Destination Spotlight

Museum of Science and Industry

The Museum of Science and Industry is one of the largest science museums in the world and home to more than 35,000 artifacts and nearly 14 acres of hands-on exhibits. Constructed for the World’s Columbian Exposition, the Palace of Fine Arts opened in 1893. After falling into ruin it was converted into the Museum in 1933.

Today the museum houses an astounding collection of exhibits, including a German submarine, a massive model railroad, the first diesel-powered stainless steel train, and a NASA spacecraft used during the Apollo 8 mission.

Did you know?

• The museum is home to a real U-505, the only German submarine in the United States and one of only five in existence. The capture of this submarine helped the Allies win WWII.
• The museum lands a United Boeing 727 aircraft at Chicago’s Meigs Field in 1994. The jet is the largest plane ever to land at the airport. The plane is used as a permanent part of the Museum’sTake Flight exhibit.
• One of the museum’s first hands-on exhibits was The Coal Mine. Visitors were lowered down a 50-foot hoist to the bottom of a mineshaft.

Links:

The Museum of Science and Industry