To kick off our new school year, we went on a trip to Chicago this past week, to visit some museums and other sites.
Museum of Science and Industry - This really is an amazing place, where we managed to spend 6 1/2 hours our first day! Not only are the exhibitions really cool, but there are several cool shows and interactive fun for the kids to participate in. I felt like we really got our money's worth here.
The Field Museum - We spent half a day here, and although there were a couple of really nice exhibitions, part of the museum is quite outdated (plants, anyone?) - it was so expensive for our family to enter that we ended up getting a one year membership because it saved us almost $30 (and more if we had planned to see any of the special exhibitions). If I had know what we would get for our money seeing that our budget is really tight, I would probably not have included this museum in our itinerary.
The Planetarium - This place is in a very beautiful spot, and although very expensive (more expensive than any of our other visits), I felt there was enough there to make it worth our time and money. The children's area especially was great, and I enjoyed the show on Cosmos.
The Art Institute of Chicago - There is an amazing amount of art here, and although adult tickets are quite pricey, children under the age of 14 are free, which made this our cheapest visit. The exhibitions are unique and amazing, as you imagine, and although I don't have very much experience with Modern Art, this part stood out. The only disappointment here was that there was no tolerance or understanding when it came to our baby. Max is very happy on my back in our baby carrier, while if I put him in the front, he wants to nurse or get down or just fuss, and eventually he'll start screaming uncontrollably. I explained this to the personnel who insisted I put Max in the front, but there was no sympathy, so sadly, a large part of the visit was spent with Max screaming in my face. At some point it got so bad that I dropped down on a bench to nurse him, right there (it was off to a corner) in an attempt to soothe him, and immediately I heard negative comments about my "improper behavior." A frustrating experience. And no, there was no nursing room, as in the Field Museum.
Dinner at the Berghoff - This restaurant opened in 1898 and was the first restaurant to receive a liquor license after the Prohibition in 1933 (I think), which means theirs is Liquor License no. 1. Very good German inspired food, home brewed beer and fancy halls.
The Magnificent Mile - A long, sore walk but some very fantastic views of Downtown Chicago. I imagine this street is quite magic during Christmas time.
Museum of Science and Industry - This really is an amazing place, where we managed to spend 6 1/2 hours our first day! Not only are the exhibitions really cool, but there are several cool shows and interactive fun for the kids to participate in. I felt like we really got our money's worth here.
The Field Museum - We spent half a day here, and although there were a couple of really nice exhibitions, part of the museum is quite outdated (plants, anyone?) - it was so expensive for our family to enter that we ended up getting a one year membership because it saved us almost $30 (and more if we had planned to see any of the special exhibitions). If I had know what we would get for our money seeing that our budget is really tight, I would probably not have included this museum in our itinerary.The Planetarium - This place is in a very beautiful spot, and although very expensive (more expensive than any of our other visits), I felt there was enough there to make it worth our time and money. The children's area especially was great, and I enjoyed the show on Cosmos.The Art Institute of Chicago - There is an amazing amount of art here, and although adult tickets are quite pricey, children under the age of 14 are free, which made this our cheapest visit. The exhibitions are unique and amazing, as you imagine, and although I don't have very much experience with Modern Art, this part stood out. The only disappointment here was that there was no tolerance or understanding when it came to our baby. Max is very happy on my back in our baby carrier, while if I put him in the front, he wants to nurse or get down or just fuss, and eventually he'll start screaming uncontrollably. I explained this to the personnel who insisted I put Max in the front, but there was no sympathy, so sadly, a large part of the visit was spent with Max screaming in my face. At some point it got so bad that I dropped down on a bench to nurse him, right there (it was off to a corner) in an attempt to soothe him, and immediately I heard negative comments about my "improper behavior." A frustrating experience. And no, there was no nursing room, as in the Field Museum.
Dinner at the Berghoff - This restaurant opened in 1898 and was the first restaurant to receive a liquor license after the Prohibition in 1933 (I think), which means theirs is Liquor License no. 1. Very good German inspired food, home brewed beer and fancy halls.
The Magnificent Mile - A long, sore walk but some very fantastic views of Downtown Chicago. I imagine this street is quite magic during Christmas time.
