Family Pavilion / Chicago Children's Museum, Chicago

911

Family Pavilion / Chicago Children's Museum, Chicago

Family Pavilion / Chicago Children's Museum, Chicago

One of Navy Pier's main areas, the Family Pavilion is home to the popular Children's Museum, the Crystal Gardens indoor botanical haven, and a plethora of dining and shopping options. To add some extra flair, you might catch a lively troupe of actors donning pirate outfits or other whimsical costumes, delighting kids with entertaining skits throughout the day (check the posted schedule or go online for details).

The Chicago Children's Museum reigns as one of Navy Pier's top family attractions. After a significant makeover, it boasts a fresh, more spacious design while retaining its hallmark interactivity, age-appropriate exhibits, and boundless fun. With so many play areas and a jam-packed schedule of events and workshops, it's virtually impossible to explore everything in one visit. Highlights include the fire station zone (always a big hit!), the creative art studio (where kids craft their costumes to take home), the building station for architectural wonders, and everything in between: from climbing and scavenger hunts to sound-making and more. Maintaining a 1:1 adult-to-kid ratio is crucial here, given the multiple levels and the diverse exhibits catering to various age groups.

The nearby restaurant, Chef Art Smith's Reunion, offers an truly laid-back ambiance, and what's truly fascinating are the booth seats on the interior – they're crafted from denim, complete with authentic pockets. Moreover, the cuisine serves up genuine down-home cooking, offering delectable soul food that hits all the right notes.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Chicago. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The 911 App

Family Pavilion / Chicago Children's Museum on Map

Sight Name: Family Pavilion / Chicago Children's Museum
Sight Location: Chicago, USA (See walking tours in Chicago)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Chicago, Illinois

Create Your Own Walk in Chicago

Create Your Own Walk in Chicago

Creating your own self-guided walk in Chicago is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Chicago Introduction Walking Tour

Chicago Introduction Walking Tour

Chicago, perched on the shores of Lake Michigan in Illinois, is a city steeped in history and urban vibrancy. Known by numerous nicknames such as the Windy City and the City of Big Shoulders, it boasts a skyline marked by towering structures. The area of today's Chicago, initially inhabited by Native American tribes, saw its first European-settled reference as "Chicagou" in 1679, a...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.9 Km or 2.4 Miles
Loop District Architecture Walking Tour

Loop District Architecture Walking Tour

The Chicago Loop District—essentially the city’s historic downtown—has long been a stage for architectural innovation and an open-air museum of American architecture.

The construction boom started after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which destroyed much of the central business district, gave architects a blank canvas to rebuild the city from the ground up. What followed was a surge of...  view more

Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.7 Km or 2.9 Miles
The Magnificent Mile Walking Tour

The Magnificent Mile Walking Tour

The stretch of Michigan Avenue from the Chicago River to Lake Shore Drive, otherwise known as the Magnificent Mile, is regarded as one of the world’s great avenues – or Chicago’s version of Fifth Avenue. Take this self-guided walk to explore its whole stretch and surrounding area, featuring a wide selection of amazing stores/malls, world-known museums, restaurants and spectacular...  view more

Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.0 Km or 2.5 Miles
Millennium and Grant Parks Walking Tour

Millennium and Grant Parks Walking Tour

The city of Chicago is renowned for its outdoor green spaces. One such “forever free and open” space, is called Grant Park and was established in 1844. In fact, upon foundation, it was called Lake Park, but was renamed in 1901 after the American Civil War General and United States President, Ulysses S. Grant.

Popularly referred to as “Chicago's front lawn,” this lakefront park is...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
Chicago Old Town Walking Tour

Chicago Old Town Walking Tour

Settled in 1850 by German immigrants, Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood is a popular destination for locals and visitors who cater to the entertainment venues, restaurants, pubs, coffee shops and boutiques – all of which have turned an area once referred to as the “Cabbage Patch” into an attraction that rivals Navy Pier, Wrigley Field and the Magnificent Mile.

Start your Old Town walking...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
University of Chicago Walking Tour

University of Chicago Walking Tour

Founded in 1890, the University of Chicago is among the world’s most prestigious educational institutions. As of 2020, the University’s students, faculty and staff have included 100 Nobel laureates, giving it the fourth-most affiliated Nobel laureates of any university.

Set in the heart of Chicago’s famous eclectic neighborhood, Hyde Park, the campus is worth a visit as it offers a...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles

Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip


Chicago Souvenirs: 15 Distinct Local Products to Bring Home

Chicago Souvenirs: 15 Distinct Local Products to Bring Home

One of the most fascinating cities in the U.S., if not the whole world, Chicago has no shortage of things closely associated with it, often due to their direct origin (blues, gangstership, etc.), so one might literally be spoiled for choice as to what to choose as a "piece" of Chicago to...