Museums and children's museums for kids around Chicago
Chicago museums come in two tiers: four children's museums built for ages 0–8 (one each in the west suburbs, downtown, the north suburbs and the west side), and several of the best big museums in the country. Little kids go to the first tier; kindergartners and up can do both.
The west-suburban membership is the DuPage Children's Museum in Naperville, famous for its water area and woodworking bench, with the Naper Settlement history village next door for summer; Kohl's miniature grocery store up north and Wonder Works in Oak Park are small and good. Downtown, the Chicago Children's Museum at Navy Pier has a three-story climbing schooner; big kids head to MSI in Hyde Park for the submarine and to the Field on the Museum Campus for Sue the T. rex (with a PlayLab for ages 2–6); and the butterfly haven at Peggy Notebaert in Lincoln Park is the small museum the whole family likes.
- 8 places
- 8 stroller-friendly
- closest is 5 min away
8 places
Drive times from Naperville
DuPage Children's Museum
5.0Naperville · 5 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Free museum lot (301 N Washington St); when full, use the Metra station's weekend lot
Wonder Works Children's Museum
5.0Oak Park · 35 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Small lot out front and street parking on North Ave
Chicago Children's Museum
5.0Chicago · 50 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Navy Pier garage (museum discount, still about $20+); bus 124 direct from Union Station / Ogilvie
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
5.0Chicago · 50 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Museum lot (about $20); Stockton Dr street parking; bus 151 / 156
Kohl Children's Museum
5.0Glenview · 55 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Free museum lot (2100 Patriot Blvd)
Naper Settlement outdoor history village
4.0Naperville · 5 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free museum lot (Webster St / Porter Ave)
Museum of Science and Industry
4.0Chicago · 45 min drive
4 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Museum underground garage about $22; 10-minute walk from the Metra Electric 55th-56th-57th station; bus 6 / 10
Field Museum
4.0Chicago · 45 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Soldier Field garage (about $25–30); 10-minute walk from the Metra Museum Campus/11th St station; bus 146
💡 Good to know
- Big-museum tickets pass a hundred dollars for a family of four: grab Illinois-resident free days early, borrow museum passes with a library card, and watch for the children's museums' monthly free or discounted hours.
- One big museum per day, in at opening around 9–10am when it's emptiest; bring spare clothes, since every children's museum has a water area.