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I know I’ve already said this, but the Children’s Museum is the main reason to visit Navy Pier (that is huge praise!). It also happens to be the second-most visited kids’ museum in the country. The entire three-floor building is like a giant playground that also happens to be educational. With 15 permanent exhibits and a number of revolving activities, kids can dig for dinosaur bones, build their own skyscraper, construct a fort under a tree house, take a quick art lesson, climb three floors of ship rigging and get sweaty—and maybe even smarter—while doing so. The museum even has a fun-filled space designated for kids who aren’t yet steady on their feet. And in 2013, CCM opened a new permanent exhibit called the Tinkering Lab, which, inspired by the maker movement, seeks to draw in older kids in the 9 to 13 range. Kids can design, hack, experiment, and try their hand at power tools in this supervised creative space. Allow 2 to 3 hours, plus an additional hour to explore the Ferris wheel and other rides and games on Navy Pier.