Museum of Science and Industry Chicago Illinois

It's hard to know where to begin in sharing a few photos of Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry. The size of the museum is massive. A few photos of huge objects may help imagine how large it really is.

One standout attraction is the German U-Boat 505, which was captured 4 June, 1944. The full size original submarine is on display along with film, story board, and models depicting life in a sub. Tours are available but were all booked when I arrived.

In addition to the locomotive pictured above, there's a Stephensons Rocket nearby and a full size Pioneer Zephyr on display.





















Planes are here too. You can walk through a Boeing 727,  see World War II planes, and view the exhibit about the beginnings of flight.





And there's a large model railway display featuring city, lakeside, and mountain sections.

There's so much more to see and do with many interactive exhibits friendly to children of all ages.


















Location: The Museum of Science and Industry Chicago is near Lake Michigan BUT it is not on the Museum Campus. It's further South at 5700 Lake Shore Drive Chicago IL 60637. I used the Metra line train near my hotel on Michigan Ave.

Admission: It's expensive for those of us from out-of-state. I bought a City Pass to save on costs at five attractions. Some exhibits or events cost extra. Check the website for details. Map link.

Crowds: It did not take long after opening for lots of groups of children to arrive. The museum is so large that it did not feel crowded.

Hours: Open daily 9:30 - 4:30 with various exceptions so you will need to check the website for the latest.

Food: I was allowed to bring my own lunch and eat in designated areas . There are places to purchase lunches and snacks.

Friendliness: All the staff I spoke to were friendly.

Maps: A map of the museum is online and paper copies are available to visitors.

Accessibility: See the website for details.

Website: https://www.msichicago.org/


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BEKONSCOT A MODEL VILLAGE OFFERS A FINE DAY OUT

As the sign says, Bekonscot is a model village and railway.

We boarded a train at Marylebone London and headed west to Beaconsfield. A short walk took us to Bekonscot.

We followed the winding path in the miniature village to see a great variety of scenes- cottages, castles, industrial works, airports, waterways, a zoo, a circus and more.

Watch this video to get an overview of the village.

The circus tent




A lion at the zoo

The race




Trains continually run everywhere throughout the village.

And many scenes are animated like this model farm and windmill.

There's a lot going on at the Bekonscot circus.

Here, the children are on the playground by their cottages.

Enjoy a funfair in this creative scene.

And then there was trouble--in the distance, a cottage is on fire.

Enjoy some more scenes from our visit.

See more places to visit in the   United Kingdom

Bekonscot Model Village is located at Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire. 

Bekonscot in Beaconsfield on GOOGLE MAPS

Here's the link to their website http://www.bekonscot.co.uk/

There is a modest entrance fee.

You can buy refreshments onsite or enjoy a picnic lunch at their facilities.

It wasn't crowded when we went 6 May 2016

You might like this fun and informative guide to British words and phrases.

Mind the Gap 2 on    AMAZON      and    GOOGLE

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TRAINFEST The Model Railroad Megashow in Wisconsin

Trainfest, Wisconsin by Geoff W. Sutton 2016

I suspect one of the reasons this model railroad event is such a success is its proximity to Christmas.

The website claims this annual November show as "America's Largest Operating Model Railroad Show." The attendance count runs around 25,000.

You can check the website for details. Dozens of American clubs displayed their craft from across the United States and Canada but especially from the North Central States and Ontario.






I was surprised to see this happy contest winner from Japan. His award winning model resulted in a trip courtesy of the Kato company.

Kato contest winner, Hiroshimo, Japan, Photo by Geoff W Sutton 2016

The creative works ranged from the tiny luggage-sized displays to




larger scale riding models

Train ride in the activities section.

Of course there were many examples of best-selling sizes (HO, n-scale).



And Lego's trains and buildings are popular everywhere...

One part of one Lego display.

Lego tables for children.

You might be tired after visiting the Expo Center. Trainfest provides an included bus ride to a second building packed with many more displays--including some Christmas themed layouts.






Model railroading is a popular hobby for people of all ages. In addition to the varied quality of the locomotives and sophisticated technology, the hobby attracts skilled craftspeople and engineers. Often, what you cannot make, someone else can.

The show itself was interesting for its breadth in terms of model scales, vendors, and participants. It was clearly designed to engage children as well as adults eager to improve their skills.


Finally, a short video clip featuring Christmas...

See my GeoffWSutton YouTube channel for more Model Railways and other travels.

See the Trainfest website for details on admission costs, parking, and directions.

A few notes

There's plenty of parking at Trainfest, which is located on the State Fair grounds. The cost was $6 in 2016.
Food vendors are expensive as you might expect at such venues. You'll see folks enjoying their homemade sandwiches.
I stayed at a nearby Best Western, where I had a hearty and late breakfast- I skipped lunch to enjoy some local food- Wisconsin cheese for sure.
I noticed some folks getting golf-cart rides from the parking area to the Expo Center.
I received my NMRA member discount to $10 from the posted $15. I couldn't find my card but they did accept proof of membership from the magazine cover and warned me to bring my card next time.
I found the folks friendly and quick to give directions.
There are lots of seats where you can take a break in the buildings and outside.
By midday on Saturday the place was packed so it was hard to get close to some displays.
The children's activities area was busy and all seemed to enjoy the variety from train races and rides, to coloring-- and of course Lego building. If I wasn't so far away from home, I would loved to have taken my granddaughters.
The restrooms were clean, plentiful, and well-maintained.