Here's a list of some links to museum websites in Chicago:
I go to the school of the Art Institute, which is behind the museum, and I understand this museum/school has a number of connections with Korea. Sister cities thing or something. Lots of Korean students there (just an interesting fact):
Art Institute of Chicago -
www.artic.edu/aic - 111 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL - (312) 443-3600
The next three are all on the Museum Campus near Soldier Field, and they are all within walking distance of one another. There is a parking lot at the far end of the drive, by the Adler. (You turn into the campus and pass the Field on the left, turn left and go past the Shedd and then the Adler and its parking lot are at the end of that drive.) You can also park in the lot across from the Field, and there is a little lot to the east of the Field. All three lots, I believe, cost $22. The Adler and the Shedd are self-explanatory; the Field is an old-fashioned style museum. It is
the grand old dame of Chicago, with a huge facility for research and modern exhibits, but still, lots of cases with dusty native American artifacts and dioramas of stuffed wildebeests etc. (I love this place):
Adler Planetarium & Museum -
www.adlerplanetarium.org - 1300 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL - (312) 922-7827
John G. Shedd Aquarium -
www.sheddaquarium.org - 1200 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL - (312) 939-2438
The Field Museum -
www.fieldmuseum.org - 1400 S Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL - (312) 665-7683
The next museums are the north shore area, and are near each other. (Not as near each other as the Museum Campus 3, however). They are smallish and specialized, and worth a couple of hours wandering each. Parking can be a little dicey, except the Chicago History Museum has a nice lot nearby (check the websites):
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum -
www.naturemuseum.org - 2430 N. Cannon Drive, Chicago, IL - (773) 755-5100
Chicago History Museum -
www.chicagohistory.org - 1601 N. Clark St, Chicago, IL - (312) 642-4600
International Museum of Surgical Sciences -
www.imss.org - 1524 N Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL - (312) 642-6502
Another small museum worth checking out if you are in the Pilsen neighborhood:
National Museum of Mexican Art -
www.nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org - 1852 W 19th St, Chicago, IL -(312) 738-1503
If you want to hit the Museum of Science and Industry, it's further south. I live near there, and right now, it's not much to see, they are doing major, major renovations and much of the museum's area is closed for that. However, it's still a great museum. There is an indoor parking lot. Also, if you hit it on a free day (schedule
here), you'd only have to pay for parking, and then you might want to see these other Hyde Park museums that are all clustered around and/or connected with the University of Chicago (but DO check the hours on the websites). If you go to the other museums, you need to leave the MSI and drive (or bus) over the the University Campus, but then the rest of the museums are within a few blocks of each other (street parking, search around):
Museum of Science & Industry -
www.msichicago.org - 5700 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL - (773) 684-1414
DuSable Museum of African American History -
www.dusablemuseum.org - 740 E 56th Pl, Chicago, IL - (773) 947-0600
Oriental Institute -
oi.uchicago.edu/ - 1155 E 58th St, Chicago, IL - (773) 702-9514
Smart Museum of Art -
www.smartmuseum.uchicago.edu - 5550 S Greenwood Ave, Chicago, IL - (773) 702-0200
Renaissance Society at University of Chicago -
www.renaissancesociety.org - 5811 S. Ellis Avenue, Bergman Gallery, Cobb Hall 418, Chicago, Illinois 60637 - (773) 702-8670
Finally, there are two museums on North Michigan Avenue, both art museums. The MCA concentrates on contemporary and Modern, and the LUMA appears to be a funky little museum attached to a university and has all kinds of exhibits:
Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) -
www.mcachicago.org - 220 East Chicago Avenue - (312) 280.2660
Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA) -
www.luc.edu/luma - 820 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL - (312) 915-7600
Of this list, I have been to every one except Surgical Sciences, DuSable and LUMA. However, those three come highly recommended, and I certainly highly recommend the others on the list.
I cannot emphasize enough that you have to check the websites for schedules, current exhibits and parking availability. They are not all on the same schedule! Also, Chicago recently got a bum deal on parking; street parking is quite expensive and they tow and ticket, so look around for parking garages when you can. Or take public transport, it's actually quite good (again, check the museum websites). Good luck!
Bo