# Is the Museum of Science and Industry not well known outside of Chicago? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 31, 2017, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-museum-of-science-and-industry-not-well-known-outside-of-chicago/795196 "2017-08-31T20:12:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-museum-of-science-and-industry-not-well-known-outside-of-chicago/795196/21 "2017-09-01T02:47:44Z")
Is that the one that has the tour-guided mining exhibition? ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-museum-of-science-and-industry-not-well-known-outside-of-chicago/795196/22 "2017-09-01T03:42:51Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > Is that the one that has the tour-guided mining exhibition? Yup. “The Coal Mine” ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-museum-of-science-and-industry-not-well-known-outside-of-chicago/795196/23 "2017-09-01T06:02:00Z")
I first became acquainted with the MSI while reading about the [U-505](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_submarine_U-505) as a teenager mumble-mumble years ago. I’ve been there on both my trips to Chicago, and both times regretted that I didn’t have more time to spend (though curiously enough, I found the U-505 exhibit rather flat.) ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-museum-of-science-and-industry-not-well-known-outside-of-chicago/795196/24 "2017-09-01T11:28:53Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Seriously? Not even the Art Institute of Chicago? I’ve met people halfway across the world who know what that is. Seriously. You may find a couple among the college crowds who could maybe name one museum in Chicago depending on their major but the number would be so close to zero as to be statistically insignificant. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-museum-of-science-and-industry-not-well-known-outside-of-chicago/795196/25 "2017-09-01T12:56:29Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > What Exit? > > It’s in Queens, just a stone’s throw from where I live. > > I hadn’t heard of the Museum of Science and Industry until I was specifically looking at Chicago tour books in order to plan a road trip. That said, I’ve been to science museums all over the USA, and it’s definitely in my top five - maybe top three. Could even be # 1, but the top tier of science museums is pretty close together in quality. That what happens when born in the Bronx and grow up in Jersey. The only museum like thing I’ve been to in Brooklyn/Queens is the Aquarium. I’ve been to dozens of museums/zoo/gardens in Manhattan & the Bronx of course. I’ve been to more things in Baltimore, Boston, Philly & DC then Brooklyn & Queens. It is just such a pain to get there. As to Queens, while I was at Shea several times, still haven’t been to Citifield. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-museum-of-science-and-industry-not-well-known-outside-of-chicago/795196/26 "2017-09-01T13:39:21Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > Seriously. You may find a couple among the college crowds who could maybe name one museum in Chicago depending on their major but the number would be so close to zero as to be statistically insignificant. Interesting. Well, it’s true that I hang around perhaps a more art-centered crowd, so that may have skewed my perception of how well known the Art Institute is outside the Midwest. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-museum-of-science-and-industry-not-well-known-outside-of-chicago/795196/27 "2017-09-01T14:21:24Z")
I don’t think I’d heard of the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry until I visited Chicago. And I grew up a science geek. I _did_ know about the Field Museum, because there were references to it, and a lot of pictures in my books credited the place. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-museum-of-science-and-industry-not-well-known-outside-of-chicago/795196/28 "2017-09-01T14:30:50Z")
I had certainly not heard of it until I spent a month in Chicago staying at something called the Windermere Hotel which was on east 56th St., essentially across the street from the museum to which I went several times. And I was really interested in science museums. When I was around 12, I used to try to go to the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia once a month (that’s how often they changed the planetarium show). NY has the Natural History museum but outside of SF’s Exploratorium, I doubt there is any science museum I could name. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-museum-of-science-and-industry-not-well-known-outside-of-chicago/795196/29 "2017-09-01T14:53:13Z")
I never thought of it previously, but it is odd that New York City doesn’t really have an equivalent science and industry museum. Something like the Science Museum in London, with the locomotive engines on the lowest level, or the hands-on approach of the Exploratorium. I wonder why that is. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-museum-of-science-and-industry-not-well-known-outside-of-chicago/795196/30 "2017-09-01T14:57:32Z")
