Griffin Museum of Science and Industry

What's On

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Anne Frank The Exhibition

A full-scale, fully furnished recreation of the Amsterdam Annex where Anne Frank hid, with more than 100 original objects lent by the Anne Frank House.

Now showing1 May – 31 Jan 2027$19

Goodnight Moon

An immersive projection of the Great Green Room from Margaret Wise Brown's bedtime classic, with the science of sleep and dreams and a room you paint digitally.

Now showing5 Nov – 3 Jan 2027

Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light

The museum's long-running winter display: more than 50 trees decorated by Chicago community volunteers, plus Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Diwali traditions under the rotunda.

Now showing7 Nov – 3 Jan 2027

Black Creativity Juried Art Exhibition

The longest-running exhibition of Black art in the United States, presenting juried work by Black artists from across the country as part of the museum's Black Creativity programme.

Upcoming18 Jan 2027 – 18 Apr 2027

Permanent Collections

U-505 Submarine

The only German U-boat in the United States, captured at sea in 1944 and now a National Historic Landmark and memorial to American sailors lost in the Atlantic.

Permanent collection

Science Storms

A two-storey hall built around natural forces: a 40-foot tornado vortex, a 20-foot Tesla coil, an avalanche disc and a wave tank you can set off yourself.

Permanent collection

Numbers in Nature: A Mirror Maze

Fractals, spirals and the golden ratio traced through the natural world, ending in a 1,800-square-foot mirror maze that makes the mathematics of symmetry physical.

Permanent collection

Henry Crown Space Center

The recently renovated space gallery, home to the Apollo 8 command module that carried the first humans around the Moon, plus Aurora 7 and a lunar module trainer.

Permanent collection

Pioneer Zephyr

The stainless-steel Burlington Zephyr of 1934, first diesel-electric streamliner in America, which ran Denver to Chicago non-stop in just over 13 hours. Walk through it.

Permanent collection

Powering the Future

The museum's newest major permanent gallery on energy: a grid design challenge, a 1923 Milburn Light Electric automobile, thermal imaging and the ComEd Coil with two spiral slides.

Permanent collection

Extreme Ice

Photographer James Balog's large-format images and time-lapse video of the world's retreating glaciers, from Montana to Kilimanjaro.

Permanent collection

Colleen Moore's Fairy Castle

The silent-film star's nine-square-foot miniature palace, built by over 100 craftspeople in the 1930s, down to running water, tiny books and a chandelier hung with real diamonds.

Permanent collection

Nearby

i

Smart Museum of Art

DesignFree18 min walk

i

The Renaissance Society

ArtFree18 min walk

Visitor Information

How much does Griffin Museum of Science and Industry cost?

Standard adult admission to Griffin Museum of Science and Industry is $25.95. General Admission from $25.95 adult; children (3-11) less. City of Chicago residents get $9 off adult / $5 off child. Illinois residents get free General Admission on select days. Coal Mine tour, U-505 On-Board Tour, Giant Dome Theater films, simulators and Anne Frank The Exhibition require separate tickets.. Prices for special exhibitions and timed-entry slots may differ.

What are the opening hours of Griffin Museum of Science and Industry?

Griffin Museum of Science and Industry is open Open daily 9:30am-4pm. Closed Thanksgiving Day (26 Nov 2026) and Christmas Day (25 Dec 2026). Extended hours to 5:30pm on 7-16, 18, 20, 22-25 and 27-30 November 2026, 1-23 December and 26-30 December 2026; 9:30am-4pm on 24 and 31 December. Opens at 11am on Sunday 27 September 2026 (Chicago Half Marathon); closes at 3pm on Saturday 3 October and Saturday 17 October 2026.. Holiday hours can vary, so check the museum's website before you go.

Where is Griffin Museum of Science and Industry?

Griffin Museum of Science and Industry is located at 5700 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60637, United States, in the Hyde Park / Jackson Park area of Chicago. The nearest stations are Metra Electric: 55th-56th-57th Street (2 blocks from the north entrance), CTA bus #6 (stops at the Museum entrance) and CTA bus #10 / #2: 57th St & Stony Island.

What can I see at Griffin Museum of Science and Industry?

A captured U-boat, a working coal mine and a streamlined 1934 train, inside an 1893 World's Fair palace. Current highlights include U-505 Submarine, Science Storms and Numbers in Nature: A Mirror Maze.

Do I need to book Griffin Museum of Science and Industry in advance?

Booking ahead is recommended, especially for weekends, school holidays, and special exhibitions. Tickets are normally on the museum's website, and a pre-booked timed slot helps you avoid queues at the entrance.

When is the best time to visit Griffin Museum of Science and Industry?

Weekday mornings shortly after opening are typically the quietest, especially mid-week. Late afternoons can also be calmer. Weekends, school holidays, and the lunch rush are the busiest periods.