Top Things to do in Illinois
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10 Museums in Illinois That You Shouldn't Miss
Discover the best top things to do in Illinois, United States including The Art Institute of Chicago, Cantigny Park, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center, Halim Time & Glass Museum, Field Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, Lincoln Home National Historic Site, Kohl Children's Museum, Galena / Jo Daviess County Historical Society and Museum.
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1. The Art Institute of Chicago
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 24,057 reviews
See why the Art Institute of Chicago is the only museum in the world to be top-ranked by TripAdvisor four years in a row! Experience the greatest Impressionist collection outside Paris, and view contemporary masterpieces in the spectacular Modern Wing. Stand before classics like Nighthawks, and travel the globe through galleries devoted to the art of ancient Greece, Japan, Africa, and the Americas.
Reviewed By nemeshek - Mexico City, Mexico
This is the best Chicago Museum for me. All the classical paints such as Francesco de Mura, Peter Paul Rubens, El Greco, Luca Cambiaso, Tintoretto, Paul Gauguin, Paul Cézanne, Edvard Munch, Claude Monet and Vincent Van Gogh are incredible. This is a must to visit in Chicago.
2. Cantigny Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 575 reviews
Welcome to Cantigny!Discover a world of beauty, learning and fun just around the corner! Cantigny was Colonel Robert R. McCormick’s gift to the community and all 500 acres are yours to enjoy. Plan your visit today!
Reviewed By kdav123452017 - Wheaton, United States
Cantigny Park and the area is a great place to go for a ice walk in nature, visit an ornate mansion, and learn about military history. It’s got to be one of the top places to visit in the Chicago west suburbs.
3. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 4,422 reviews
In a stunning combination of scholarship and showmanship, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum immerses you in Lincoln's world and time. Journey from a rustic Indiana cabin to the Executive Mansion in the nation's capitol; follow the fate of America's 16th president and share the joys and sorrows of a family - and a nation. (Please be advised, while the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum is open 7 days a week, the Presidential Library is only open on weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.)
Reviewed By D2620VEdanc - Avinger, United States
Took an 2 hour, self-guided afternoon tour of the Licoln Memorial in Springfield Illinois with our daughter's family and 3 grandchildren, ages 4 - 9. The memorial is filled with very interesting pieces of Abraham Lincoln's family life, Civil War and presidency. The interesting and artistic displays and videos bring life to the memorial that holds the attention of the 4 year old up to the grandparents. An afternoon well spent.
4. Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 257 reviews
Designed by renowned architect Stanley Tigerman, the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center is one of Chicagoland's premier attractions. The Museum uses lessons from the Holocaust to focus attention on contemporary issues of genocide, intolerance, and inhumanity at home and worldwide.
Reviewed By tosl - Jersey City, United States
Other than DC, this is the most powerful and comprehensive museum I have seen on the Holocaust outside of visiting the camps themselves. An easy 20-minute drive from Chicago, this should not be near the top of any itinerary, this should be the top site. Excellent job to the curator and staff - very moving.
5. Halim Time & Glass Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 75 reviews
The Halim Time & Glass Museum is a world class collection of historic timepieces, stained glass windows, and other decorative arts. Permanent exhibits include the American Stained Glass Masters, The Louis Comfort Tiffany Gallery and Clocks of the World. Our Museum Café Gallery hosts rotating exhibits as will our 3rd floor Special Exhibits Hall when it opens.
Reviewed By Beatriz121
Wow! For being a relatively small museum of 2 floors, they really make great use of the space to show off Mr. Halim's collection of masterpieces. The first floor features beautiful stained glass windows, many of them rescued from churches. The second floor features an array of time pieces from both the US and abroad. I especially liked the small video screens scattered throughout the second floor displays that provided visitors with the ability to see the moving parts of the clocks. The creativity and craftsmanship on display throughout the museum is awesome. Staff members were very welcoming and were happy to answer the questions that I had. Parking is at a premium in the neighborhood. After several laps around the block, I was happy to finally discover the free parking provided by the museum. It is down the alley which is located almost directly across from the museum's main entrance.
