The Art Institute of Chicago, located at 111 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60603, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the U.S. It features nearly 300,000 works, including famous pieces like American Gothic and Nighthawks, and is known for its Impressionist, modern, and global art collections. The museum also offers educational programs and community events. Visit their website at artic.edu.

The Field Museum, located at 1400 S DuSable Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60605, is one of the top natural history museums in the world. It features highlights like Sue, the world’s most complete T. rex, and Máximo, a giant titanosaur. The museum also offers exhibits on ancient Egypt, fossils, gems, and hands-on science labs. Visit their website at fieldmuseum.org.

The Adler Planetarium, located at 1300 S. DuSable Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60605, is America’s first planetarium (opened in 1930) and part of Chicago’s Museum Campus alongside the Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium. It features immersive sky theaters—including the Grainger Sky Theater—interactive exhibits, historical astronomical instruments, and a public observatory for stargazing . The planetarium offers engaging programming like sky shows ("Destination Solar System," "Imagine the Moon," "Skywatch Live"), STEM education, and community science initiatives . Visit their website at adlerplanetarium.org.

The DuSable Black History Museum & Education Center, located at 740 E 56th Pl, Chicago, IL 60637, is the oldest independent museum in the U.S. dedicated to African American history and culture . Founded in 1961 by Margaret and Charles Burroughs (initially the Ebony Museum of Negro History and Art), it now preserves over 15,000 artifacts, artworks, and historical memorabilia. The museum features exhibitions on figures like Mayor Harold Washington, the African diaspora journey, and dynamic community programming, and it includes an auditorium, research library, and event spaces like the Roundhouse . It was rebranded in 2022 to reflect its mission as an education center and is a Smithsonian affiliate . Visit their website at dusablemuseum.org.

The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, at 220 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, is one of the world’s largest venues dedicated to contemporary art, established in 1967 and housed in a striking Josef Paul Kleihues–designed building since 1996. It presents rotating exhibitions of post–World War II art—including painting, sculpture, video, performance, and installation—and proudly showcases works by both established and emerging artists like Frida Kahlo, Jeff Koons, Warhol, and Murakami . The museum also supports vibrant public engagement through performances, family days, educational initiatives, and events like First Fridays and Tuesdays on the Terrace. Visit their website at mcachicago.org.

The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, located at 2430 N. Cannon Dr, Chicago, IL 60614, is a hands‑on natural history museum operated by the Chicago Academy of Sciences since 1857, with its current glass‑and‑stone facility opening in 1999. It features immersive exhibits like the Judy Istock Butterfly Haven with 200+ species, interactive habitat displays (Wilderness Walk, Water Lab, City Science House), and live animal encounters. The museum supports STEM education through over 100 programs, camps, community science, and conservation initiatives. Recent highlights include a new Nature’s PlaySpace for young learners and the citywide “Flight of Butterflies” art project . Visit naturemuseum.org for hours, exhibits, and events.

The Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry (formerly MSI), located at 5700 S DuSable Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60637, is one of the world’s largest and most interactive science museums. Housed in the historic Palace of Fine Arts from the 1893 Columbian Exposition, it showcases immersive exhibits like Science Storms, a real WWII submarine (U‑505), a coal mine, the Pioneer Zephyr train, and the Apollo 8 command module. The museum hosts rotating special exhibits, a five‑story domed theater, hands‑on learning labs, and extensive STEM educational programs. After a historic $125 million gift in 2024, it was renamed for benefactor Ken Griffin and is undergoing enhancements including a restored south portico and new exhibits. Visit their website at msichicago.org.