A lakefront museum devoted to astronomy and space, with sky shows, space exhibits and wide skyline views from the Museum Campus. A good indoor stop that pairs easily with the nearby aquarium or Field Museum.
A hands-on children's museum on Navy Pier with three floors of play: a climbing schooner, a water play area, a dinosaur dig, a pretend city and building spaces, aimed at children up to about 10.
A huge science museum in Hyde Park with a real German U-boat, a recreated coal mine and a large model railroad. It is easy to spend most of a day here, so choose a few highlights in advance.
A large aquarium on the Museum Campus by the lake, with a Caribbean reef tank you can walk around, Amazon and coral reef galleries, sharks, sea otters, penguins and a lake-view Oceanarium.
Chicago's natural history museum on the Museum Campus, home to SUE, one of the most complete T. rex skeletons ever found, plus a titanosaur cast, Egyptian tomb, gem hall and hands-on science spaces for children.
A free park on Michigan Avenue with Cloud Gate, the giant mirrored sculpture children love to see themselves in, the Crown Fountain's video-face towers and the Lurie Garden, next to the Art Institute and Maggie Daley Park.
One of the largest art museums in the US, beside Millennium Park, with famous works such as Seurat's A Sunday on La Grande Jatte. Pick a few paintings to find together and keep the visit short for younger kids.
A free zoo on the lakefront in Lincoln Park, open every day, with big cats, apes, penguins and the Farm-in-the-Zoo for little ones.
A lakefront pier with the Centennial Wheel, boat tours and the Chicago Children's Museum.
Climbing walls, slides and winter ice-skating ribbon beside Millennium Park.