, is open to visitors. You can go inside and watch silent films playing throughout the day!

ToyMaker 3000

ToyMaker 3000 is a real working assembly line. You can order a "Gravitron" spinning top toy and watch as machines build it right in front of you! This exhibit is sometimes closed for maintenance.

Wanger Family Fab Lab

The Wanger Family Fab Lab is a special workshop. It has 3D-printers, laser-cutters, and other tools. Here, people can create "almost anything you can imagine." You can see it through windows, but it's used for museum workshops and summer camps, not for general public access.

Other First Level Exhibits

Extreme Ice shows the effects of climate change on Earth's polar ice caps. It has interactive screens and a large ice wall you can touch.

The Art of the Bicycle, opened in 2013, explores the history and evolution of bicycles.

Earth Revealed features a "Science on a Sphere" globe. It shows presentations about planets, space, and water use.

The Whispering Gallery, opened in 1938, is a room designed to reflect sound in unique ways.

Second Level Explorations

YOU! The Experience

YOU! The Experience is all about life science and how your body works. It has a 13-foot-tall (4.0 m), interactive, 3D heart! You can also find motion-tracking screens, a human-sized hamster wheel, and displays showing human anatomy.

Periodic Table Display

The Regenstein Hall of Chemistry features a giant periodic table of the elements. It has samples of each element. There are also displays about food and materials science.

Mystery Ship Airplane

Hanging above the Coal Mine exhibit is the Travel Air Type R Mystery Ship. This airplane, nicknamed "Texaco 13", set many world records for flying!

Simulators

In the Take Flight exhibit, you can find flight simulators. These let you pretend to fly historic fighter aircraft. There are also motion simulators that take you on journeys through the sky and space.

Special Exhibitions

The annual Christmas Around the World exhibit features various pine trees, each decorated in honor or in the traditions of various nations around the world.

Besides its permanent exhibits, the museum also hosts temporary and traveling exhibitions. These usually last less than a year and often require a separate ticket.

Past special exhibitions at MSI have included:

Titanic: The Exhibition, which displayed many items from the wreck of RMS Titanic
Game On, exploring the history and culture of video games
Leonardo da Vinci: Man, Inventor, Genius
Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination
Harry Potter: The Exhibition
Robot Revolution, which featured hands-on demonstrations and advice for future robot scientists
The Science Behind Pixar (opened May 24, 2018)
Wired to Wear, an exhibit about wearable technology (opened March 21, 2019)
Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes (opened March 7, 2021)
The Art of the Brick (opened February 10, 2022)
Pompeii: The Exhibition (opened February 23, 2023)
007 Science (opened March 7, 2024)

Every year, from late November to early January, the museum hosts Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light. These exhibitions feature Christmas trees decorated in the styles of different cultures. They also have displays about other holiday celebrations from around the world. This tradition started in 1942 with just one tree to honor soldiers. It has now grown to include more than 50 trees!