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All 635 Chicago Attractions »

International Museum of Surgical Science

1524 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60610
312-642-6502
Ranked #179 of 322 attractions in Chicago
3.0 of 5 stars 13 Reviews
Type: Science Museums, Speciality Museums
Description: A branch of the International College of Surgeons that is dedicated to portraying the art and science of surgery.
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13 reviews from our community

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Date Rating
Chicago
Contributor
19 reviews 19 reviews
Reviews in 14 cities Reviews in 14 cities
30 helpful votes 30 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 22 March 2012
1
person found this review helpful

Yes, it's small, and it's not cheap ($15 unless there's a special exhibit), but it's great if you have an interest in science and medicine, and want to see displays that are not dumbed down to grammar school level. I particularly enjoyed the historical information and old instruments. I was expecting to spend a couple hours there at most, but... More

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Senior Contributor
21 reviews 21 reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 11 February 2012

Good, interesting obscure little museum. Preserved people, many make you worry about the stories of foreign prisoners' bodies being sold for medical displays... but that may have been a touring exhibit a-la "Body Worlds" that was at MSI, I think. An interesting collection for people who might have an interest, but not for everyone, and probably not for the squeamish. More

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See 16 more reviews by TheOnlyRuby for Chicago
Buffalo, New York
Contributor
11 reviews 11 reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 7 February 2012

My hubby is a physician so we had a special interest in visiting this spot. Overall, it had some very interesting displays, but it's a wander and read place. I suppose what this spot lacks is enough funding, and some real imagination, to make it come alive. More

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See 4 more reviews by kersaraam for Chicago
Houston, Texas
Top Contributor
58 reviews 58 reviews
Reviews in 10 cities Reviews in 10 cities
16 helpful votes 16 helpful votes
2 of 5 stars Reviewed 29 December 2011

Tour books will tout that IMSS is free. But the free exhibits downstairs are actually minimal, not much beyond a few showcases of kidney stones and old surgical instruments and a room filled with statues. Don't bother.... More

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See 12 more reviews by kay-cee-1138 for Chicago
Chicago, Illinois
Contributor
17 reviews 17 reviews
Reviews in 9 cities Reviews in 9 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 4 September 2011

I checked their website b4 coming here n I could tell this place was small- everything u see on the site, which isnt much, is exactly all they have there. Still, my husband and I enjoyed looking at the medical instruments and learned quite a bit about medical science throughout history. We liked that there were only a few other... More

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See 4 more reviews by MrsFarmandi for Chicago
Albany, New York
Contributor
15 reviews 15 reviews
Reviews in 9 cities Reviews in 9 cities
8 helpful votes 8 helpful votes
2 of 5 stars Reviewed 4 August 2011

I train medical students and have always worked in the health field, so I thought this museum would be intriguing. It was, but mostly because of the special exhibit "Our Bodies: The Universe Within" which is leaving the museum on August 14. The regular exhibits had some interesting pieces of information re the history of surgery, x-rays, MRIs, etc, along... More

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See 3 more reviews by kfl56 for Chicago
Chicago
Senior Contributor
22 reviews 22 reviews
Reviews in 9 cities Reviews in 9 cities
15 helpful votes 15 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 30 July 2011

Regular Pricing $10 adults, $6 seniors, students, military, ages 3 and under FREE; Tuesdays are FREE - for floors 1 and 2, permanent exhibits. All inclusive pricing (including visiting exhibit THE BODY until Aug 15, 2011) $22 adults, $16 seniors, students, military, $12 ages 4-13, 3 and under FREE. NO FREE TUESDAYS for THE BODY exhibit. A very tiny museum... More

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See 8 more reviews by KmomChicago for Chicago
Jackson, MI
Contributor
19 reviews 19 reviews
Reviews in 9 cities Reviews in 9 cities
23 helpful votes 23 helpful votes
2 of 5 stars Reviewed 16 May 2011
1
person found this review helpful

We stopped by here thinking it would be very interesting, given the size of the building we thought we'd see all sorts of great stuff. Admission was $22, not sure if this was due to The Body exhibit that is going on here or what..but either way..NOT worth it. It took us only an hour to get from entry to... More

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See 2 more reviews by NickAndKaren for Chicago
Iowa City, Iowa
2 reviews
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 21 December 2010

Those who know about the basics of anatomy and physiology wouldn't learn much here. However, this would be a worthwhile experience for kids and could be very educational for the right crowd. We spent about an hour in the museum and weren't wowed by any particular exhibit. Entry was $22 and was not free on Tuesday. There are discounts for... More

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Chicago, IL
Contributor
11 reviews 11 reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
7 helpful votes 7 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 5 May 2010
1
person found this review helpful

We take our 7th graders here every year after they do their fetal pig dissection in science class. It's a manageable museum with benches and rest stops along the way. The mansion is beautiful as well. I believe it's free on Tuesday and minimal in price the other days. Look for the sculpture out front and a plaque on the... More

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See 3 more reviews by Stretch_your_legs for Chicago

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