Best Museums in Chicago

Chicago is not only famous for its splendid architecture and towering skyscrapers. The so-called "Windy City" is also home to a large number of museums with unique paintings, artefacts, installations, sculptures and natural objects.

For example, among the things to see and do in Chicago you should include a visit to the Museum of Natural History to see the evolution of mankind. But if you're travelling with the little ones at home, my advice is not to miss the Children's Museum, so they can have fun while they learn. The options are very diverse and, depending on your interests, you will find a museum that will catch your attention.

One of the things you should do in Chicago is to get tickets to the Field Museum of Natural History, as it is one of the most outstanding of its kind in the world.

Its rooms house important objects representing the history of mankind and the different periods and civilizations that have existed.

Currently, the Field Museum of Natural History houses more than 40 million natural and historical pieces. The building offers three large floors on which you will find around 30 permanent exhibits on geology, zoology, anthropology and botany.

However, the main attraction of this museum is the dinosaur room, where you will see "Sue", an impressive skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, belonging to the Cretaceous period. It is 4 metres high and 12.3 metres long, and is considered to be the largest find in the world.

Practical information

• Address: 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive.
• Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Daily)
• Price: The average ticket price is 26 euros.

One of the city's most popular museums is the Art Institute of Chicago, visited daily by groups of tourists and locals eager to enjoy the works on display in the halls: 20th century design, ceramics, sculptures, writings and other art resources from a variety of world artists.

The museum features more than 300,000 works of art featuring the work of great exhibitors of impressionism and cubism, Chicago artists, the African diaspora and a range of cityscapes.

In addition, the facility houses ink paintings, vases, bottles and statues from the millennia-old Asian art collection .

For example, some of the frescoes and sculptures on display include:

• Vincent van Gogh'sbedroom.
• Kanagawa oki nami ura or Under the Wave of Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai.
• Mao by Andy Warhol.
• The Red Armchair by Pablo Picasso.
• The Basket of Apples by Paul Cézanne.
• Monsters' Inventions by Salvador Dalí.
• American Gothic by Grant Wood.
• Blue and Green Music by Georgia O'Keeffe.
• The Boxer (bronze sculpture) by Richmond Barthé.
• Shakyamuni Buddha seated in meditation (Dhyanamudra). Granite sculpture from the Chola period (c. 855-1279).

In addition to the art collections, the museum has a library, world archives and several study rooms devoted to reading, photography, printmaking and drawing. However, these areas are not open access, so you'll need to book your tour through the admissions section of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Practical information

• Location: 111 S. Michigan Avenue.
• Hours: Thursday (11am-8pm), Friday-Monday (10am-5pm).
• Price: the average price of general admission is 30 euros per person. You can buy tickets here to see the works of Goya, Picasso, Van Gogh and Monet at first hand. In the private guided tour option you have exclusive explanations from a guide for you and your group.

Another museum to visit on your trip to Chicago is the chilling Museum of Medieval Torture. Here you'll learn about the terrifying weapons used at the time along with torture devices and depictions of the most gruesome moments of this dark era.

If you're not afraid to see with your own eyes the most gruesome executions in history, you can visit this museum of more than 370 square metres, which has interactive exhibits, wax figures and even a ghost hunting experience that will make for a truly terrifying day. For this experience you must download an application on your mobile phone.

In addition, with the tickets you can buy through the Hellotickets website you have an audio guide that will give you more details of how and why all the torture artefacts contained in the different rooms of this museum were used.

If you're a fan of the novels of Mark Twain or Frederick Douglas, you can't miss this other Chicago museum: the American Writers Museum, where you'll discover all about the writings of the greats of American literature.

From interactive reading activities for children, themed rooms, unique exhibits of the most important authors, to immersive games to learn about the life and work of American writers of all time. All this awaits you at this unique museum where you can spend an entertaining day learning about the literary genre.

Once you get your tickets to the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, located in the heart of downtown Chicago, you will have the opportunity to see a collection that includes paintings from different art movements: postmodernism, minimalism, surrealism, conceptualism and pop art.

