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One of the nation's premier learning centers, the Museum presents captivating, compelling and real experiences to inspire the inventive genius in everyone

The Midwest's number two tourist attraction (after Woodfields Shopping Center) The 2,000 displays in 75 major exhibition halls are designed for participation

Founding of the Museum of Science and Industry

The eulogies were written By 1920, the Palace of Fine Arts, the last remaining building of Chicago's 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, faced an uncertain future

Designed by Charles B Atwood, the Palace of Fine Arts paid homage to classic Greek architecture and, in sculptor Augustus St Gaudens' view, was "the finest thing done since the Parthenon"

But unlike the Parthenon, the structure was not meant to last Although more permanent materials such as brick were used to construct the Palace of Eine Arts, it was a temporary structure Its cost was $541,795

From 1894 to 1920, the building was the home of the Field Museum and was kept in condition by occasional patching and repairs But when the Field Museum moved to its new home in Grant Park, the Palace of Fine Arts was neglected and quickly fell to ruin The foundation weakened in the wet, sandy soil of Jackson Park and the winds and rain rusted the steel and chipped away at the plastercovered brick and wood To some, the building had become only a scaly, wormy pile that should be allowed to die But most public sentiment favored saving the building The Chicago Tribune ran editorials, and the South Park Board, led by an up-and-coming politician named Edward J Kelly (who later became mayor), reversed its decision to demolish the building To show that restoration was possible, the Illinois Federation of Women's Clubs raised almost $7,000 in 1922 to renew a corner of the building

In 1925, members of the Federation held a banquet in the drafty building As Genevieve Forbes of the Chicago Tribune reported, "the men and women shivered and shook as they basked in the warmth of memories of the Parthenon and dodged the wind that swept throught the friezes Men's white bow ties were hidden by mufflers and overcoat collars Women's white shoulders were swathed in last year's furs, hauled out of this year's travelling bags"

Clearly, more needed to be done And a decision had to be made about how to use the building Sculptor Loredo Taft wanted the building to become a branch of the Art Institute Others suggested it be used as an industrial art school or a convention hall

The city's leaders continued their discussion, unaware that a prominent Chicagoan's trip to Germany more than a decade before was to determine the fate of the building

Julius Rosenwald was a man of many interests Chairman of Sears, Roebuck and Company, Rosenwald also was one of America's leading philanthropists The range of his philanthropy extended from establishing health services and dental clinics in public schools to financing Admiral Richard E Byrd's expedition to the South Pole

In 1911, Rosenwald had visited the Deutsches Museum in Munich, Germany, with his 8-year-old son Young William was captivated by a museum where things moved and which encouraged visitors to push buttons and work levers He urged his father to bring such a museum to Chicago

In the 1920's, Rosenwald sought and obtained the backing of the influential Commercial Club of Chicago, headed then by Sewell L

The RC Wieboldt Company was selected to restore the exterior of the building at a cost of more than $16 million

One more debate was to delay the beginning of the restoration work Terra cotta versus limestone became an issue that would be played out in one-page ads paid for by terra cotta companies, at Park Board meetings, and in editorials by the Chicago Tribune Finally, it was agreed that Indiana limestone would be used, and a contract was let for 350,000 cubic feet of stone that weighed 28,000 tons

In 1929, RC Wieboldt threw the first brick through a window of the old building and the reconstruction was officially under way Two years later Wieboldt personally oversaw the installation of the caryatids and statues over the portals, which he referred to as "the ladies"

The Museum originally was incorporated as the Rosenwald Industrial Museum But Julius Rosenwald objected, saying that such institutions should belong to the people and not just one man As a result, the name was changed to the Museum of Science and Industry in 1928 -- five years before the Museum opened Eventually the Rosenwald Fund gave some $7 million to develop the Museum

Highlights & Collections

Roam the seas aboard a World War II German submarine Maneuver a Mars rover over alien terrain Zip through city streets as you engage in a virtual car chase Walk through the heart of a 28-story tall human Here at the Museum, you can do everything you’ve ever imagined ­ and even things you can’t imagine ­ from flying a fighter jet to morphing your face to manning a mission to the Moon That’s because the Museum of Science and Industry is the place where we want you to touch ­ to step into the action and get your hands on, not just stand behind the ropes and watch Even our Henry Crown Space Center Omnimax Theater, with its five-story domed screen, makes you part of the performance It’s this one-of-a-kind experience that makes the Museum of Science and Industry so much more than a museum

