Makers in Chicago
For Young Makers
The Fab Lab at the Museum of Science & Industry: 5700 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60637
Part of the MIT network of Fab Labs, which are all over the world! The Fab Lab evolved from the Center for Bits and Atoms, and from a class called "How to Make (almost) Anything."
Tinkering Lab: 700 E. Grand Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611
At the Tinkering Lab in the Chicago Children's Museum, kids can explore how things are made with real tools, like hammers, nails, and screws.
Bit Space: 2451 W. Lawrence Ave., Chicago, IL 60625
Youth maker lab with camps and after-school programs.
Kids Science Labs: South Loop + Lincoln Park
Workshops and learning for kids 2-12.
Latoff YMCA - Greenhouse Makerlab: 300 E. Northwest Highway, Des Plaines, IL, 60016
Family friendly programs for ages 4 and up.
Hacker/Makerspaces | Incubators, Studios, & Labs
Pumping Station One: 3519 N. Elston, Chicago, IL 60618
The original Chicago hackerspace, take your making to the next level. Two levels of membership. Some events open to the public, including orientations.
South Side Hackerspace: 1048 W. 37th St., Chicago, IL 60609
Make Chicago: 1048 W. 37th St., Chicago, IL 60609
Woodworking space with classes.
Chicago Tool Library: 1048 W. 37th St., Chicago, IL 60609 [2019]
A membership library to borrow all kinds of tools.
Polsky Center: 1452 E. 53rd St., Chicago, IL 60615
University Fab Lab and incubator with membership open to the community.
mHUB: 965 W. Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60642
Innovation center focused on physical product development and manufacturing.
2112: 4245 N. Knox Avenue, Chicago, IL 60641
Music, film/video and creative technology.
Lost Arts: 1001 North Branch Street, Chicago, IL 60642
Membership-based makerspace and event space.
Edgewater Workbench: 1130 W Thorndale, Chicago, IL
A makerspace with access to laser cutting and 3D printing near the Thorndale Red Line with daily access or monthly access fees.
Chicago Industrial Arts & Design Center: 6433 N. Ravenswood, Chicago, IL 60626
Metalworking, woodworking, and casting available to members or students of the space.
Blue1647: Chicago, IL
Entrepreneurship and tech innovation center.
Bethel New Life Small Business Development Center: 1140 N. Lamon Ave., Chicago, IL 60651
Technology and entrepreneurship workshops and accelerator.
Spudnik Press: 1821 W. Hubbard St., Suite 302
Facilities and space for artists and education for those interested in printmaking.
Lillstreet Art Center: 4401 N. Ravenswood, Chicago, IL 60640
Art classes for kids and adults.
Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts: 915 E. 60th St., Chicago, IL 60637
The Logan Center presents concerts, exhibitions, performances, programs, and more from world class, emerging, local, and student artists.
Beverly Arts Center: 2407 W. 111th St., Chicago, IL 60655
Performances, classes, and camps.
Workshops in different crafts across the city!
Workshop 88 :Glen Ellyn, IL
Hackerspace.
SpaceLab: 222 E 9th St, Lockport, IL 60441
Makerspace in the south 'burbs.
Reburbishing/Recycling
FreeGeek Chicago: 3411 W. Diversey Ave., Basement, Chicago IL 60647, 773-342-6205
Earn a computer by volunteering, or buy a refurbished computer. Keep old computers out of landfills by donating them. Learn about open-source software and how to use it on your own computer.
Rebuilding Exchange: 1740 W. Webster Ave., Chicago, IL 60614
Creating a market for reclaimed building materials.
Waste Shed: 2842 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60622
Collects and sells reusable art and school materials.
Working Bikes: 2434 S. Western Ave., Chicago, IL 60608
Refurbished bikes!
Services
Professional development, space, and events resource for creatives.
Find a maker or print shop in your neighborhood to print your project (for a fee).
Experiences
108 N. State St. 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60602
Meet like-minded individuals interested in socializing and supporting each other while learning and trying new things.
You'll notice the makerspaces also have Meetup pages.
Take one-time, paid classes to discover new interests.
Online Resources
Skills Development
Skillshare.com: Fee-based online classes.
Communities
r/3Dprinting: part of the social site Reddit, focusing on 3D printing
3ders: A news site about 3d printing
3ders applications: listing of new applications for 3d printing
Shapeways: Tutorials and marketplace
Repositories
Thingiverse: a site to download 3d printing designs
Instructables.com: Learn how to do many different things with printable step by step instructions.
Trimble 3D Warehouse: another site to download 3d objects