The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago is set to reopen its historic south entrance as part of a $22 million renovation project slated to begin this winter. The effort aims to restore the 133-year-old entryway, originally part of the Palace of Fine Arts from the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, and create a new indoor cafe with seating on a refurbished outdoor terrace overlooking Jackson Park.
Chevy Humphrey, CEO of the museum, described the south entrance as the original point of access for visitors, noting its significance in the institution’s history. The renovation will modernize the space while preserving its original purpose, providing an active, ADA-accessible entry that reconnects the museum with the southern edge of its campus.
The south portico, characterized by colonnades and bronze doors, has not served as a primary entrance since the museum opened in 1933. The building, designed by Charles Atwood and built with a brick substrate for the 1893 World’s Fair, transitioned its main access to the north side to better accommodate vehicle and bus traffic. After the World's Fair, the building briefly housed the Field Museum before falling into disrepair until Julius Rosenwald invested $5 million to establish the Museum of Science and Industry in the late 1920s.
New York architecture firm RAMSA (formerly Robert A.M. Stern Architects) is leading the redesign. Caitlin Getman, RAMSA associate partner, said the project seeks to open the doors back to the community, adding amenities such as restrooms, event spaces, and a landscaped terrace with views of the basin and Osaka Garden. The design includes an on-grade entrance leading to a lobby and potential exhibition space, with elevator access to the main portico and cafe level. The museum will also restore exterior steps and install a glass curtain wall to enclose the loggia between the columns without compromising the building’s historic character.
The project has received a $10 million grant from the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation and forms the first phase of a broader plan to add admission-free spaces for visitors and the public. Humphrey said the renovation addresses accessibility challenges that previously limited the usability of the south entrance, particularly for visitors with disabilities.
The museum, a National Historic Landmark and Chicago city landmark, will have its restoration closely monitored to ensure a sensitive approach. Chicago Architecture Center CEO Eleanor Gorski called the project a “very sensitive undertaking” that complements the museum’s historic status.
Reopening the south entrance also aligns with the cultural developments nearby, including the Obama Presidential Center, potentially establishing a major museum campus on Chicago’s South Side. Valerie Jarrett, CEO of the Obama Foundation, described the growing museum district as rivaling the downtown area.
Looking ahead, Humphrey expressed interest in restoring free general admission, a practice the museum discontinued in the early 1990s. She acknowledged this as a long-term goal that could take up to a decade to realize but emphasized a commitment to expanding public access and engagement.