Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Coal Mine
, which dates back to 1934, now incorporates modern mining tech-
niques into the exhibit—but the best part is the simulated trip down into a dark,
mysterious mine. Get to these exhibits quickly after the museum opens because
they attract amusement-park-length lines during the day.
Kids who love planes, trains, and automobiles shouldn't miss
All Aboard the
Silver Streak,
a refurbished Burlington Pioneer Zephyr train with on-board
interactive exhibits; the massive model train exhibit that makes up
The Great
Train Story;
or
Take Flight,
an aviation exhibit featuring a full-size 727 air-
plane that revs up its engines and replays the voice recordings from a San Fran-
cisco-Chicago flight periodically throughout the day. Computer addicts should
be entranced by
Networld,
which offers a flashy immersion into the Internet
(with plenty of interactive screens). More low-tech—but fascinating—is the
giant walk-through
model of the human heart
. Well-designed educational
exhibits include
AIDS: The War Within
(which was the first permanent
museum exhibit on the immune system and HIV) and
Reusable City,
which
teaches children ecological tips with implements that they might find in their
own backyard. Older children with a creative streak will enjoy
Enterprise,
which lets visitors take on the role of CEO for a day as they immerse themselves
in the goings-on of a virtual company.
And, not to be sexist, but girls (myself included) love
Colleen Moore's Fairy
Castle
, a lavishly decorated miniature palace filled with priceless treasures
(yes, those are real diamonds and pearls in the chandeliers). The castle is hidden
away on the lower level. Also tucked away in an inconspicuous spot—along the
Blue stairwell between the Main Floor and the Balcony—are the
Human Body
Slices,
actual slivers of human cadavers that are guaranteed to impress teenagers
in search of something truly gross.
A major newer addition to the museum is the
Henry Crown Space
Center
, where the story of space exploration is documented in copious
detail, highlighted by a simulated space-shuttle experience through sight and
sound at the center's five-story Omnimax Theater. The theater offers double fea-
tures on the weekends; call for show times.
When you've worked up an appetite, you can visit one of the museum's five
restaurants, including a Pizza Hut and an ice-cream parlor, and there are also
two gift shops. Allow 3 hours.
57th St. and Lake Shore Dr.
&
800/468-6674
outside the Chicago area, 773/684-1414, or TTY 773/
684-3323. www.msichicago.org. Admission to museum only, $9 adults, $7.50 seniors, $5 children 3-11, free
for children under 3. Free admission Mon and Tues mid-Sept to Nov and Jan-Feb. Combination museum and
Omnimax Theater $15 adults, $13 seniors, $10 children 3-11, free for children under 3 on an adult's lap.
Mon-Sat 9:30am-4pm; Sun 11am-4pm (until 5:30pm daily Memorial Day to Labor Day). Closed Christmas.
Bus: 6 or Metra Electric train to 57th St. and Lake Park Ave.
Oriental Institute Museum
Near the midpoint of the campus, a few
blocks from Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, is the Oriental Institute, housing one
of the world's major collections of Near Eastern art. Although most of the gal-
leries have been renovated within the last few years, this is still a very traditional
museum: lots of glass cases, very few interactive exhibits (in other words, there's
not much to interest young children). It won't take you long to see the highlights
here—but a few impressive pieces make it worth a stop for history and art buffs.
Your first stop should be the
Egyptian Gallery
, which showcases the finest
objects among the 35,000 artifacts from the Nile Valley held by the museum.
At the center stands a monumental 17-foot solid-quartzite statue of King
Tutankhamen, the boy king who ruled Egypt from about 1335 to 1324
B
.
C
. The
