Jackson Park’s cherry trees are beginning to blossom, a South Side rite of spring that’s as bewitching as it is unpredictable.

With an extreme cold warning in effect and actual air temperatures below zero in Chicago on Friday morning, several of the city's major cultural institutions have announced closures to the public.

The Chicago Park District said the best viewing will likely run through April 27.

The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry’s “Christmas Around the World” and “Holidays of Light” exhibits are still here to keep your Christmas spirit alive. The annual exhibit started in 1942 with a single tree that was newly decorated for 12 days to represent the nations fighting alongside the U.S. during World War II.

The Museum of Science and Industry will officially be renamed the Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry. The donation, previously announced in 2019, is the largest in the museum’s history.

Two large galleries showcase tricked-out vehicles, artifacts and gadgets from 25 films in the series, along with movie clips that set the scene.

If you’re seeking activities that don’t break the bank this winter, look no further than local museums, zoos and gardens. A number have announced free admission days in 2024.

Families and organizations from all over the Chicago area came to the museum bright and early to decorate their country’s Christmas tree. This year, the trees represented a total of 57 countries, including Austria, Puerto Rico, Kenya, Switzerland, and France, to name a few.

The front lawn of the Museum of Science and Industry nearly erupted as 90 volcanoes shot off in celebration of the Chicago institution’s 90th birthday. 

This past weekend, many workers at the Museum of Science and Industry voted to unionize. According to unofficial results released by AFSCME, nearly three quarters of employees who voted cast a ballot in favor of representation.

Leaders of both museums cited inflation and the higher cost of wages and benefits among the reasons for raising admission fees.

The business of Chicago-based Model Builders Inc. is in the details – precision-crafting models and prototypes of all kinds since 1950. As Model Builders Inc.’s Jeff Harris puts it: “you’re convincing the person that’s looking at it that it’s the real thing, shrunk.”

Despite the ingenuity the circus brought at one time, that’s since changed. That’s why the Museum of Science and Industry is saying goodbye to its collection in an upcoming auction. 

An exhibit celebrating Black creativity is open from now until April 17 at the Museum of Science and Industry. 

To coincide with the reopening of Chicago, a number of museums will stay open late on Friday for an after-hours experience.

Is your Spidey sense tingling? The Museum of Science and Industry has announced it will reopen the first week in March with a new exhibit to greet guests: "Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes."