6 Best Museums in Chicago for Nerds

Located on Central Park Ave in Chicago, Garfield Park Conservatory is one of the best museums in Chicago for nerds. The conservatory is pretty much everything you need for your botanical interest. What’s even better is that if you’re a resident of Chicago, you can go for free!

The conservatory is one of the largest and most stunning botanical conservatories in the nation, and is often referred to as the “landscape art under glass.”

They have eight indoor display gardens year-round, with lush flora and tropical temperatures. They even have about 10 acres of outdoor gardens as well. As for the children, they even have play spaces and a water lily pond.

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While smaller than other locations on the list, the Pritzker Military Museum is still one of the best museums in Chicago for the history buffs in your life.

Their focus is creating a space to maintain an accessible collection focused on all things military, from history to military affairs. They focus on specific stores, sacrifices, and values. The collection is always expanding, and now includes even more valuable historical information like letters, military propaganda posters, notebooks, and photography.

When in the museum, you can view these soldiers on the field and even hear them talk and experience the life they lived.

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While not preferred by many, this is for the science and anatomy geeks who want to explore all things science and surgery. The International Museum of Surgical Science is one of the best museums in Chicago for nerds, as it was founded with the goal of promoting the “exchange of surgical knowledge.”

It opened in 1954 and has a collection of historically significant surgical instrumentation, artworks, books, and manuscripts. There is even a replica 19th-century apothecary. They also have a beautiful collection of books in a stunning library that contains over 1,000 rare texts. The collection covers all body parts and ailments.

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When you hear planetarium, the first thing you think about is nerding out to some space facts, right? The Adler Planetarium is one of the best museums in Chicago for nerds because you get to do exactly that.

Located on Lake Shore, the museum is the perfect spot for kids and adults to learn and discover space. They even have countless events and shows, from the live skywatch to even Adler at night where you can take a fast-paced tour of the solar system.

They even have interesting projects where you can design an experiment and launch it into space. If you’re looking for space-fun activities with your date or the kids, Adler Planetarium is one to hit.

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Being a nerd isn’t just about space or history, it’s also about seeing the raw beauty of artwork. That’s why the Art Institute of Chicago is one of the best museums in Chicago. The Institute has a collection of art that spans centuries and the globe and is one of the top attractions in the United States of 2024.

They have changing exhibits that will make you want to go back for more each year, with the current selection showing the arts of Korea, as well as a new look into 20th and 21st-century architecture.

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And of course one of the best museums in Chicago has to go to the Chicago Sports Museum. If you’re a sports fan, this is a must-see. The museum not only dives into the rich and deep history of all things sports, but it’s also interactive.

The museum combines skill challenges and hi-tech simulated experiences with unique sports memorabilia and an impressive collection of game-used treasures and other artifacts for the most unique and brilliant experience. It’s practically a playground for all ages on all things sports.