Griffin Museum Begins $22 Million South Portico Renovation
The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago's Hyde Park has initiated a $22 million renovation project to open its historic South Portico, which has been closed for over a century. The project aims to create an accessible entrance,…
Chicago, IL, October 13, 2026 —
The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago’s Hyde Park has initiated a $22 million renovation intended to open its historic South Portico, which has been closed for more than a century.
The project aims to add an accessible entrance, a café and a terrace. Completion is anticipated by late 2027, according to the information provided about the project.
The South Portico’s long closure is a central feature of the renovation plan. The available information does not specify when the portico was closed, why it has remained closed, or what construction work will be required to reopen it. It also does not identify the project’s architects or contractors.
Details about how the $22 million project is being funded, when work began, and whether construction will affect museum operations were not provided. The plan’s accessibility features beyond the proposed entrance were not described, and no further information was provided about the café or terrace, including their size, design or operating arrangements.
The late-2027 completion date is an anticipated timeline; no more specific opening date was provided. The project’s stated goals are to make the South Portico accessible and add the café and terrace. Further details about the renovation’s schedule and design were not included in the available summary.
Story summarized from the original created by Maxwell Evans on blockclubchicago.org, see more information here.
