CHICAGO —Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Department of Planning and Development congratulated the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry on the groundbreaking for improvements to its historic South Portico entrance, a major milestone in the museum's efforts to make the entryway more accessible while preserving the architectural character of the landmark building.
“The South Side is home to some of Chicago’s greatest cultural institutions, and they should be deeply connected to the communities and public spaces that surround them,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “Making these spaces more accessible ensures that more residents can experience and enjoy the institutions that are part of the fabric of their communities.”
The South Portico served as a primary entrance to the Palace of Fine Arts during the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition.
Overlooking Jackson Park’s Columbia Basin, the portico currently does not serve as a public entrance due in part to accessibility limitations.
The renovation will restore the entryway while adapting the space to better serve museum visitors and the surrounding community.
The $22 million project will modify the building’s south entry and add new amenities, including a ground-level entrance with elevator access, an enclosed entry vestibule, a glass curtain wall behind the portico’s historic columns, and improvements to the South Portico terrace.
The project will also add year-round seating and free, non-ticketed public spaces, providing additional opportunities for residents and visitors to experience the museum campus.
“The planned improvements will provide a more authentic perspective that World’s Fair visitors would have experienced nearly 135 years ago, while also amplifying our individual relationships with the building as the South Portico and Columbia Basin become a more visited part of the museum campus,”DPD Commissioner Ciere Boatrightsaid.
As a designated Chicago Landmark, the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry worked with DPD’s Historic Preservation Division to ensure the new accessible entrance and other modifications preserved the building’s significant historic and architectural features.
The Commission on Chicago Landmarks’ Permit Review Committee approved the project in February 2025, finding that the renovations would maintain the building’s historic character while allowing the South Portico to better serve visitors.
Originally constructed as the Palace of Fine Arts for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition and reclad in limestone in 1930, the building became home to the Museum of Science and Industry in 1933 and was designated a Chicago Landmark in 1995.
Construction on the South Portico improvements is expected to be completed within 12 months.