Best Museums in Illinois
5 museums in Illinois
Museums across the USA for families.
Editorial oversight by James Morgan. AI-assisted, human-edited. Our editorial standards
Museums in Illinois: what to expect
Illinois has 5 museums we would happily take our own kids to. Burpee Museum of Natural History is the one most families start with. Meet Jane the juvenile T. Field Museum is the other name that comes up again and again. Stand beside SUE, one of the most complete T. Illinois State Museum rounds out the pick of the bunch. One museum, four sites across Illinois, spanning ancient Dickson Mounds archaeology to fine art galleries and natural history. Also worth your time: Peoria Riverfront Museum and Volo Museum.
None of these venues publishes a fixed family ticket price on this page, so check the official site for current admission before you set out.
The museums on this page are spread across Rockford (1), Chicago (1), Springfield (1) and Peoria (1), so it is easy to pair two into one trip.

Museums
Burpee Museum of Natural History
Rockford, Illinois
Meet Jane the juvenile T. rex and watch real paleontologists at work in Rockford's natural history museum.

Museums
Field Museum
Chicago, Illinois
Stand beside SUE, one of the most complete T. rex skeletons ever found, at Chicago's landmark natural history museum.

Museums
Illinois State Museum
Springfield, Illinois
One museum, four sites across Illinois, spanning ancient Dickson Mounds archaeology to fine art galleries and natural history.

Museums
Peoria Riverfront Museum
Peoria, Illinois
Art, history, science, and a planetarium under one roof on the Peoria Riverfront.

Museums
Volo Museum
Volo, Illinois
Over 400 cars, roaring dinosaurs, and a Titanic exhibit under one Illinois roof.