The Children’s Museum in Chicago is a Navy Pier anchor tenant, a top cultural attraction that is officially the 2nd most visited children’s museum in the country. The museum started out as a mere 2 hallway exhibit teaching about different hues of light in the Chicago Public Library in 1982, but moved to the Navy Pier in 1995 to a much bigger, 57,000 square foot building. This is a place where families and caregivers with children or infants are encouraged to create, explore, and discover together through play, adults will even catch themselves having fun! There are 3 colorfully vibrant and bursting with knowledge floors containing exhibits and activities that provide sensory experiences and engaging educational content that focuses on literacy, science, math, visual and performing arts, and health! Over 657,000 visitors come here annually, each leaving happy and more educated than before!
The Children’s Museum offers field trip opportunities for almost any school, youth, or church group, each beginning with an orientation and information session followed by a 2 hour visit to the museum exhibits. The most popular exhibits include the Dinosaur Expedition, in which children can dig for bones in an authentic excavation pit, and WaterWays, an integrated system of pulleys, pumps, and pipes that show water wonders. There is also the Skyline, KidsTown, Pritzker Playspace, and Play it Safe popular exhibits. All of these hands on exhibits mixed with the education and public programs and special events make this museum highly successful. Stop by the gift shop on your way out to pick up the perfect education toys that truly wow any picky child or brainiac. Hungry? You can take advantage of any of the many eateries, ranging from fine dining to fast food, within the Navy Pier after you’re done with your visit!