Whether you’re interested in robotics, rocket science, saving the planet, surfing the web or just plain fun, the Museum’s up-to-the-minute attractions and ever-changing technology will keep you on the cutting edge

Among the attractions: coal mine, WWII submarine, Omnimax theatre & H Crown Space Center

Travel to places you never dreamed of visiting at the world's largest museum of science and industry

Explore the spectacular Henry Crown Space Center and futuristic Omnimax Theater, watch chicks hatching, walk through a 16-foot high human heart, see a WWII submarine, visit a coal mine, and much, much more

It's guaranteed to spark your spirit of adventure!

Exhibits & Special Events

The Museum of Science and Industry is known for a number of new and long-standing exhibits

Enterprise -- Minding your own business has never been this fun! Entrepreneurs of all ages will love to learn all the secrets behind successful companies
Reusable City -- change your environment!
Navy: Technology at Sea
Take Flight -- come aboard a real Boeing 727 cantilevered to our Balcony!
AIDS: The War Within
Visitor favorites and Museum icons include the Coal Mine, the U-505 Submarine, All Aboard the Silver Streak with the Pioneer Zephyr, our Baby Chick Hatchery and more!
The Henry Crown Space Center and Omnimax Theater (text as before)
MSI Presents LEGO MINDSTORMS(tm) -- LEGO robotics technology at your fingertips with three exciting modules! Ages eight and above MSI Presents LEGO MINDSTORMS is $5 per workstation (up to three people), and $1 on Thursdays
Idea Factory(tm) -- creative learning-through-play for children up to age 10 Free timed tickets are available at exhibit entrance
The Henry Crown Space Center and Omnimax Theater

The Space Center and, within it, the Omnimax Theater, became permanent additions to the Museum on July 1, 1986 The Center also may be entered via the Museum's ground floor

Exhibits in the Center depict man's fascination with and efforts to explore outer space Among the numerous historic artifacts and interactive exhibits are:

The original Apollo 8 spacecraft, first to orbit the moon A Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) used to train astronauts for Apollo missions
The Aurora 7 Mercury spacecraft
A Space Shuttle Experience" aboard a full-scale model of a NASA Space Shuttle front fuselage, containing a 34-seat 3-D theater simulating lift-off and a space voyage
Actual astronaut suits
A rock brought back by astronauts from the moon
Science fiction film clips and space toys
A space exploration section which explains the space program's influence on modern electronics, aviation, industry, medicine and home life

OMNIMAX THEATER

The Omnimax Theater, located in the Henry Crown Space Center, features the most sophisticated film and sound system for motion pictures in the world

The 7,900-square-foot theater has 344 reclining seats on rising levels The theater is equipped with an elevator and special seating for the handicapped
A 76-foot-diameter, 5-story-tall tilted, domed screen virtually surrounds viewers The revolutionary screen has more than 500 vinyl and aluminium panels that are 30 percent reflective, enhancing contrast and producing startlingly realistic images
The largest motion picture sound system in the world del*ers 20,000 watts of audio power through 72 speakers around and behind the screen,making for unprecedented definition of sound
The Omnimax projector, the largest and most advanced cinematic projector ever made, moves super 70 mm film frames 10 times the size of any ordinary motion picture horizontally through the projector at 330 feet per minute The equipment weighs 1,600 pounds and is stationed on an elevator that raises it 18 feet from the projection room floor into position in the theater The projector employs 15,000 watts of light for the sharpest and brightest images The projection room is surrounded by glass walls for visitor observation
The innovative MC-10 media control computer regulates the sound system and the more than a half a million commands that can be executed per film showing It is also capable of controlling as many as 120 slide and special effects projectors
Film subjects have ranged from the geological origins of the Grand Canyon to the habits and habitats of beavers to principles of modern flight The Museum has played an active part in Omnimax film production Most recently, it was executive producer and worldwide distributor of Antarctica

Address:

5700 South Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60637-2003
+1 773 684 1414