Museum Of Science and Industry Front Lawn
57 St. & Lake Shore Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637-2093
Contact: Anne Rashford - Director, Events and Special Programs
Tel. (773) 684-9844 Ex. 2045
Fax: (773) 684- 7525
email: anne.rashford@msichicago.org
website: www.msichicago.org

The Museum of Science and Industry was incorporated as an independent, non-profit institution in 1926. In 1989 the surface parking lot in front of the building was replaced with three levels of underground parking beneath our Front Lawn. The Front Lawn, which is officially part of the Chicago park district, now serves as a site for community oriented, Museum hosted activities such as kite festivals, marathons and charity bike rides. The Front Lawn is also an ideal site for large scale public art exhibits providing 12 acres of sod-covered park land. In May of 1999 we opened our first public art exhibit, Keith Haring: from Sketch to Sculpture which includes 10 monumental Haring sculptures on the Front Lawn supplemented by an interior exhibit illustrating the scientific and engineering principles utilized in creating large scale works of art. The temporary Haring exhibit will run through Oct 4^th of 1999. We are also currently hosting a "herd" of 5 life-size fiberglass art cows on our Front Lawn. They are part of a city wide exhibit of 300 cows decorated by local artists and supported by patrons from the public and private sectors. The "Cows on Parade" exhibit is presented by the Public Art Program of the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs under the auspices of the Government of Switzerland and Chicago’s Swiss Consul General. Generally, temporary Front Lawn art exhibits will run for 5 or 6 months, during the spring, summer and fall of the year. Plans are now being made to present an exhibit of kinetic sculpture by various artists in the year 2000.

Free Admission. Open 9am to 11pm every day.

Call (773) 684 1414 to obtain directions. Limited free surface parking - underground garage, $5.00.

Restrooms, gift/book shop and limited food and beverage service available during museum hours free of charge. Museum hours: 9:30a.m. to 5:30p.m. every day from memorial Day to Labor Day. Form Labor Day to Memorial Day open 9:30a.m. to 4p.m. on weekdays and 9:30a.m. to 5:30p.m. weekdays and holidays.