Museum Secret Gems

Last Updated:  February 9, 2023

Chicago is home to well-known museums like the Art Institute, the Field Museum, and the Museum of Science and Industry.  

Several other lesser known museums exist, however.  Considered secret gems because they are good museums, yet, fairly unknown.   

Here is the list of Chicago and suburban museum secret gems we were able to compile.  Most can be visited for free with a Museum Adventure pass.  

Contact your local library to see if they participate in the Museum Adventure pass program.                                    

Museum Secret Gems - Chicago

1.  American Writers Museum

One of the most unique Chicago museums downtown.  The museums mission is to celebrate the enduring influence of American writers on our history, identity, culture, and daily lives.

• Museum Hours:  10 AM – 5 PM Thursday – Monday  
• Address:  180 N Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60601
• Phone #:  312.374.8790
• Website:  https://americanwritersmuseum.org/

Photograph:  Courtesy of American Writers Museum

2.  University of Chicago - Oriental Institute (OI) Museum 

The University of Chicago - OI Museum displays objects recovered by OI excavations in permanent galleries devoted to ancient Egypt, Nubia, Persia, Mesopotamia, Syria, Anatolia, and the Levant, as well as rotating special exhibitions.

• Museum Hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 10:00am–4:00pm
• Address:  1155 E 58th St. Chicago, IL 60637
• Phone #: 773.702.1158  
• e-mail:  oi-visitors@uchicago.edu
• Website:  https://oi100.uchicago.edu/visit-museum

Photograph:  Courtesy of Oriental Institute Museum

3.  Cernan Earth and Space Center

Planetarium and space center at Triton College

• Space Center Hours:  Monday thru Friday from 930 a.m. to 430 p.m.
• Planetarium Shows:  Call the Program Line at 708-583-3100 for up-to-the-minute information for planetarium shows
• Address:  2000 Fifth Ave. River Grove, IL 60171
• Phone #: (708) 456-0300, Ext. 3372   
• Website:  www.triton.edu

4.  International Museum of Surgical Science

Over 10,000 square feet of public galleries committed to the history of surgery, and an exquisite permanent collection of art and artifacts from the history of Medicine.

• Museum Hours:  
• Monday thru Friday from 930 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Saturday and Sunday:  10:00 am to 5:00 pm
• Museum is closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

• Address:  1524 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60610
• Phone #: (312) 642-6502
• Website:  https://imss.org/
• Admission Prices:
• Adults – $19.00
• Senior Citizens (ages 65+) – $15.00
• Students & Members of the Military (with ID) – $15.00
• Educators (with ID) – $15.00
• Children ages 4–13 – $11.00
• Children ages 3 and under – FREE
• IMSS Members – FREE

Museum Secret Gems - Suburbs of Chicago

5.  Aurora Regional Fire Museum

• Museum Hours:  Wednesday to Saturday 10am to 4pm
• Address: 53 N Broadway, Aurora, IL 60505
• Phone #: (630) 256-4140
• e-mail:  INFO@AURORAREGIONALFIREMUSEUM.ORG
• Website:  https://www.auroraregionalfiremuseum.org/

Photograph:  Courtesy of Aurora Regional Fire Museum

 

6.  Bess Bower Dunn Museum of Lake County

Lake County museum with exhibits from prehistoric times, the first people to settle Lake County, Innovations and Preservations special to Lake County, and others.

• Museum Hours:  Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday: 10 am–4:30 pm
• Thursday:    Open 5–8 pm on the first and third Thursdays of every month with free admission sponsored by USG                                
• Sunday:     12–4:30 pm

• Address:  1899 West Winchester Road | Libertyville IL 60048
• Phone #: 847-968-3400 
• e-mail:  Dunn@LCFPD.org 
• Website:  https://www.lcfpd.org/museum/

7.  Elgin History Museum

Focused on the history of Elgin.  

The Museums mission statement is:  Preserve Elgin’s diverse heritage and sense of place while striving to be equitable, accessible, and relevant in our interactions with the community.

• Museum Hours:  Wednesday through Saturday from 11:00am – 4:00pm
• Address:  360 Park Street Elgin, IL 60120
• Phone: (847) 742-4248
• e-mail:  elginhistorymuseum@elginhistory.org
• Website:  https://elginhistory.org/

8.  Elgin Public Museum

Natural History and Anthropology Museum

• Museum Hours: Saturday and Sunday 12:00-4:00 PM
• Address:  225 Grand Boulevard, Elgin, Illinois 60120    
• *Note the Museum is located on the drive that is OFF OF Grand, the Museum is not actually on the street of Grand.
• Phone #: (847) 741-6655
• e-mail:  Contact@elginpublicmuseum.org 
• Website:  http://ww.elginpublicmuseum.org/index.htm

9.  Ellwood House Museum

Originally built for barbed wire entrepreneur Isaac Ellwood, the Mansion was home to three generations of the Ellwood family from 1879 to 1965

• Museum Hours:  
• Visitor Center galleries are open to visitors Tuesday-Saturday, 12:30pm to 4:30pm
• Tours are offered Wed. through Sat. at 1 pm and 3 pm.  Tours last approximately one hour, start in the Visitor Center, and include all four floors of the Ellwood mansion
• Address:  420 Linden Place, Dekalb, Illinois 60115
• Phone #: (815) 756-4609
• e-mail Director of Visitor Services:  dgable@ellwoodhouse.org
• Website: http://www.ellwoodhouse.org/

Photograph:  Courtesy of Robert Mroch

Ellwood House Museum
Photograph:  Courtesy of Robert Mroch

10.  Volo Auto Museum

Vintage autos on display and for sale.  The 1966 Batmobile, the General Lee and the "Back to the Future" DeLorean are on display at the Volo Auto Museum.

• Museum Hours:  Daily 10 A.M. - 5 P.M.
• Address:  27582 Volo Village Road, Volo, IL
• Phone #:  815-385-3644 
• Website:  volocars.com

Photograph:  Courtesy of Volo Auto Museum

Helpful Links:

• Visit the Travel Page for other attraction and travel ideas.
• Visit Museum hack for a comprehensive list of museums in Chicago and the surrounding area:  https://museumhack.com/museums-in-chicago/

(C) 2022-23 jspublishing.blogspot.com