Free days International Museum of Surgical Science.
Where: International Museum of Surgical Science, 1524 N. Lake Shore Drive (312) 642-6502
When: Admission is no longer free for Illinois residents every Tuesday.
Beginning in 2021 the ISSM is free for all visitors on the following days:
TBA
Discount admission at International Museum of Surgical Science (Up to 50% Off) Available from time-to-time
Regular admission
Adults – $17.00
Senior Citizens (ages 65+) – $13.00
Students & Members of the Military (with ID) – $13.00
Educators (with ID) – $13.00
Children ages 4–13 – $9.00
Children ages 3 and under – FREE
IMSS Members – FREE
Free days International Museum of Surgical Science – About the Museum
The museum is the only museum in North America devoted to surgical science. The museum has over 10,000 square feet of public galleries covering the history of surgery including a permanent collection of art and artifacts from the history of Medicine. There are also small exhibits of contemporary art and the whole museum is contained in a Howard Van Doren Shaw mansion one of only seven mansions left on Lake Shore Drive. Be sure to look at the architectural details. If you read through everything you can cover the museum in a little more than two hours. I took the elevator to the top and worked my way down. Overall very interesting and informative. You’ll be thankful we live in modern medical times!
Guided Tours
The Museum offers guided tours for the public on Thursdays at 2:00pm, free with the price of admission. Tours meet on the first floor across from the Admissions desk, in the Surgicogenomics gallery. Tour length is approximately 45 minutes and requires guests to summit four flights of stairs. Elevator and accessible entrance is available. For information about group tours, including field trips, visit Education.
Museum’s Mission
The Museum supports its Mission through medically thematic exhibitions and programs, in addition to a contemporary art exhibition program. The Mission of the Museum is to enrich people’s lives by enhancing their appreciation and understanding of the history, development, and advances in surgery and related subjects in health and medicine.
About the building
1524 N. Lake Shore Drive ( Eleanor Robinson Countiss house) was designed by Howard Van Doren Shaw in 1917. It was designed to resemble the Le Petit Trianon, a French chateau at Versailles completed in 1770 a favorite home of Marie Antoinette. Original interior finishes of polished limestone, Italian marble, decorative plaster, brass fixtures and hardware, eight stone fireplaces, and a gilded metal staircase are among the features which have been preserved.
Go to the Chicago History Museum
If you go to the IMSS consider going to the Chicago History Museum. Check for free days here. Walk one block north on Lake Shore Drive then turn left and walk four blocks west to Chicago History Museum.
