The Museum of Science and Industry. The parking garage had ample handicapped accessible parking, and we found a spot right away. Thinking we missed the busy time arriving at the Museum of Science and Industry on a Saturday afternoon around 2:30, we were stunned at the crowds waiting to buy tickets.  The elevator we arrived at did not operate, and I needed to push the wheelchair to the opposite hall just to get down to the main floor. . The lines to buy tickets to the major Omnimax Theater showing of the human body called BodyWorld II were very long. MSI made everone wait in the same line regardless of whether you wanted to go to the special presentation, or just get general admission tickets.  No allowances were made for those with physical impairments. The theater closed on a Saturday afternoon at 4:00 pm and that would only give us one hour to tour the museum. I hesitated to go at all. With a $25.00 admission to the general museum, and $12.00 parking it hardly seemed worth it. Unfortunately, I was right.At the entrance, I found the personnel working at the Museum a little unfriendly. We went into the train room which was interesting, but not a "Wow" exhibit. We traveled to the old Chicago street that should bring us back to yesteryear, but the wheelchair did not "like" the cobblestone street, or the fact the sidewalk ended for those with wheelchairs, but walkers could keep strolling down the old main drag. The parking garage was also not friendly for those with special needs as well. When visitors want to pay for parking, they have to put a credit card into a vending machine outside the parking garage entrances to the museum. This is tough on those with special needs for two reasons. The first is that they have to remember to bring their parking ticket with them from their car, and secondly for those in wheelchairs, it was necessary to stand up to get the ticket into the machine.

The Goodman Theater: We loved checking out the Christmas Carol today, and we know we will back to see other shows based on how easy it was to see great live theater. Our biggest suggestion for this one is to arrive at least 20 minutes before show time because you may have to wait for the Goodman staff to remove the theater chair before your wheelchair can be placed in the designated wheelchair spot for accessible seating. We would have like to have this done prior to our arrival since I had ordered accessible seating back in September. The ticket office should have communicated the need for the seat removal to the Goodman staff when the tickets were ordered. I suppose they do not know if we cancelled, so they take the chair out last minute. Hence, get there early.  You can order accessible seating tickets by calling 312-553-7242.  We also had a very difficult time getting a dinner reservation near in the Theater district so we went to the Big Downtown Restaurant in the Palmer House instead. We were seated there at 4:45 pm right away. Parking for the Goodman was a piece of cake at the Self Park on Lake and Clark streets. It seemed like the garage had ample parking, and it was just steps away from the front door of the Goodman. Located across the street from the Goodman is the Ford Theater, so these directions will work if you want to check out a show there as well.

DuSable Museum, named after Chicago's first non-native settler, Jean Baptiste Point du Sable boasts permanent exhibits that celebrate several landmarks in African American history. Thought provoking exhibits bring 400 years of African-American history from the early days of slavery to Civil Rights marches to life.

We gave this attraction only two stars because of the inadequate accessible parking situation. The museum offers easy wheelchair access throughout with elevators to every floor, but Accessible Chicago only found one Handicapped Parking spot on the museum site. Wheelchair equipped vehicles will have to park on the street and then walk to the museum.

DuSable Museum of African American History
740 East 56th Place
Chicago, IL 60637
773.947.0600 (phone)

• The Field Museum provides world renowned exhibits most notably, Sue, the world's largest, most complete and most famous T. rex. Don't be daunted by the tricky parking situation for the Field Museum. Once, inside the Museum you will be glad you came. Vehicles with Handicapped Parking placards and plates park without paying the meters. The Field Museum 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 60605-2496 (312) 922-9410 Hours Regular hours are 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily. Last admission at 4 p.m. Open every day except Christmas. Wheelchair Parking for the Field Museum: Parking in the North Garage: Parking in the North Garage is your safest bet if you want to go the Field. Parking costs $15.00 per day, and remember Museum Campus Parking is not available during Bears home games. Our recommendation is to ask the parking attendant if you can head straight up to the 4'th floor of the garage, which has the most handicapped parking spaces. Handicapped parking spaces can also be found close to elevators on the 4'th floor of the North Garage. One downside to parking in the North Garage is that it is a long walk from the parking garage to the wheelchair entrance. A wheelchair user has to cross at McFetridge and walk along this Drive to the East Entrance of the Field, and on a cold day this can be a little tough.  Note: Portable wheelchairs are not available inside this garage to get people into the museum. So drop off your disabled travelers at the East Entrance door to the Field and then use the North Garage, or bring your own wheelchairs into the parking lots and garages. Wheelchairs are available once inside the Museum on a first come first served basis. Ask at the East Entrance or at the South Coat Check Room.
• The Shedd Aquarium An Oceanarium, a Caribbean Reef and an Amazon exhibit are only a few of the features you can find at the Shedd Aquarium. The Oceanarium's underwater viewing allow wheelchair users to sea otters and beluga whales and dolphins up close as elevator access to the bottom of floor allows for great viewing. Admission prices were pretty steep charging $16.00 for kids under 12 and seniors 65 and older. Adults tickets are $23.00. Note: While we found elevators to most floors easy to find, the elevator was out of order on our trip. Wheelchair Parking for the Shedd Aquarium and the Planetarium: We recommend using one of the handicapped designated parking spots in the Planetarium Lot, and then walking to the Accessible Entrance of the Shedd Aquarium. The accessible entrance is located south of the Shedd's main entrance. Wheelchairs are available on a first come first served basis with an appropriate id and credit card. With a minimum of two weeks notice, Shedd Aquarium will arrange for a sign language interpreter (on the condition that the Chicago Hearing Society can provide one for that day) at no additional charge beyond regular admission for any guest with a hearing impairment. Please call 312-939-2438 (voice) or 1-800-526-0857 (to leave a TTY message with our relay service) to make arrangements.

