Chicago Children’s Museum is a not-for-profit children’s museum at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois, devoted to connecting play and learning to improve children’s lives. It was founded in 1982 when members of the Junior League of Chicago joined the Education Resource Center at Columbia College and Loyola University to develop Express-Ways Children’s Museum in response to the reduction in children’s arts programming. In 1989, it was renamed the Chicago Children’s Museum, and in 1995 it was relocated to Navy Pier and doubled in size to 57,000 square feet. It has helped over 11 million children and their parents and caregivers over 40 years.
The museum has 15+ interactive exhibit spaces for various age groups. Experiences include Cloud Buster, a climbing sculpture experience, a Dinosaur Expedition, which is an adventurous guided tour of the dinosaur. It also has a Water City, Skyline, a building skyscrapers experience, Art Studio, and Pritzker Playspace for young children, and a room for supervised use of real tools. It offers programs in the arts, literacy, science, engineering, health, wellness, and family activities.
Chicago Children’s Museum sees over 300,000 visitors each year and serves another 5,000+ children and families through community programs throughout Chicagoland. It serves 33,000+ students and educators on its field trips and provides a field trip scholarship program for 9,500+ field trips in under-resourced communities. The museum also offers admission free or reduced for 40,000+ children and families through Museums for All and serves 25 Chicago Public Schools with Curiosity Classrooms.
Chicago Children’s Museum is a place for families to experience and a place for schools and communities to learn. Its exhibits, outreach, and accessibility efforts continue to place hands-on learning at the heart of its work.
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