Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago

03/05/2021

It is so good to see you again! We’re happy to welcome back members through Saturday, and the general public starting on Sunday. We can’t wait for you to swing on by to see what’s new. ⬇️

🕸 Speaking of swinging on by--Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes is now open! This exhibition, presented by BMO Harris Bank, celebrates more than 80 years of the Marvel Universe. It’s spread across two galleries, featuring more than 300 artifacts including some of Marvel’s most iconic costumes, props and original art. A separate, timed-entry ticket is required. Capacity is limited so be sure to plan ahead! msichicago.org/marvel

🚄 The Pioneer Zephyr exhibition is now open! After a year of renovations, this record-breaking, stainless steel train is ready for public viewing. A marvel itself, the Pioneer Zephyr is renowned for being one of the most futuristic machines ever to ride the rails, revolutionizing the way we the look at travel. msichicago.org/zephyr

🎬 Enjoy our newest film, “Michael Jordan to the Max,” inside the Giant Dome Theater! Plus, check out memorabilia from the man himself, Michael Jordan. Seating, like the defenses playing Jordan, is spread out. msichicago.org/mj (Courtesy of the Chicago Bulls)

💉 A new exhibition, We Can Beat the Pandemic. Together., explains how our past experience with disease outbreaks is informing our response to this one. Hear stories of the current crisis, how it has changed our lives and the persevering spirit that has guided us through. msichicago.org/pandemic

Click to get all the info on visiting procedures and FAQs. Excited to see you IRL! msichicago.org/welcome

03/04/2021

We've missed you. See you Thursday MSI members, and we look forward to welcoming back the public starting Sunday. 👋 We here at MSI can't wait to see you exploring our halls again!

Advance online tickets are required along with face coverings. For more details on visiting procedures, head to msichicago.org/welcome.

02/28/2021

Pictured: Black Creativity Juried Art 2020 First Place Winner, Adult Category; “Is It Anger or Jealousy?” (Oil on Canvas), Angela Redmond

The Juried Art Exhibition is a pillar of the Museum’s Black Creativity program, which showcases African-American achievement in a variety of scientific, artistic, and technological fields. The Juried Art Exhibition presents more than 200 works of art from professional and emerging Black artists from around the world. We're excited for you to explore this exhibition again starting April 7! msichicago.org/blackcreativity

02/22/2021

💡 This is the Lewis Latimer light bulb. Black inventor Lewis Howard Latimer improved Thomas Edison's light bulb by using a different material for the filament which not only made the bulb last longer, but also more affordable, accessible and efficient. Click to learn more about this incredible inventor, who worked with both Edison and Alexander Graham Bell. https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/lewis-latimer

From the Collections of The Henry Ford, 1883. Located in MSI's Science Storms exhibition.

02/20/2021

💭 We're wondering what Perseverance is seeing and hearing during its first weekend on Mars. These clips from NASA simulate how audio sounds on Mars versus Earth. This soundbite is from the Curiosity rover landing in 2012.

According to NASA, scientists working on Perseverance accounted for atmospheric temperature, density and chemistry to create this Mars simulation. 📸🔊: NASA

mars.nasa.gov/mars-sounds

02/19/2021

Coasting into the weekend. Spacing out watching Netflix. Ariana Grande loves Saturn because it looks like it has seven rings. Serve up your favorite space puns in the comments. 🔭⭐️🚀https://store.msichicago.org/space-coaster-set.html

02/17/2021

Won six championships for Chicago, 5x NBA MVP, defied gravity on multiple occasions and saved the Looney Toons from an alien takeover. Was it the shoes? Happy birthday, Michael Jordan!

Get a close-up look at MJ's Bulls jersey and game-worn shoes at MSI before reliving Chicago history with "Michael Jordan to the Max," showing inside our Giant Dome Theater this March. Seating and showtimes are scattered, click for more details! msichicago.org/23

Memorabilia courtesy of the Chicago Bulls.

