Event · Community

Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light 2026

When

Through Jan 3Daily during museum hours, Saturday, November 7, 2026 through Sunday, January 3, 2027

Where

Griffin Museum of Science and Industry5700 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60637Open in Google Maps ↗

Ages

All ages

Cost

Museum admission; exhibit pricing not stated in the release

Organizer

Griffin Museum of Science and Industry

Griffin Museum of Science and Industry's 84th annual holiday exhibit fills the museum with a forest of more than 50 trees, each decorated by community volunteers to share their family's cultural and holiday traditions. Displays among the trees present celebrations of light from around the world, including Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Diwali, and the four-story Grand Tree anchors the North Court. Every 30 minutes a snowfall simulation drifts down among the trees near the Grand Tree, which younger children tend to love. The museum adds holiday food (a bundled family meal for four with Christmas cookies is $85), a Stan's Donuts pop-up and a holiday shop during the season. It is a relaxed walk-through that works for all ages and pairs easily with the rest of the museum's exhibits on the same visit. Check the museum's ticket page for admission before you go; the release does not state whether the exhibit needs an extra ticket.