Snoozeums are for children ages 6-12 and their adult (18+) chaperones (one required for every five children). The per-person fee includes overnight admission with parking, hands-on science activities, tours, Giant Dome Theater screenings, a Snoozeum patch and breakfast. Space is limited and pre-registration is required.

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Science Snoozeum

Escape the Museum is back and better than ever. After a sold-out weekend in 2024, Griffin MSI is hosting 12 nights of "The Wandering Alchemist." This giant escape game asks you to find clues and solve puzzles as you explore the Museum after hours.
 
Take a closer look at some of your favorite exhibits as you work to pass the final exam leading to your induction into the Guild of Alchemists. Each puzzle is designed to test your curiosity, logic and insight as you explore the museum like you never have before.
 
This year's program is for players who identify as beginner to intermediate. Experienced escape room players are welcome but may go quickly through the games.

This event is family-friendly and suitable for ages 8 and up. Players under 18 must be accompanied by a ticketed game-playing adult.

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Escape the Museum

General Admission gives you access to most permanent exhibits as well as select temporary exhibitions.

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General Admission

Membership allows you to explore more while enjoying a great value. 

Exclusive benefits include free entry all year, Giant Dome Theater tickets, discounted exhibition tickets and so much more!

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Member Checkout

Are you on Santa’s naughty or nice list this year?

No matter which one you end up on, you can still celebrate at this 21-and-up after-hours holiday party. Grab a seasonal cocktail, try your hand at holiday trivia and crafts, join forces with Santa and Mrs. Claus or Scrooge and the Grinch and explore Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light along with the rest of the Museum after it’s been closed to the public.

Naughty or Nice

Enjoy an exclusive look at <i>Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light</i> without the crowds.

Three decorated holiday trees in the Museum

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Boo Fest Member Event

Low-Sensory Mornings provide exclusive early access to Griffin MSI from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., allowing you to explore exhibits with modified lighting and sound. Your tickets also include Museum Entry for rest of the day, with most Museum experiences remaining in sensory-friendly mode until noon.

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Low Sensory Morning

Select weekend dates: check-in at 7:45 a.m., coffee/tea at 8 a.m., guided tour begins after

Take an extended, private group tour of the U-505 submarine and exhibit before the Museum opens. United States submarine veterans answer your questions, and you'll have additional free time in the exhibit before Museum hours. Tickets include the morning refreshments, exclusive morning tour, and General Admission for the entire day. Recommended for ages 10 and up.

A Museum guide points to an open hatch as a guest looks into it

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U-505 In-Depth Experience

Adults $12, Children (3-11) $9 (+ General Admission)

Showtimes: Every 30 minutes from 10:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. (4:30 p.m. on extended days)

Immerse yourself in science on a grand scale in our five-story, wraparound dome theater.

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Giant Dome Theater

Adults $12, Children (3-11) $9  (+ General Admission)

Limited accessibility. Stairs in this tour make it inaccessible for wheelchairs and strollers. 

The Museum's very first exhibit has been a guest favorite ever since 1933. Descend into the coal mine on an engaging tour of mining innovations and machinery through the years.

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Coal Mine

Adults $18, Children (3-11) $14 (+ General Admission)

Limited accessibility. Stairs, uneven floors and tight quarters aboard the submarine make the tour not accessible to wheelchairs and strollers.

Board the U-505 submarine, the only remaining German U-boat captured during World War II. From the cramped quarters to the feel of battle, take a guided tour through a piece of history that you'll never forget. (25 minutes; allow up to 30 minutes to explore the exhibit before the tour.)

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U-505 On-Board Tour

Showtimes: Hourly from 10:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m. on extended days)

From extreme winter cold to the summer melt, follow the Arctic’s wildlife and people amid changes with profound consequences for the health of the entire planet. (25 minutes)

Arctic seal lounging on its back on an ice floe

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Arctic: Our Frozen Planet

Visiting Chicago? Explore more and save with CityPASS

CityPASS® tickets save up to 50% on admission to Chicago’s top 5 attractions—including Griffin MSI. 

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CityPASS

Admission $20 per ride ($18 MSI members), good for up to 2 people. PURCHASE ONLY ONE TICKET PER TWO PEOPLE.

Height/weight requirements to ride: 48" (approx. 122 cm) or taller and 245 lbs. or less.

Try your skills at air-to-air combat in numerous historic aircraft such as the F-4 Phantom, the A-10 Thunderbolt II, F-15 Eagle, the P-51 Mustang and more. Choose either pilot or gunner responsibilities. Climb, dive, and roll your simulator in 360-degree barrel rolls to earn “ace” status (training time included prior to your mission). (Approx. 6 minutes)

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Interactive Flight Simulators

Must be 42" (approx. 106 cm) tall to ride. Height and other restrictions apply.