02/17/2021

Some green for your feed. 🌳

❄️ If you take a close look at individual snowflakes, you'll see that they are symmetrical. That's because the arms form under similar conditions of temperature and humidity.

02/15/2021

Ok take a second to think about this--humans are working on landing a rover on Mars right now. 🤯 Join us as we track the Perseverance Rover landing on Thursday, February 18 at 2 p.m. CT. Tune in to our live stream as we join the official NASA broadcast, and hear from our resident space expert, MSI Curator Dr. Voula Saridakis (and space super fan). She will talk about many of the amazing aspects Perseverance, like what is Mars time, how has COVID-19 impacted the mission, and much more! Click to sign up for this free event. msichicago.org/landing

📸: NASA/JPL-Caltech

02/14/2021

🐄 You herd that right. More punny valentines in our Stories to send and share. 💌

02/12/2021

Catch MSI's Dr. Olivia Castellini this Saturday on Mission Unstoppable with Miranda Cosgrove! She is sharing her STEM career journey, and how it led to the creation of our Science Storms exhibit. Tune in at 10 a.m. this Saturday!

02/12/2021

Happy Lunar New Year! Lunar New Year is a major holiday and fun-filled celebration across much of Asia. Also known as Spring Festival, the commemoration begins on the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ends on the first full moon, though not all countries observe all 15 days. The date changes from year to year on Western calendars, and takes place usually in January or February.

02/11/2021

Woo, what a day! It’s National Inventors’ Day, International Day of Women and Girls in Science, and Black History Month. What better way to celebrate than learning about some amazing innovators!

In 1919, Alice H. Parker invented a furnace that provided heating to an entire building using natural gas and featuring complex air ducts to spread the heat to individual rooms. Her invention made heating homes both more efficient and much safer, as it greatly reduced the occurrences of fires sparked by coal and wood-burning furnaces.

Valerie Thomas patented her illusion transmitter in 1980, which she developed while working at NASA in order to enable satellites to send images directly from space. Not only was this technology revolutionary in the aerospace field, but it’s the basis for the 3D imaging used in movies and TV.

Marian Croak is widely recognized as the inventor of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), which allows us to make calls using the internet and is the basis for much of the digital telecommunications we rely on today. Croak holds over 200 patents and is in the Women in Technology Hall of Fame.

📸: Creative Commons

02/05/2021

Sky’s the limit for new science museum chief

Get to know our new President and CEO, Chevy Humphrey! She spoke with the Chicago Sun-Times about her background, from launching her career in Texas to thinking about what MSI will look like in 2044.

Chevy Humphrey arrives just in time to reopen the Museum of Science and Industry next month.

02/03/2021

February dates for live, online tours inside the U-505 Submarine are available! Don't miss this special opportunity to learn about the remarkable history of this World War II artifact during an interactive tour with our knowledgeable Facilitators. Dates are below, and click the link to book your spot! https://www.msichicago.org/explore/whats-here/exhibits/u-505-submarine/live-tour/

➡️ Feb. 11
➡️ Feb. 12
➡️ Feb. 26
➡️ Feb. 27

The U-505 was part of a U-boat fleet terrorizing the Atlantic during the war. Finding and destroying the sub would save Allied lives and supplies; capturing it could help win the war by cracking the U-boat mystery—but only if the Germans thought the sub had sunk. Securing the U-505 and keeping the capture secret was the key. Tune in to learn more about the sub's technology and historic capture.

02/01/2021

Motivational words—about creativity, collaboration and failure—to kick off this first week of Black History Month from the 2020 Black Creativity Innovators. Although we're not physically together at MSI, you bet we're still celebrating online and with you in person from April-July. Until then, stay tuned to our channels to learn more about Black innovators, past and present. https://www.msichicago.org/education/creativity-and-innovation/black-creativity/

2020 Black Creativity Innovators:
- Healthcare advocate Dr. Cheryl Whitaker
- Filmmakers Coodie and Chike
- Restaurateur and youth mentor Erick Williams
- Creator of The Shred diet, physician and best-selling author Dr. Ian Smith
- Industrial designer Jason Mayden
- STEM education advocate Tammera Holmes

01/29/2021

More snow calls for cozying up and doing a "little" reading this weekend. This souvenir walnut contains a tiny book with photos of A Century of Progress, c. 1933. 🔍

Also how amazing is the term "souvenir walnut"?

