Sophia Hayden was MIT’s first woman graduate in architecture. She designed the Woman’s Building for the Chicago 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, where a record number of inventions by women were displayed. But traditional ideas about women’s roles prevailed. Most of the women’s invention prizes were given to domestic technologies, and the press described Hayden’s building as “feminine” and “delicate.” The Museum of Science and Industry is the only Exposition building still standing.

What began in 1942 as a single tree, is now an international winter wonderland at Christmas Around the World & Holidays of Light. The family is going to be enchanted by the trees and displays that are decorated to represent the rich multicultural heritage of Chicago. The crown jewel will be the floor-to-dome Grand Tree with 30,000 twinkling lights, sparkly ornaments and all of the trimmings. This year, The Art of the Brick exhibit is getting in on the action with new pieces as well.

Famed LEGO artist Nathan Sawaya’s The Art of the Brick exhibit is on display at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry through September 2022. This art-meets-LEGO installation features more than 100 LEGO sculptures using more than 1 million bricks—making it the world’s largest LEGO art display. Adults and kids will be amazed at Sawaya’s creations, which include original works and his take on masterpieces from the likes of Van Gogh, Da Vinci, and Michelangelo.

Stroll through one of the many exhibits at the Museum of Science and Industry where your kids will learn from in-house scientists through hands-on stations and immersive experiences.

As one of the largest science museums in the world, the Museum of Science and Industry meticulously curates every installation, exhibit and showcase to pique curiosity and inquiry. Housed in a building constructed during the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893, this vast institution offers an immersive experience into history, technology and the natural world. Exhibits include Science Storms, U-505 Submarine: 75 Stories, Coal Mine, Numbers in Nature: A Mirror Maze and more.