Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry

The Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry is a science museum in Hyde Park, Chicago, presenting over two thousand interactive exhibits across seventy-five halls covering technology, physics, biology and industry. The rooms span multiple floors and display objects ranging from tiny models to full-size locomotives and real submarines.

The building was constructed as the Palace of Fine Arts for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago and later reopened as a science museum in 1933 with funding from Julius Rosenwald. The neoclassical concrete facade replaced the original temporary structure and allowed the building to serve its permanent purpose.

Visitors follow a pathway during the holiday season lined with more than fifty decorated trees, each representing a different country's celebration traditions. This exhibit connects families with international customs and stories they can compare to their own experiences.

The museum welcomes visitors daily from half past nine in the morning until four in the afternoon, except on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. The entrance is located on the south side of the building near Jackson Park, and tickets can be purchased on site or online.

The U-505 is the only German submarine from World War II captured by the Allies that visitors can board today. Guided tours take people inside the vessel, where they walk through narrow passageways and crew sleeping quarters.

Location: Chicago

Inception: 1933

Official opening: 1933

Fee: Yes

Address: 5700 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive Chicago

Opening Hours: 09:30-16:00; off "Thanksgiving, Christmas Day"; "See website for hours around holidays"

Website: https://msichicago.org

GPS coordinates: 41.79056,-87.58278

Latest update: December 12, 2025 23:35