01/27/2021

✌ The Museum reopens March 7 with exclusive MSI Member Days March 4-6! 🎉 Once we open, so does Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes. 🎉 Tickets are on sale starting today! Click for all the details! msichicago.org/marvel

➡️ Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes celebrates more than 80 years of the Marvel Universe and features more than 300 artifacts including some of Marvel’s most iconic costumes, props and original art. We can’t wait for you to check it out! This exhibition is open through Oct. 24, 2021.

❤️️ We thank you for your ongoing support for science while we’re closed--here are a few ways you can still contribute to MSI and our mission to inspire the inventive genius in everyone.

➡️ U-505 Live Tours: Complete with dramatic lighting and sound effects, the online tour lets you experience life aboard this sub firsthand in the days leading up to the capture. Upcoming dates: Jan. 28, Jan. 29. https://www.msichicago.org/explore/whats-here/exhibits/u-505-submarine/live-tour/

➡️ Free Science Activities: Head to our website for free at-home activities to keep your curiosity buzzing. msichicago.org/ScienceAtHome

01/21/2021

MedLab Pilot Parent Consent Form | MedLab Pilot Parent Consent Form - Survey Tools

We’d love to get feedback from Chicago Public Schools students! We are looking for students enrolled in 7th-12th grade in CPS to take a survey about community health, careers and race/ethnic identity. We are offering $10 Amazon gift cards to the first 250 students who take the survey, funded by the National Science Foundation. If you are a parent or guardian of such student, please click the link to learn more. https://www.questionpro.com/t/AOcncZkanY

MedLab Pilot Parent Consent Form - Survey Tools

01/18/2021

We’re missing seeing guests celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the Museum this year. But we are so excited to announce our Black Creativity program has moved from the winter to the spring and summer to give you more time to explore Black art and innovations.

🖌 Black Creativity and its signature Juried Art Exhibition will be open from April 7 – July 5. The annual exhibition showcases more than 100 works by professional artists from across the nation as well as local student artists. A new feature this year will be an online art gallery for people who are unable to visit MSI. There will also be a new exhibit of social impact art created during the recent Black Lives Matter protests opening April 7.

🌟 The Black Creativity Family Day celebration will be held on June 19, and the Museum will be free to Illinois residents. Capacity is limited and tickets must be reserved online in advance, stay tuned to our feed and we’ll let you know when tickets become available.

💡 We’ll soon be announcing this year’s Black Creativity Innovators! This year’s Black Creativity Innovator Gallery celebrates the accomplishments of African-American leaders who are transforming Chicago. This distinguished group will be recognized in an onsite gallery from April 7 – July 5.

📸: Guests create a community collage with artist Shala. for the 2019 Black Creativity Family Day, held annually at MSI on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This piece reads “To witness the rise of a nation is to bear witness to the growing influence of its women.”

01/15/2021

A day on, not a day off. Celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by volunteering on Monday! Click for volunteer opportunities in Chicago, ranging from school supply and clothing drives, to reflection forums and virtual history lessons.

➡️ List of volunteer opportunities in Chicago: https://www.mobilize.us/nationaldayofservice/

➡️ My Block My Hood My City: https://www.formyblock.org/

➡️ Volunteer ideas from the Obama Foundation: https://www.obama.org/covid-community-care/

01/12/2021

Experience the U-505 submarine from your living room. Tickets are available for an online, interactive walkthrough this piece of history. Live online tour dates in January are below, click to reserve your tickets! https://www.msichicago.org/explore/whats-here/exhibits/u-505-submarine/live-tour/

🔵 Jan. 15
🔵 Jan. 16
🔵 Jan. 28
🔵 Jan. 29

01/12/2021

Welcome Chevy Humphrey! Today is Chevy’s first day as president and CEO of MSI, and we couldn’t be more excited. You guessed it, she loves science! She's a passionate supporter of science and science education, be sure to give her Twitter account, @ChevyLuvScience, a follow. Here’s a little more about Chevy.

