Museum of Science and Industry

The Museum of Science and Industry (MSI) is a great and huge museum. It boasts many extraordinary exhibits among the best in Chicago: the U-505 (a captured German submarine), the coal mine, an actual Boeing 727, the Apollo 8 command module, record-breaking trains, and many others. In terms of sheer size and scale, MSI is unmatched, plus there are a variety of other favorites including baby chicks, Science Storms, and a full-sized tractor and combine in Farm Tech.

MSI is sprawling, and there are also some pretty random exhibits (like yesterday's main street, which is mostly old store fronts), so it's best to go in with a plan. Figure out what the top few attractions are that you’d like to see for a visit, then don’t hesitate to meander a little on your way between them. If you’ve been a lot, try to throw in a new stop or two each trip to add to the variety.

Top Tips

• For first-time or infrequent visitors, prioritize seeing some of the unparalleled huge exhibits: the captured German submarine U-505, the command module from Apollo 8, a Boeing 727, the Pioneer Zephyr train, and the Coal Mine. The U-505, in particular, is outstanding and great for all ages.
• The best exhibits vary a lot depending on age, so check out the age-specific guides for suggestions
• For people with sensitivity to loud noises, MSI is difficult. There are two main sources of loud, unexpected noise in the museum: the tesla coil in Science Storms and the whistle from the Coal Mine. Unfortunately, both sounds are hard for visitors to predict and they fill the second and third floors with noise. Staying away from the areas of those two exhibits will help, but it’ll still be loud anywhere on those floors. The first floor will be a cacophony of sound effects and loud kids, but it won’t have the sudden loud noises.