RAMSA's Chicago Museum of Science and Industry Renovation Approved by Landmark Commission

Key facts

• Chicago's Landmark Commission approved RAMSA's renovation plans for the Museum of Science and Industry on September 10.
• The museum was originally designed by Charles Atwood of Daniel Burnham & Company as the Palace of Fine Arts for the 1893 World's Fair.
• Renovations include modifications to the north and south entrances, new curtain walls behind the south portico's columns, and a new Welcome Hall on the north facade.
• The new Welcome Hall will serve as the above-ground main entry, replacing the current below-ground entrance.
• The existing main entry area will be converted into an exhibition space.
• The new entry features a hill-like form with a green roof, a glass curtain wall, a vaulted interior with an oculus, and an all-glass volume connected to the historic facade.
• An opening in the museum's steps will make way for the new entry, similar to the Brooklyn Museum's steps renovation by Polshek Partnership (now Ennead Architects).
• New Science Gardens, public restrooms, an ADA-accessible elevator, community event spaces, and an outdoor terrace and cafe overlooking Jackson Park are planned.
• The south entry is slated for completion in 2027; no timeline has been shared for the northern components.