Also, in the gallery you will see amazing installations, photographs, performances and sculptures, all of them works conceived by national and international artists. All of them, works conceived by national and international artists.

When you walk through the rooms you will be able to enjoy more than 2700 pieces and approximately 3000 books by the artists. These are the objects that have made up the museum's permanent collection since the 1940s.

In addition, you will be able to contemplate different individual exhibitions throughout the year, as temporary loans from artists who wish to make their art known are incorporated.

The tour of the museum can be done in a minimum time of one hour, which will allow you to carry out other tourist activities during the day. For example, you can join one of the best food tours or go to the Shoreline Pier to board one of Chicago' s Lake Michigan cruises.

Practical information

• Location: 220 E. Chicago Avenue.
• Hours: Wednesday to Sunday (10am-5pm), Tuesday (10am-9pm).
• Price: the average ticket price is 15 euros.

Since its creation in the early 1980s, the Chicago Children's Museum has been dedicated to providing a space designed especially for the little ones in the house.

It is a place where children can learn while having fun, exploring and interacting with the different exhibitions.

Children will be able to practice their psychomotor skills, take on different roles and stimulate creative thinking with each of the museum's interactive proposals.

In this sense, the little ones will have the opportunity to build objects and join in the recreation of an expedition to the Sahara to dig up dinosaur bones.

They will also be able to play with water, climb, participate in demonstrations, science experiments and much more.

Without a doubt, this visit to the Chicago Children's Museum is an educational activity that you can include among the things to see and do in Chicago with children.

Practical information

• Place: Navy Pier.
• Hours: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm (Thursday to Monday).
• Price: the average price of general admission is 19 euros.

The Dusable Museum of African American History in Chicago was founded in the early 1960s with the aim of raising awareness of African American art and the history and culture of this great community. All of this through a series of priceless historical exhibits and memorabilia.

In total, the museum boasts a collection of over 15,000 items. Inside, you will find documents that belonged to the African slaves brought to America and a series of objects used by them.

In the rooms you will also find engravings, artefacts and interesting photographs. You will also see sculptures and paintings by African-American artists.

This is definitely a must-see for enthusiasts of African-American culture who, like you, want to see the great collections on display in the halls of this museum.

And after this approximately one-hour visit, you will have enough time to take one of the Segway tours of Chicago, on foot or aboard one of the best tour buses.

Practical information

• Location: 740 E. 56th Place.
• Hours: Wednesday-Sunday (11am-4pm).
• Price: free admission.

This is one of the largest museums in Chicago. Inside you will find approximately 75 rooms with over 2000 scale exhibits, interactive areas, restorations, simulations and much more.

The Chicago Museum of Science and Industry is comprised of three levels and on each level you can discover interesting permanent exhibits.

• Lower level. You'll see the restored German U-505 submarine, MSI's Henry Crown Space Center with Scott Carpenter 's Mercury Atlas 7 spacecraft and the legendary Apollo 8. Also, a gallery with race cars.
• First level. You will enjoy the mirror maze, a model railway explaining the evolution of transport in the city (steam locomotives and war planes, etc.). There is also a simulation of a tornado, the interactive exhibition "Genetics: decoding life", the recreation of a coal mine, the model of "Yesterday's Main Street" in the city of Chicago, etc.
• Second level. Here you can see some flight simulators and warships. On the other hand, there is the interactive exhibition "You! The Experience", which is a four-metre high heart with 3D technology.

In addition, you can find different temporary exhibitions, which usually change every five months. In this regard, you should keep an eye on the website of the Museum of Science and Industry of Chicago. You can also book tickets, check opening hours, prices and any other information.

Practical information

• Location: 5700 S. DuSable. Lake Shore Drive. Chicago.
• Hours: from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm.
• Price: the average ticket price is 21.95 euros.

The Chicago Museum of Contemporary Photography has a history of more than 40 years. It is the world's first university art museum dedicated to collecting important photographic works by 20th century artists.

The museum was founded at the initiative of Columbia College Chicago and aims to raise awareness of the important role of photography in the artistic, political and social milieu, encouraging the exchange of ideas among students, artists and the general public.