> [@OttoDaFe](#): > > I found the U-505 exhibit rather flat.) Have you been there since 2005? I admit I was never all that impressed with the U-505 exhibit back in the 80s-90s however they have completely restored the sub, gave it it’s own indoor enclosure and expanded the exhibit. I was impressed at how thorough and interesting it was. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-museum-of-science-and-industry-not-well-known-outside-of-chicago/795196/31 "2017-09-01T15:20:19Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > There’s a Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa, Florida as well. I bet you’ve never heard of that one. With the exception of a few internationally-known museums, I wouldn’t expect anyone from one city to actually know what random museums are in another city. I think this is the crux of it. Unless someone either has been to Kansas City or is an enthusiast of the topic, it’s quite unlikely they know of the National WWI Museum and extremely unlikely they’ve heard of the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures. Likewise, how many who haven’t been to D.C. and aren’t art lovers know anything about the Freer Gallery? It’s human nature to think if we grew up knowing it, everybody must know it, but that’s not always the case. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-museum-of-science-and-industry-not-well-known-outside-of-chicago/795196/32 "2017-09-01T15:45:58Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > There’s a Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa, Florida as well. I bet you’ve never heard of that one. With the exception of a few internationally-known museums, I wouldn’t expect anyone from one city to actually know what random museums are in another city. I think this is the crux of it. Unless someone either has been to Kansas City or is an enthusiast of the topic, it’s quite unlikely they know of the National WWI Museum and extremely unlikely they’ve heard of the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures. Likewise, how many who haven’t been to D.C. and aren’t art lovers know anything about the Freer Gallery? It’s human nature to think if we grew up knowing it, everybody must know it, but that’s not always the case. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-museum-of-science-and-industry-not-well-known-outside-of-chicago/795196/33 "2017-09-01T15:50:03Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I never thought of it previously, but it is odd that New York City doesn’t really have an equivalent science and industry museum. Something like the Science Museum in London, with the locomotive engines on the lowest level, or the hands-on approach of the Exploratorium. I wonder why that is. Like I mentioned, there is the Science Museum in \*Queens \*and the Liberty Science Center in Jersey just below _Jersey City_. Also the Intrepid Air & Space Museum is somewhat science oriented. The old air craft carrier even has the Space Shuttle Enterprise on her now. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-museum-of-science-and-industry-not-well-known-outside-of-chicago/795196/34 "2017-09-01T23:25:17Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > Have you been there since 2005? I admit I was never all that impressed with the U-505 exhibit back in the 80s-90s however they have completely restored the sub, gave it it’s own indoor enclosure and expanded the exhibit. I was impressed at how thorough and interesting it was. I PMed a few exhibits at the MSI, then interviewed to manage moving the sub indoors. You can tell I didn’t get the job because I still have my hair. That bastard was so rusty from sitting outside I was convinced it would snap in two if we tried to move it. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2017, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-museum-of-science-and-industry-not-well-known-outside-of-chicago/795196/35 "2017-09-03T01:23:25Z")
Never heard of it outside Chicago. But it seems to be doing much better now that it was before they introduced door fees. I visited in the 1970’s, and it was just sad. It’s outside reputation seems to be gradually building again. ---
**Author:** ![peptastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@peptastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peptastic)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2017, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-museum-of-science-and-industry-not-well-known-outside-of-chicago/795196/36 "2017-09-03T19:15:50Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > [Many cities](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_science_centers_in_the_United_States) have some type of science museum that’s well-known locally. Chicago’s has a very generic-sounding name so it’s going to be hard for it to get name recognition out of the area. That is possible. He may not have looked beyond the one in St. Paul. We have one in Jacksonville that isn’t as big as St. Paul. I did not know Chicago had one, though I only visited for one day years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2017, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-museum-of-science-and-industry-not-well-known-outside-of-chicago/795196/37 "2017-09-03T19:34:50Z")
I’ve never lived in Chicago and I had never heard of it. But I’m not surprised that such a thing exists. Having a science-based museum is something I think of as being rather common to major metropolises, but no particular science museum exists permanently in my consciousness as one that is well known in and of itself. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-museum-of-science-and-industry-not-well-known-outside-of-chicago/795196/38 "2017-09-04T00:58:25Z")
Growing up in Minnesota, I hadn’t heard of it until visiting my sister and brother-in-law (in 1980) who had just moved to Schaumberg IL. Being new to the area, we went to it as tourists essentially. I enjoyed it because I was in engineering college at the time and was interested in how the displays worked more than anything else. I took my family to Chicago a few years ago, and this was a museum we skipped (in favor of Adler Planetarium and Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum). We have a decent science museum in Minnesota, and a good children’s museum as well that covers lots of the same stuff. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-museum-of-science-and-industry-not-well-known-outside-of-chicago/795196.md?page=1)