Most emailed Museums items
1. First Fridays
Museum of Contemporary Art - 220 E. Chicago Ave. - Chicago (Gold Coast)
An after-work mixer features a new theme each month, plus Wolfgang Puck appetizers, a DJ and a cash bar.
2. Free days
Field Museum - 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive - ChicagoApplies to general admission.
3. Sidewalks: Photographs by Charles Osgood and Stories by Rick Kogan
Chicago Tourism Center - 72 E. Randolph St. - Chicago (Loop)A showcase of more than 60 images feature local landmarks with accompanying text from the collaborators of the Chicago Tribune column.
4. Evolving Planet
Field Museum - 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive - ChicagoExplore the history of evolution, from single-celled organisms to dinosaurs and humans.
5. 'Planet Earth: Shallow Seas'
Shedd Aquarium - 1200 S. Lake Shore Drive - Chicago (Grant Park Museums)A 15-minute film takes viewers into the ocean to see coral reefs and coastal waters around the world.
6. Snow Much Fun
Chicago Children's Museum - 700 E. Grand Ave. - Chicago (Streeterville)Build snowmen out of fabric, use pom-poms for snowball fights and pretend-skate in your socks on a slippery linoleum rink.
7. The White House: A Look Inside
Museum of Science and Industry - 5700 S. Lake Shore Drive - Chicago (Hyde Park/University Of Chicago)Learn about the history of the presidential residence and those who have called it home.
8. Benito Juarez and the Making of Modern Mexico
Chicago History Museum - 1601 N. Clark St. - Chicago (Gold Coast)Lean more about the late Mexican president
9. Smart Home: Green + Wired
Museum of Science and Industry - 5700 S. Lake Shore Drive - Chicago (Hyde Park/University Of Chicago)Tour a three-story sustainable "green" home constructed on the museum's grounds
10. Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum
1300 S. Lake Shore Drive - Chicago (Grant Park Museums)
Everything from antique astronomical instruments to virtual reality experiences.
11. Sister Corita: The Joyous Revolutionary
Crown Center Gallery at Loyola University - 1001 W. Loyola Ave. - Chicago (Rogers Park)A showcase of silkscreen prints created by the Catholic nun from the 1950s through the '80s, inspired by politics and spirtuality.
12. Field Museum
1400 S. Lake Shore Drive - Chicago
Along with Sue, the world's most complete T. rex, see exhibits about nature and culture.
13. 'Christmas Around the World' and 'Holidays of Light'
Museum of Science and Industry - 5700 S. Lake Shore Drive - Chicago (Hyde Park/University Of Chicago)Two displays feature more than 50 Christmas trees reflecting ethnic traditions from around the world and other winter holidays that celebrate light and enlightenment.
14. Art and Faith of Creche
Loyola University Museum of Art - 820 N. Michigan Ave. - Chicago (Magnificent Mile)An exhibition features more than 100 contemporary Nativity scenes from different countries and cultures.
15. You! The Experience
Museum of Science and Industry - 5700 S. Lake Shore Drive - Chicago (Hyde Park/University Of Chicago)Tackle more than 50 hands-on activities exploring the human mind, body and spirit in the museum's newest permanent exhibit, spanning 15,000 square feet.
16. National Geographic Crittercam
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum - 2430 N. Cannon Drive - Chicago (Lincoln Park)Experience life in the wild from the perspective of the animals who live there, as data gathered by video and audio recording devices is shared with audiences in a multimedia format.
17. Lincoln Park Block By Block
Chicago History Museum - 1601 N. Clark St. - Chicago (Gold Coast)Share your own memories and experiences of the North Side neigborhood at this historical exploration of the area.
18. Abraham Lincoln Transformed
Chicago History Museum - 1601 N. Clark St. - Chicago (Gold Coast)Take a closer look at how Lincoln's views on slavery changed during the Civil War
