When I think of museums, one of the first things that comes to mind is this pleasant scene from one of the greats… Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

We could all use one of these days every now and then.  While that movie has plenty of date ideas scattered throughout (ball games, obnoxiously fancy restaurants, and doing a rendition of Danke Schoen on a float), the countless museums around Chicago are all possible date locale’s for that first time encounter.

Let’s break it down…

Pro’s

Conversation - Being the fine purveyor of art that you are, there will be plenty of conversation to help move the flow along for the date.  From the various sculptures, inscriptions on tablets, or even talking about how each painting is “made up of really, really, ridiculously, tiny little dots!”, each room you enter can bring about a brand new topic.

Culture - Compared to hanging out with each other and watching ‘Keeping up with the Kardashians’ or ‘America’s Got Talent’, moving through a museum will activate that little gray matter that rests inside that skull and both of you might learn something new.

Interaction - Some places, like the Shedd Aquarium or Chicago History Museum, will have small little stations where you can stop and use some interaction to learn or play around with a little history.  While this may not be your next daily ritual, every now and than it’s good to reconnect with the kid in all of us.

Con’s

Boring - Let’s face it, it’ll be difficult to make each other laugh to the point where you’re spitting up liquids.  Also, either party could completely hate museums because they aren’t the most stimulating and exciting places on earth.

Short amount of time - Depending on how fast you fly through, these museums can take an whole day to walk through, or as short as an hour depending on your attention span.  Make sure to have a backup venue to fly to next.

Slow Pace - The slow pace and quiet atmosphere can be a drag if there isn’t too much conversation flowing back and forth.  This can paint either of you as boring or non-interested.  Don’t take it out on each other, it could just be Goethe’s Faust summary that…zzzzzzzzzzzz…….

This is is a decent date that is good for killing some time during the day.  It’s always good to venture off into places that you may not visit on your own.  Just make sure to pack some personality so you’ll both be entertained while journeying your way through these mind morsels.  Here’s a list of museums around Chicago.

Overall 2/5 stars