Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago (must see)

The Museum of Science and Industry stands as one of Chicago's most popular attractions, and rightfully so. This expansive facility spans 14 acres across three floors, featuring ever-evolving exhibits that could easily occupy an entire day of exploration. The topics covered here range from manufacturing and glaciers to robots and engineering marvels. Among the permanent displays, you'll find the US-505 Submarine, a rare capture from World War II, and there are regularly changing exhibits, including a colossal Lego room. Additionally, there are convenient dining options on-site, including a café and cafeteria.

The museum's cutting-edge interior contrasts with its Classical Revival façade, originally designed in 1892 to house the Palace of Fine Arts for the World's Columbian Exposition. Remarkably, this is the sole remaining structure from that grand 1893 fair, and also its only fireproof building. Adorned with Ionic colonnades, caryatid porches, and domed roofs, it epitomizes the classicism that defined the fair's White City of marble temples. Architect George W. Maher once praised the Palace's architecture as "unequaled since the Age of Pericles."

Tip:
If you're in need of some tranquility, venture into the beautifully landscaped Jackson Park, home to the serene Osaka Garden with its Japanese-style ambiance, located just behind the museum.