Things to Do in Downtown Chicago, Illinois

Shedd Aquarium

• The Shedd Aquarium in downtown Chicago offers visitors a chance to meet beluga whales and penguins, become a dolphin trainer for a day, or even enjoy an overnight visit to the aquarium to sleep with the fish.Open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, the Shedd Aquarium features over 32,500 animals, including sharks, otters and octopus. Exhibits include Waters of the World, the Caribbean Reef, the Amazon Rainforest and Fantasea, an underwater aquarium show.

  Shedd Aquarium
  1200 S Lake Shore Drive
  Chicago, IL 60605
  312-939-2438
  sheddaquarium.org

Sears/Willis Tower Skydeck

• The tallest building in the western hemisphere, the Sears Tower, which is also known as the Willis Tower, is 110 stories tall and offers a Skydeck with spectacular views of the Chicago area and beyond. One of the more popular attractions in the Willis' one hundred and third floor observatory is 'the Ledge,' a glass-floored platform that allows visitors to view the city below while walking over an unobstructed view. The 4.3-foot, extended glass floor is a must-see for travelers to the area, as well as the Skydeck's educational and interactive exhibit offerings.

  Sears/Willis Tower Skydeck
  233 S. Wacker Drive
  Chicago, IL? 60606
  312-875-9696
  theskydeck.com

Hancock Observatory

• The Hancock Observatory, which is located in Chicago's Hancock Building, offers a unique experience from its 94-story tall, open-air Skywalk. The open-air portion of the observatory provides a sensory experience of the 'windy city' that is unlike any other. The observatory also offers the soundscope, which allows the viewer to zoom in on the Chicago sounds as well as sights.

  Hancock Observatory
  875 North Michigan Ave.
  Chicago, IL? 60611
  888-875-8439
  hancockobservatory.com

Buckingham Fountain

• The Buckingham Fountain, located in downtown Chicago's Grant Park, is one of the largest in the world and a must-see when in the downtown Chicago area. The fountain runs from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily from April to mid-October, with 20 minute-long, music, light and water shows at the top of every hour. At its peak, the fountain's water jets soar over 150 feet high. The fountain was dedicated in 1927 to the citizens of Chicago by Kate Buckingham, who wanted to honor her late brother, Clarence Buckingham.

  Buckingham Fountain
  500 S. Columbus Drive
  Chicago, IL? 60604
  312-742-7529
  cpdit01.com/resources/buckingham_fountain.cfm

Museum of Science and Industry

• The largest museum in the western hemisphere, downtown Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry is one of the largest science museums in the world. The museum houses 35,000 artifacts with over 14 acres of exhibits. In addition to its traveling exhibits, the museum also offers a five-story Omnimax theater, a restaurant, and permanent exhibits on genetics, science storms, submarines, farm technology and trains.

  Museum of Science and Industry
  5700 South Lake Shore Drive
  Chicago, IL? 60637
  773-684-1414?
  msichicago.org

Jane Addams Hull-House Museum

• The Jane Addams Hull-House Museum honors Jane Addams, the first American woman to win the Nobel Prize and a social reformer who created the Hull-House. Hull-House, which was a social settlement founded in 1889 that dramatically affected Chicago's history through cultural and philanthropic initiatives. The museum resides in the two original buildings that housed the settlement: the Hull Home, which is a National Historic Landmark, and the Residents' Dining Hall. Self-guided and group tours are available to guests.

  Jane Addams Hull-House Museum
  800 South Halsted Street
  Chicago, IL? 60607
  312-413-5353
  uic.edu/jaddams/hull/hull_house.html