Chevy is a recognized national and international leader in the museum field. Prior to joining MSI, she served as CEO of the Phoenix-based Arizona Science Center for 16 years. Her work has made the Arizona Science Center an education partner and resource hub for the entire state. She is currently Chair of the Board of the American Alliance of Museums and previously served as Chair of the Board of the Association of Science and Technology Centers.

Join us in welcoming Chevy to Chicago! 📸: Arizona Science Center

01/11/2021

Hope the week ahead isn't too tuft on you.

01/10/2021

🌱 Hello! My name is Lauren and I work with teachers at MSI to support their students' science learning. In my free time, I love to garden - even in the wintertime! Since I can't garden on my balcony year-round, I grow lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, and flowers in a hydroponic growing system inside. If you're looking for free at-home activities, swipe for three experiments that all have to do with the science of gardening. Click for all the instructions!

🐛 Woodland Terrarium:https://www.msichicago.org/fileadmin/assets/online_science/summer_brain_games/activity_PDFs/SBG12_Terrarium.pdf

💧 Hydroponic Garden:https://www.msichicago.org/fileadmin/assets/online_science/summer_brain_games/activity_PDFs/SBG13_Hyrdoponics.pdf

🌻 Recycled Seed Paper:https://www.msichicago.org/fileadmin/assets/online_science/summer_brain_games/activity_PDFs/SBG18_seedpaper.pdf

01/08/2021

It’s with sadness but also great appreciation that we say goodbye to our long-time president and CEO David Mosena. David came to MSI in 1997 after a rich and varied career, including stints as president of the Chicago Transit Authority, Chicago aviation commissioner and chief of staff to Mayor Richard M. Daley. His tenure leading MSI is filled with achievements that will forever be cemented in our history. Here’s a look at just a few as we wish him a happy retirement.

🏛 He oversaw the creation of several bold steps forward in science storytelling, including such guest favorites as Science Storms, You! the Experience and Numbers in Nature: A Mirror Maze.

🌊 On his watch, one of MSI’s most iconic artifacts – the legendary U-505 Submarine – moved to a new climate-controlled underground home in a daring exploit of design and ingenuity, protecting and showcasing this beloved vessel for generations to come.

✏️ He spearheaded the Museum’s transformation into a leader in science education, including the founding of the Welcome to Science Initiative and the development of programs that enhance student learning and teacher development in Chicago and in schools far and wide.

👋 For all this and more, we say thank you, David. We are grateful for your dedication, for your leadership, and for using your own inventive genius to bring out the inventive genius in everyone.

12/27/2020

Resistance to vacation is futile. The social team is taking some time off to reset phasers so we can bring you some ✨ stunning ✨ content for 2021. Check out our website, past posts and our YouTube page for free experiments, tours, games, and so much more. Here are some recommendations based on our top posts in 2020 to get you started.

🚂 Take an audio tour from the tiny perspective of The Great Train Story. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oil1bl72ADw&t

🏰 Speaking of tiny perspectives, click through 360-degree photos of some of the rooms inside Colleen Moore's Fairy Castle. https://www.facebook.com/media/set?vanity=msichicago&set=a.10157226228552882

🔬 Experiments for days. Check out our Science at Home and Learning Resources hubs for activities to keep your 🧠 active. msichicago.org/scienceathome; msichicago.org/resources

🌌 Actor Nichelle Nichols is celebrating her 88th birthday on Monday! She wasn't just a trailblazer on Star Trek, but also made a huge impact on NASA--she recruited Mae Jemison. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7L11paxrlQ

Thank you for your ongoing support, we hope you have a happy new year! 🖖