The 7 Best Museums to Visit in Chicago

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The origins of The Field Museum’s 40-million-strong collection of artifacts and specimens date back to the World’s Columbian Exposition – a world’s fair held in Chicago in 1893 to mark the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the New World. After its conclusion, the artifacts were given a permanent home, and The Field Museum was born. Its landmark building on the shore of Lake Michigan has become a world-renowned institution that hopes to use relics of the past to create a more harmonious future for society and the planet.

The city’s oldest cultural institution has a storied past. Founded in 1856 by the Chicago Historical Society, the museum burned down in the Great Fire of 1871. Three years later, another devastating blaze incinerated the remains of its collection. Things began looking up in 1920, when the Society bought paintings, manuscripts, and artifacts from the estate of confectioner Charles F Gunther, including a compass owned by George Washington and Abraham Lincoln’s deathbed. A century later, the Chicago History Museum continues to dedicate itself to telling the story of Chicago and its people through engaging exhibits covering music, film, design, fashion and historic events.

Once a fine art school as well as a museum, the Art Institute of Chicago sprang from the city’s attempt to rebuild after the Great Fire of 1871, which decimated 3.3 square miles and killed 300 people. As the museum expanded and evolved over the years, it amassed a global collection of artwork from countries including Brazil, Thailand, China, Japan, Korea, South Africa, India and Sudan. In its Classics Collection you’ll find familiar gems including Katsushika Hokusai’s The Great Wave, Grant Wood’s American Gothic and Vincent Van Gogh’s The Bedroom.

Children and kids-at-heart love the Museum of Science and Industry, whose mission statement includes “encouraging the inventive genius” in every visitor. One of the largest science museums in the world, it fills its 400,000 square feet with hands-on exhibits including a World War II submarine, Boeing 727 aircraft and a movie screen large enough to rival IMAX. Equal parts educational and entertaining, the museum’s artifacts, digital displays and interactive experiences will appeal to visitors of any age.

When it was founded in 1919, the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago was a research laboratory that aimed to track humankind’s progress from its origins to the early 20th century. These days, it’s a world-renowned center for study that showcases rare recovered artifacts and art from ancient Far Eastern civilizations. As you’d expect from such a scholarly institution, the museum provides in-depth tours of its collections, as well as talks and symposia to satisfy your inner geek.

In a city with one of the most famous urban landscapes in the world, there’s a need for Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum – an institution that aims to help nurture a connection between the people of Chicago and the natural environment. Besides the beautiful permanent exhibits like the Judy Istock Butterfly Haven, the museum is known for hosting stellar family-friendly events, from critter meet-and-greets to kombucha-brewing workshops and yoga classes suitable for all ages and levels.

The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago exhibits work from living artists that spans diverse media, from video to sculpture and from installations to performance. The museum aims to engage the community by creating an environment that fosters curiosity, spotlights the creative process and illuminates the way art is influenced by social, political, and historical contexts. Join a gallery tour at 6pm daily to shed more light on individual pieces that are sure to capture your attention.

This article is an updated version of a story created by Kelly Bradshaw.