Be "transported" into space or the sea in this state-of-the-art motion-based virtual reality experience. Our electronic VR goggles immerse you in the action with experiences including: Apollo 11 & Beyond, Spacewalk: Danger in Orbit, and Dive in Prehistoric Seas. (Approx. 5 minutes)

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VR Transporter

Showtimes: Hourly from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. (4 p.m. on extended days)

See one of the world’s greatest environments through the eyes of its inhabitants, including the youngest among the animal tribes as they imitate their parents and learn about the mighty roles they’ll play. (25 minutes)

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Serengeti

Tickets: Free with advance tickets added to your order.

Presentation begins at 10:30 a.m. (Auditorium)

This year's Meet Her! presentation features Bottles2Bricks co-founders Barbara Riegger and Lori Ward. Barbara and Lori will present about their career journeys, the work of Bottles2Bricks – a global nonprofit organization that transforms discarded plastic bottles into infrastructure – and women in the STEM fields, followed by a Q&A session.

Bottles2Bricks founders Barbara Riegger and Lori Ward pose with bottle of water

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Meet Her!

Admission: $8 per person ($7 Griffin MSI members) * Max. 6 people per ride.

Riders must be 42” (approx. 106 cm) tall to ride unaccompanied.

Choose your adventure from a list of exciting aviation and space-themed experiences and take an exciting trip on board our dynamic Motion Theater Pods. Adventures include Aerobatic Challenge, Moon Thunder, Red Baron: Legend of the Air and Space Chase. (5 minutes)

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Motion Simulators

Tickets: Adults $12, Children (ages 3-11) $9

Showtimes: Every 60 minutes from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. (4 p.m. on extended days)

Join Sean Casey and the researchers of VORTEX 2, an ambitious effort to understand tornadoes, in a heart-pounding science adventure that heads straight into the storm for an eye-level view. (25 minutes)

Tornado Alley

From the vast African savannah to the frozen ends of the Earth, open skies to the deep blue, meet members of six families of the animal kingdom — from insects to birds to mammals — and learn about their incredible abilities. (25 minutes)

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Animal Kingdom

Mon-Thu (except holidays): Adults (age 12+) $18, Children (age 3-11) $14

Fri–Sun + holidays: Adults (age 12+) $22, Children (age 3-11) $16

Members $9 (Explorer: First visit only; Catalyst and above: Free)

See rare comic books, view props and costumes from your favorite Spider-Man movies, explore cutting-edge interactive installations and take photos with life-size statues of your favorite characters, like Miles Morales, Ghost-Spider and, of course, Spider-Man! Marvel's Spider-Man: Beyond Amazing – The Exhibition is presented by Bank of America.

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Marvel's Spider-Man: Beyond Amazing – The Exhibition

Mon-Thu (except holidays): Adults (age 12+) $28, Children (age 3-11) $24

Fri–Sun + holidays: Adults (12+) $32, Children (3-11) $26

Members $19 (Explorer: $10 on first visit; Catalyst and above: $10)

Swing into the immersive exhibit like a VIP! This ticket for Marvel's Spider-Man: Beyond Amazing – The Exhibition includes express untimed exhibit entry (once per visit day) and 10% off Spider-Man merchandise in the exhibit store. Marvel's Spider-Man: Beyond Amazing – The Exhibition is presented by Bank of America.

Marvel's Spider-Man: Beyond Amazing – The Exhibition + VIP Pass

 Adults (age 19+) $19, Children (3-18) $15

No photography or large bags permitted in the exhibition.

An immersive, full-scale recreation of the Annex where Anne Frank and her family lived in hiding. Step inside the meticulously reconstructed Annex featuring multimedia installations and more than 130 original collection pieces from the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam.

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Anne Frank The Exhibition

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Educator Open House

Take a journey from ice to fire to tornados and discover how all these extreme elements are connected. Travel alongside researchers and scientists as they search for answers and join with real-life heroes as they battle the elements. (25 minutes)

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Extreme Weather

Showtimes: Every 60 minutes from 10:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m. on extended days)

A time-traveling journey to watch spectacular moments in our solar system's past and future, including stars, comets, interstellar debris, and the ongoing merger of our galaxy with a smaller satellite galaxy. Narrated by Pedro Pascal. (25 minutes)

A blue spectral formation in front of a background of stars

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Encounters in the Milky Way

The Museum will be closed on Thursday, June 18 in coordination with the Obama Presidential Center's Grand Opening Dedication Ceremony.

Allow additional time for your travel to Griffin MSI due to significant road closures nearby.

Cyber Monday special! Save 5% on Summer Camps with code EARLYBIRD through Dec. 7.

<p>Our summer camp experiences are about exploring everything the Museum has to offer.&nbsp;</p>

Virtual Crime Lab

Call for artists now open through October 12, 2025!

Facade of the Museum's North Portico with banners reading "Inspiring Inventive Genius"

Select your ticket type