Highest-rated museums in Illinois by visitors

Museums are popular tourist attractions because they provide fun ways to learn about history, science, and culture. As stewards of our civilization, they collect and exhibit items of significant importance, typically based around a theme, topic, or place. Many cover areas like art, natural history, or science, but some museums dedicate themselves to highly specific topics like mustard, play, hot air balloons, and even funeral history. Ultimately, museums present a window into different eras of society so people can learn about the past.

Collecting, preserving, and displaying items is not a new idea. The world's first museum dates to about 530 B.C., a project of Princess Ennigaldi-Nanna, a Babylonian who had a collection of Mesopotamian artifacts. The oldest public museums still in existence are the Capitoline Museums in Rome, a collection of art and archeology museums started in 1471. America's oldest museum predates our country's founding. The Charleston Museum, a preservation of South Carolinian Lowcountry history, opened in 1773.

Museums are important not just because they preserve important elements of our history and culture but also because they can improve our well-being. Naturally, museums promote education and learning and can also bring joy. Researchers studying art museums found that they can reduce depression and increase people's sense of belonging. Quiet museum environments allow people to slow down and relax, and looking at exhibits can reduce stress. Museums also foster community by hosting events, activities, and tours that encourage social interaction.

No wonder they attract nearly 900 million visits a year.

With over 30,000 museums in the country to choose from, there's something for everyone. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated museums in Illinois on Tripadvisor as of Aug. 11, 2025. Tripadvisor rankings factor in the average rating and number of reviews. Keep reading to see what museums are in your own home state.

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#30. Wrigley Field Tours

- Rating: 4.3/5 (99 reviews)
- City: Chicago
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#29. The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

- Rating: 4.4/5 (210 reviews)
- City: Chicago
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#28. Galena and U.S. Grant History Museum

- Rating: 4.5/5 (365 reviews)
- City: Galena
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#27. Museum of Contemporary Art

- Rating: 3.8/5 (921 reviews)
- City: Chicago
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#26. Color Factory Chicago

- Rating: 4.6/5 (39 reviews)
- City: Chicago
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#25. Frank Lloyd Wright's Laurent House

- Rating: 4.8/5 (83 reviews)
- City: Rockford
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#24. Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center

- Rating: 4.8/5 (276 reviews)
- City: Skokie
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#23. Discovery Center Museum

- Rating: 4.8/5 (344 reviews)
- City: Rockford
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#22. National Museum of Mexican Art

- Rating: 4.6/5 (255 reviews)
- City: Chicago
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#21. Illinois Railway Museum

- Rating: 4.5/5 (309 reviews)
- City: Union
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#20. Caterpillar Visitors Center

- Rating: 4.4/5 (460 reviews)
- City: Peoria
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#19. Museum Of Illusions Chicago

- Rating: 4.4/5 (130 reviews)
- City: Chicago
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#18. Cantigny

- Rating: 4.8/5 (590 reviews)
- City: Wheaton DuPage County
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#17. Chicago Children's Museum

- Rating: 4.4/5 (575 reviews)
- City: Chicago
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#16. American Writers Museum

- Rating: 4.8/5 (452 reviews)
- City: Chicago
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#15. Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures Museum (ISAC)

- Rating: 4.7/5 (570 reviews)
- City: Chicago
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#14. Historic Attractions

- Rating: 4.9/5 (553 reviews)
- City: Roscoe
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#13. Volo Museum

- Rating: 4.5/5 (459 reviews)
- City: Volo Lake County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#12. Adler Planetarium

- Rating: 3.9/5 (2,214 reviews)
- City: Chicago
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#11. Chicago Fed's Money Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (536 reviews)
- City: Chicago
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#10. Chicago History Museum

- Rating: 4.4/5 (1,224 reviews)
- City: Chicago
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#9. Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio

- Rating: 4.7/5 (1,402 reviews)
- City: Oak Park
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#8. Lincoln Home National Historic Site

- Rating: 4.7/5 (2,918 reviews)
- City: Springfield
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#7. Richard H. Driehaus Museum

- Rating: 4.7/5 (1,497 reviews)
- City: Chicago
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#6. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

- Rating: 4.8/5 (4,651 reviews)
- City: Springfield
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#5. Medieval Torture Museum

- Rating: 4.8/5 (1,060 reviews)
- City: Chicago
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#4. Field Museum

- Rating: 4.5/5 (9,054 reviews)
- City: Chicago
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#3. Chicago Architecture Center

- Rating: 4.8/5 (4,055 reviews)
- City: Chicago
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#2. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry

- Rating: 4.6/5 (11,300 reviews)
- City: Chicago
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#1. The Art Institute of Chicago

- Rating: 4.8/5 (24,710 reviews)
- City: Chicago
- Read more on Tripadvisor

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.

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