Guide to History Museums in Chicago, Illinois

Chicago boasts dozens of museums, from the famed Art Institute to the International Museum of Surgical Science. While most of our museums are mostly sought out by a few very interested clients of a certain topic (Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows, anyone?) there are a few must-sees around the city. Here's a quick museum guide for history fans:

Must-see Chicago Museums

The Field Museum of Natural History (www.fieldmuseum.org) is exactly what it sounds like: dinosaurs (including Sue, the largest, most complete, and best-preserved T-Rex skeleton ever found), animals and plants from around the world, and history exhibits of various cultures from around the world. The exhibits are always changing and new, exciting things are being brought in all the time. The Field sits on the Museum Campus, which is also home to the Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium, and one of city's best lake front views of the sky line.

Further down the road you'll find the Hyde Park neighborhood, made famous by the Obamas. Locally, it's famous for the Museum of Science and Industry (http://www.msichicago.org). This museum is a city-wide favorite of kids and adults alike. Check out the Apollo 8 space craft, get a tour inside a real U-505 submarine, and learn about the history of trains, planes, and automobiles. If that's not enough, you can watch a baby chick hatch right in front of you, catch a movie at the museum's Omnimax Theater, or start an avalanche in the Science Storms exhibit.

The Art Institute of Chicago (http://www.artic.edu) has artifacts from ancient cultures around the world, as well as some of the most famous paintings known to man. Be sure to get the obligatory picture of the lions out front. Sit back and enjoy a slice of Ferris Beuller's Day Off with Seurat's "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte." (Parade solo and sweet Ferrari not included.) There are often lectures and performances going on at the Art Institute, so be sure to check out their web site and calendar before you head out.

The Field Museum, the Museum of Science and Industry, and Art Institute schedule days and weekends throughout the year with free admission. The Art Institute is free Thursday nights from 5-8, unless otherwise noted.

Cultural History

Chicago has a wide range of museums dedicated to specific cultures, including the DuSable Museum of African American History (the first African American History Museum), the Spertus Museum & Institute of Jewish Studies, the Hellenic Museum and Cultural Center, the Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture, the Cambodian American Heritage Museum, the National Museum of Mexican Art (the largest of its kind in the US), and the Oriental Institute Museum, to name just a few.

Chicago: The Museum

For those of you whose interest in history can't be contained, try the great historical museum that is the City of Chicago. Tours by foot, boat, bus - even Segway! - are available on the topics ranging from architecture to the mob. These tours are sometimes seasonal so check out http://www.explorechicago.org for more information. There are also a number of self-guided tours. Brochures can be found at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E Washington, .

The suburb of Oak Park (an easy train ride from downtown) has walking and guided tours for Frank Lloyd Wright and an Ernest Hemingway museum.

Chicago History

There are also a handful of museums dedicated to Chicago-area history, such as the Chicago History Museum, the Edgewater Historical Society, the McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum, and the Historic Pullman Museum.