The Museum of Science and Industry is located in the beautiful Hyde Park neighborhood, just steps away from Lake Michigan and minutes from downtown Chicago.
By car
Forget about the weather! Park in our convenient, underground garage. The entrance is located at the northwest corner of our building, at E. 57th Street and S. Cornell Ave.
| Parking | Per vehicle |
|---|---|
| General Public | $22 |
| Member – Individual | $22 |
| Member1 – Dual | $14 |
| Member1 – Family | FREE |
Garage height clearance
- Blue (D) section: Initial 8'2" reduces to 7'2". (Check signs.)
- All other sections: 6'6".
Oversized vehicle and van-accessible parking: Use Blue (D) section.
Accessible parking spaces are located in all garage sections. More on Accessibility at the Museum.
Members
Scan your membership card (digital or physical) to enter and exit the garage, and to receive your membership level's parking rate at pay stations. No additional validation required. Learn more
1 One car per membership per visit.
Garage is open until 7 p.m. For motor coach and bus parking information,click here. Motorcycle parking is not permitted.
The only Museum-owned garage is the underground garage. The east lot is owned by the City of Chicago. Visit the Standard Parking website or call 312-742-7667 if you have questions about the east lot.
By bus
From downtown Chicago, here's how to reach the Museum by CTA bus.
For travel from other parts of the Chicagoland region, use the RTA Trip Planner or call (312) 836-7000. The Museum's north entrance, overlooking the front lawn, is the nearest access to public transportation.
By train
Metra
Metra Electric Line trains to and from downtown Chicago stop at the 55th/56th/57th Street station, just two blocks from the Museum's north entrance. (Turn left as you exit the station.) For travel to and from Indiana, South Shore Line trains also stop at the 57th Street station.
Use the RTA Trip Planner or call (312) 836-7000 for specific directions from your location.
CTA
A less direct train route is to take a CTA Red Line or Green Line train to Garfield and transfer to an eastbound 55 Garfield bus. However, we suggest that people unfamiliar with the city may prefer to take CTA trains as far as downtown, then transfer to an express bus or the Electric Line as mentioned above.
Suggested downtown transfer: take CTA trains to Jackson (Red or Blue Line) or Library (Brown, Orange, Pink or Purple Line). Exit the station and walk less than a block to the NW corner of State and Van Buren, where you can catch the 2, 6 or 10 buses (see above for descriptions).
Visit the CTA site or call (888) YOUR-CTA for bus and train schedules for Chicago and over 40 suburban locations.
By bike
The Museum is easily reached by bike on the beautiful lakefront path, just across Lake Shore Drive from the Museum. (From downtown, the ride is approximately eight miles.) Just north of 57th Street, follow the ramp down into the underpass below Lake Shore Drive, then left into the underpass below 57th Street. The Museum's main entrance will be ahead and to your right. Bike racks are available on either side of the main entrance.
To find other routes, find your starting point on the City of Chicago's bike map.
Divvy
One bike option great for both Chicagoans and visitors is Divvy, Chicago's bike sharing system. Divvy offers both annual memberships and 24-hour passes for unlimited 30-minute bike trips. Just unlock a Divvy bike at the station nearest you, then dock it at the Divvy station just outside the main entrance to MSI. (For lakefront riders who want some extra time getting here from downtown, the 31st Street Divvy station is a convenient point for docking and undocking your bike to restart the 30-minute timer.)
For more information, visit the Divvy site.
