Chicago Children's Museum

Chicago Children's Museum was founded in 1982 by The Junior League of Chicago in response to Chicago Public Schools programming cutbacks, creating educational experiences for children and families beyond the classroom. Starting in two hallways of the Chicago Public Library, it expanded through trunk shows and traveling exhibits before reopening at Navy Pier in 1995 with 57,000 square feet across three floors, becoming the nation's fourth-largest children's museum at the time. A proposed move to Grant Park announced in 2006 collapsed by 2011 amid opposition, rising costs, and stalled fundraising. The museum instead committed to Navy Pier, expanding there under a 90-year lease announced in 2012 and now serves more than 650,000 people annually.

Chicago, Illinois · United States