Discover Museum of Science and Industry wheelchair accessible attractions, things to do, tours and activities for disabled travelers. Read our informative review to learn if the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry is wheelchair accessible and wheelchair friendly or if Wheelchair Jimmy recommends this attraction be avoided by travelers in wheelchairs.
The Museum of Science and Industry (MSI) is located in Chicago, Illinois, in Jackson Park, in the Hyde Park neighborhood between Lake Michigan and The University of Chicago. It is housed in the former Palace of Fine Arts from the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. Initially endowed by Julius Rosenwald, the Sears, Roebuck and Company president and philanthropist, it was supported by the Commercial Club of Chicago and opened in 1933 during the Century of Progress Exposition.
It is the largest science museum in the western hemisphere. Among its diverse and expansive exhibits, the museum features a full-size replica coal mine, a German submarine (U-505) captured during World War II, a 3,500-square-foot (330 m2) model railroad, the first diesel-powered streamlined stainless-steel passenger train (Pioneer Zephyr), and the Apollo 8 spacecraft that carried the first humans to orbit the Moon.
Based on 2009 attendance, the Museum of Science and Industry was the second largest cultural attraction in Chicago.
- City Attraction Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Fully Accessible Entry: Yes
- Accessible Restrooms Onsite: Yes
- Restrictive Steps: Mostly accessible except U 505 Submarine
Jim’s Accessibility Comments:
Jim’s Favorite Chicago museum and a very wheelchair friendly museum. There are steps but ramps and elevators are available. World War II German U 505 Submarine is not wheelchair accessible.