6. Field Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 8,689 reviews
The Field Museum fuels a journey of discovery across time to enable solutions for a brighter future rich in nature and culture. With almost 40 million specimens and artifacts in our collections—including SUE, the world's most complete Tyrannosaurus rex—there's something for everyone. Start planning your visit at fieldmuseum.org.
Reviewed By TracyWfromWA - Arlington, United States
Rivaling the Museum of Natural History in New York, this museum is replete with towering dinosaur skeletons, fossils, ancient artifacts from early humankind, all under a magnificently designed Romanesque-style building. It is an expansive space. The atrium soars up to a grid-work of square windows that let natural light into the space. Tickets are on the pricey side, but it is well worth the experience. You could spend hours wandering the many themed exhibits once inside. The crown jewel of the exhibit, a T. Rex named Sue, is breathtaking in its scope. This is something you wouldn't want to miss on your trip to Chicago.
7. Museum of Science and Industry
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 10,973 reviews
The largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere! Housed in the only remaining building from the 1893 World’s Fair, MSI is a Chicago must-see. You’ll experience 14 acres of hands-on exhibits and have the chance to stand before a 40-foot tornado; climb aboard a World War II German submarine; take a run in a human-sized hamster wheel; descend into an Illinois coal mine; tour a fully functioning eco-friendly home; board a 727 hanging from the ceiling; transmit your pulse to a 13-foot, 3-D beating heart; and much more! MSI is not a place where you walk around quietly and observe. No way! You get involved in the fun—and learn—by doing. Just a few miles from downtown with convenient underground parking.
Reviewed By 667lisay
This is my favorite Chicago museum because there are so many hands on exhibits! So many favorite things: Christmas around the World exhibit, the Omnimax theatre, the submarine tour, the chicks, the bicycle exhibit, the African American artwork, the circus exhibit, the Fairy Castle, the Mirror Maze, and more! We always have a fun time when we go!
8. Lincoln Home National Historic Site
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,751 reviews
The only house Abraham Lincoln ever owned is the centerpiece of this four-block historic neighborhood. Lincoln and his family lived in the two-story house from 1844 until 1861, when their address changed to the White House.
Reviewed By X7472TVtomk
This site, run by the National Park Service is well maintained and restored, with a visitor's center, a free guided tour of Lincoln's home, and several other restored homes. We spent two hours which included a 20 minute tour of the home. The book store in the visitor's center is very comprehensive.
9. Kohl Children's Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 201 reviews
A bright and friendly place for children of all ages, featuring a life-sized train car and a water room.
Reviewed By addiecat2015
Such a great place for children to really explore different textures, environments, experiments, etc.... A safe place for them to learn. We loved the car area and the Whole foods store was a big hit. Bring a dry shirt, even with the apron my 18 month old was soaked after playing in the water area.
10. Galena / Jo Daviess County Historical Society and Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 331 reviews
It's worth the climb up the steep stairway to see what's inside this lovely Italianate home built in 1858: an actual lead mine, Civil War memorabilia, items honoring Ulysses S. Grant (including an original painting depicting Robert E. Lee's surrender to Grant), plus other historical articles from Galena and Jo Daviess County.
Reviewed By sarahkE5365QB - Taxco, Mexico
We didn't know much about Galena beforehand, but learned a great deal at this little museum. There were many informative videos (and a hologram) about Grant, his generals, Lincoln, and other tidbits of Civil War history. I enjoyed learning about the ice age, and the driftless region. Since I grew up around Cincinnati near the Ohio River, I am familiar with the Steamboats and the glory of the age. I also like how the topography of this area reminds me of home. I learned about the rise and fall of the mining business, and how the city has changed over time. Highly recommended.