Chicago Botanic Garden: We especially like the Chicago Botanic Gardens because of its fantastic Enabling Garden designed especially for people with disabilities. This spectacular exhibit has a "wall of water" fountain right at wheelchair height that wheelchair users can put their hands into. Wheelchairs are available free at the Information Desks in the Gateway and Education Centers. Accessible parking is located in parking lots #1, #2 and #3. Nearly all areas of the Garden are wheelchair accessible. While not located in the City of Chicago, this trip is worth the trek to Glencoe, IL, (approximately 25 miles from downtown). Depending on the season, enjoy waterfalls, shooting fountains and beautiful blooming roses. Whatever your taste in gardens, you will find it here. The 385-acre property includes a suitably romantic English Garden, a thoughtful Japanese paradise, and indoor greenhouses which duplicate the atmosphere of the desert as well as the rainforest. A 45-foot waterfall cascades through the Waterfall Garden and the pools in quiet areas enhance reflection and relaxation. Located in Glencoe, 25 miles north of Chicago, the Chicago Botanic Garden, is managed by the Chicago Horticultural Society. Chicago Botanic Gardens 100 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe 847-835-5440 Cost: Free; $7 per car to park, $5 for seniors Hours: 8 a.m. to sunset daily

Millennium Park
Check out the amazing "Cloud Gate" sculpture at Millennium Park and then walk across Lake Shore Drive, Stroll along the Lake and then circle back through Grant Park toward Buckingham Fountain. This trip can be made easily with a wheelchair if your attendant likes to hike. Start by parking your car in the Grant Park North Parking Garage.

Buckingham Fountain
Funded by philanthropist Kate Buckingham in memory of her brother, Buckingham Fountain is one of the nation's finest fountains and a public icon of Chicago. It is the centerpiece of Grant Park, the city's grand "front yard," and is set within a handsomely landscaped garden, one of the city's finest examples of a Beaux-Arts-style landscape design. The Fountain is located at 100 N. Lake Shore Drive. Head north back to your Grant Park North Parking Garage through scenic Grant Park.

Each year more than 1.3 million visitors flock to the museum to behold their encyclopedic art collection spanning 5,000 years of human creativity and representing cultures from around the world.
Accessible Chicago tips its hat to the Art Institute for its many offerings for the physically-challenged, and those with visual impairments. You can find out more about these offerings by going to the Art Institute's website

Wheelchair Designed Exhibits such as the two computer programs designed for wheelchair access are on permanent view in Gallery 156. You can call the Department of Museum Education, at (312) 443-3680, for specific program offerings or the Visitor Services TDD/TTY number (312) 443-3890 from 9:00 to 5:00 weekdays for more information.

Accessibility by wheelchair is available at Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive.
Art Institute of Chicago
111 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60603
(312) 443-3600

Navy Pier
600 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL (1.30 miles away)
312-595-5300

Perhaps one of Chicago's most famous landmarks, Navy Pier is especially easy for wheelchairs to navigate through. With ramped, wide doorways and restaurants that offer easy entrances, those with disabilities will find Navy Pier a great place to enjoy year-round. Handicapped parking is located in the Navy Pier Parking Garage. Every handicapped parking space is located right next to a Pier entrance door. One word of caution, is to get there early in the day if possible to ensure parking in the Navy Pier Garage. Check out the Children's Museum or enjoy the beautiful stained glass window exhibit
Architectural Boat Tour

A number of boat tours depart from the Pier daily, but our favorite is the wheelchair accessible Architectural Boat Tour which departs from across the street from the main entrance to Navy Pier rather than from the Pier itself. This tour lasts roughly 60 to 90 minutes and travels down the Chicago River. An enthusiastic tour guide explains the origin of the major
Chicago landmark buildings and their history. The architectural tour travels under bridges which can be tough on the sound sensitive.

Lincoln Park Zoo:
A great way to spend a winter afternoon is to explore Lincoln Park Zoo. One of the last free zoos left in America, Lincoln Park Zoo is easy to get to by car, and has ample handicapped parking right at the Zoo entrance. Most animals can be viewed up close with a wheelchair and the zoo is not too spread out making it easier for those with disabilities to see a lot of animals in a short amount of time. Find the zoo right at Fullerton Ave and Lake Shore Drive, The zoo's address is 2200 North Cannon Drive Chicago, IL 60614.

The Lincoln Park Conservatory is located adjacent to the Zoo with several greenhouse rooms to choose from. The "pre-ADA" greenhouse cannot be fully viewed because several of the its rooms have steps. Still the warm air of the greenhouse is a great winter blah-buster. During the holidays, a toy train runs through water attractions, and during the month of February check out the lavish Azalea Show.