In addition, MoCP is accredited by the non-profit American Alliance of Museums.

When visiting the rooms of the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago, you will be able to enjoy a permanent collection of more than 16,000 photographs, combining different techniques and procedures. All of them belong to American artists such as:

• Aaron Siskind (abstract - expressionist).
• Ansel Adams (developer of the zone system).
• Dorothea Lange (photojournalist).
• Harry Callahan (exponent of modern American photography).
• Irving Penn (fashion, portraits and still lifes), among others.

In addition, there are temporary exhibitions, educational workshops and other activities offered by the museum. Just visit the museum's official website to check the calendar.

Practical information

• Location: 600 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago.
• Hours: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm (daily).
• Price: free admission.

The Chicago History Museum houses a large collection of photographs, objects and documents that will help you learn about the true memories of the people of the so-called "Windy City".

The museum offers a permanent exhibit that showcases the history of Chicago and the United States. You'll see more than 22 million historic photographs and a number of objects salvaged from the great fire of 1871.

In addition, there are interactive elements in the rooms that enhance the experience for both children and adults.

The museum also has a larger collection that, while not available to the public, is often used for academic research. Therefore, these historical pieces are loaned to other museums.

You will also find some temporary exhibitions that are in the rooms for a few months. Therefore, before visiting, it is best to visit the Chicago History Museum website and check this information.

Practical information

• Place: Lincoln Park 1601 N. Clark Street.
• Hours: Wednesday-Saturday (9:30am-4:30pm), Sunday (12:00pm-5:00pm), Monday (9:30am-4:30pm) and Tuesday (9:30am-9:00pm).
• Price: the average ticket price is 19 euros.

The Museum of Illusions Chicago is a space specially designed to trick the minds of all visitors by stimulating their senses. You will be able to have fun, be amazed by the different installations and learn the hidden mechanics behind each of the illusions, stereograms and holograms on display.

When you enter the halls of the Museum of Illusions Chicago you will find approximately 80 exhibits, among which the tilted, rotated and infinite room stands out.

You will also find the so-called vortex tunnel and infinity, the Beuchet chair illusion, a kaleidoscope, the cloning table, the record player, the complicated stick and Rubin's vase. Also, you will interact with the head on a plate, the ambiguous cylinder, the peanut illusion, optical illusions, holograms and the ames room.

The museum doors are open from 9:00 am until 8:30 pm. In fact, due to the closing time, this would be a good option to incorporate among the things to see and do in Chicago at night.

However, keep in mind that tickets are not always available at the box office. Therefore, you will have to book on the museum's official website.

Practical information

• Location: 25 E Washington St., Chicago.
• Hours: from 9:00 am to 8:30 pm (daily).
• Price: The average ticket price is 20 euros.

The Chinese American Museum of Chicago first opened in 2005. However, during 2008 the building suffered a fire and it was only in 2010 that it reopened to tell the true story of the Chinese Americans who participated in the construction of the transcontinental railroad.

In the building you will find:

• First floor: here you will find the exhibition "Attic Treasures II" featuring dozens of historical objects such as jewellery, furniture, teapots, paintings, photographs, among others.
• First floor: in this area you will enjoy the exhibition called "My Chinatown: Stories from Within", a documentary through which you will learn about the working, social and family customs of the Chinatown population. Also on this floor is the exhibition "The Great Wall to the Great Lakes: Chinese Immigration to the Midwest". This is a video that explains in detail the arrival of Chinese immigrants, the discrimination to which they were exposed and their important contribution to railroad development.

In this way, you can learn about the Chinese-American culture developed in the Midwest region of the United States during the 19th century.

You can also visit the official website of the Chinese American Museum of Chicago for more information about the annual exhibitions, documentary screenings and celebrations.

Practical Information

• Place: Chinatown 238 West 23rd Street Chicago.
• Hours: Wednesday - Friday (9:30am-2:00pm) Saturday - Sunday (10:00am-4:00pm).
• Price: The average general admission price is 8 euros per person.