I've only taken one class here that lasted 3 hours. The instructor was mediocre. But I don't want to assume the quality of the other instructors without taking their classes. They seem to offer a decent variety. The building is delapidated and is on it's last legs. The baseboards and crown moldings look moldy. The cheap carpet hasn't been vaccumed since it was installed. If the whole thing crashes down when you are in class don't be surprised. I realize everything is expensive in Chicago, but can't they at least clean this place replace the carpet every 10 years? read more

I love that this place exists. I have taken all kinds of classes here...from learning how to speak Japanese to Fencing....from learning the fundamental of playing pool to exotic dance. The prices are reasonable and you can't beat the array of classes that they offer. The classes are usually 6 weeks which is perfect for seeing if you want to continue on or if it was just a passing phase. They have stuff like "learn to be a pilot" or "white water rafting" both of which I plan on taking in the future. They even have stuff for fetishes and speed dating. I think this place is a jewel in the city...Don't let the building scare you...it looks gross from the outside and it is on the inside...but who cares...are you there to learn something new or to stare at the dingy walls? read more

This building is old and creepy, but the classes that are offered here are great. Anything from belly dance to real estate courses can be found. The classes are normally around 6 weeks and the costs are minimal. It is a great place to meet others with your interests. Try something new at the Discovery Center. read more

I took a few Arabic language courses here and had a good experience. My instructor was Hani, who was a native of Egypt. He was able to instruct in different Arabic dialects. read more

The workshop with Ed Hanna called Financial Fitness (Basic investing and more) was INTENSE... I went home and actually said out loud, "WOW, that blew my mind". read more

This was my first and last experience with the Discovery Center. My husband and I took a 6 week language class before our honeymoon and we were disappointed. The teacher was always 20 minutes late to class and ran over the end time. He canceled one class and rescheduled another. If students have to make a 6 week committment then the teacher should too! On top of that, we didn't receive "class materials" until week 5 and never used them during class. The building itself is old and dingy-the "classroom" was not ideal for a language class since the air conditioning unit was so loud you couldn't hear the person next to you talking. We were looking for a fun experience that would get us ready for Europe, and unfortunately, this was not it. I can tell you that I learned to conjugate verbs, but didn't learn any vocabulary or verbs to use. Save your money and skip this class! read more

I was really excited to see some great events and opportunities offered through the center and gave it a shot for an event held back in May. The prices seemed very reasonable for very diverse and interesting opportunites. There were zero details about the location for the event I prepaid and registered for (event was to be held off-site, not at Discovery Center itself) in the event details on the website - I contacted both the instructor (as their contact info was provided) as well as Discovery Center for information. The instructor told me that they were no longer working with Discovery Center and that I'd have to discuss with them what their plans were for my payment - to see if the event was still be held or refunded. Discovery contacted me no more than 24 hours prior to the event to tell me it would be rescheduled to the same date in June (no mention of the fact the instructor was no longer connected to the event, only that they were looking for a new location - though these details were still prevalent all over the event listing on their website). When the June rescheduled date quickly approached, I still hadn't gotten any details from Discovery as to where the event would be held or if anything had changed. Sure enough, I contacted them knowing full-well they weren't going to be pro-active and let their clients know anything... You guessed it. The class has been rescheduled. But they can't give me a date. Or a location. Or a refund. I'm out $100 for something that doesn't seem like it will actually ever take place. Very disappointed. Not a great intro to the place I was more than excited to try out. I think a few chances is more than enough - no resolution in sight at this point. If one does happen, I'll be sure to update here with what they decided to do. Basically in my mind it just seems like they took my money and ran at this point. As a customer that's how I feel, though I'm sure they have an explanation on their end - I just haven't been provided with a reasonable one as to why, if the event isn't going to take place, I can't get my money back. *** Update July 7 *** They've still been unable to give me a date for a rescheduled class, nor a reimbursement. I will not be giving them my business going forward, and looks like I'm just out the $100. Awesome. read more

This place is disgusting. Run! I signed up for an 8 week yoga class and could only complete the first class. The room was freezing and I'm sure I was inhaling some sort of toxic fumes. The walls were so thin that I could hear the staff downstairs playing music and talking. Not exactly the relaxing yoga class I had hoped for. read more

Took evening spanish class. Only $99.00. No place is not fancy, but not dirty or disgusting in anyway. I got my moneys worth and had a great instructor..it's all I can say! read more

White Water Rafting Excursion... I have only done one event through the Discovery Center and it was interesting...We thought we had signed up for a white water adventure, but when we arrived we found out that the water levels were too low and they were taking us to an alternative location. It ended up being this makeshift river in the middle of a town in Indiana. The course was a 1/2 mile long and after the short trip you had to walk back to do it all again. Hmmmm.... The equipment was solid though and we made the best of it. We actually had fun trying not to bite it on these mini rapids....and there was a lady taking pics who then posted them online to buy. We then went to this restaurant and realized that beer doesn't have to cost a fortune. We split a large pizza and each had two beers for $18 (including tip). We took a school bus which wasn't very comfortable, but overall the day was fun! Hope to try out a dance class or two here. read more

This is for the capoeria classes I've taken there. I'm an absolute beginner and the thought of going to straight to centers where they have capoeira sort of intimidates me. My instructor Michelle was the best at guiding me through stretching technics to building a solid base of the basics. Another thing she explains the moves and why. Even though my attemps would be awkward I never felt that way. Its very good to know that the instructor continues the art outside of teaching like practicing and going to workshops. I have since taken a capoeira class else where and I felt the lessons with Michelle really helped. Obrigada! read more

I met with the instructor for the private lesson as agreed. She was very professional and honestly I felt she had a great background in photography making for a highly credible instructor. I learned a lot from her in the 2 hour private session however I still feel the 5 week class I initially signed up for would have provided the classroom time I sought. I will be seeking further instruction from another organization. read more

I've attended several classes at the Discovery Center in Chicago. I like it, but I wish the language classes were on the main floor. They now have new carpeting and opened up the entrance area more, so now it is roomier. I like many of the staff members. I have had good experiences, but sometimes there are some bad eggs. You cannot fault the entire staff for a few characters. The instructors that I've met were wonderful, knowledgeable, and friendly. I really can't complain. Yes, the building is a bit older and rough around the edges, but then again, so am I. :) read more

I love this place and have been coming and taking classes here for a long time. It goes from learning how to play Harmonica to my most recent class of How to Start Your Own Business with the founder and owner, Bob Wagner. I found the course most useful and it covered the entire gambit from how to get going, how to use and involve the SBA, financial statements, cash flow, insurance, websites, goal setting , SEO, to the basic and different types of business entities and the advantages and disadvantages of each. The last part being taught by 2 attorneys. It was a great day, I had my questions answered and I had some great discussions! read more

Awesome place. Always very interesting, fun, and educational programs, workshops, and field trips. From whitewater rafting, to dancing, to real estate, to "coffeemating," etc., etc. you name it and they have it...I have been on two of their whitewater rafting trips and each has been awesome!! Highly recommended!! read more

Had a really good time on our White Water rafting trip down the Vermillion. It's definitely a trip for beginners. There were some choppy parts of the river, and 1 rapid - Wild Cat. We were with a LARGE group, the guides were very informative and took extra concern for our safety. I have never gone white water rafting before and was really concerned when they were giving information about the dangers along the river. The guide was cool enough to allow me and another girl to ride in his raft and gave us additional instruction and safety tips. I felt we got our monies worth and I definitely would go again. read more

I'm currently taking a poker class and Miles is great! I've learned a lot about rule nuances, strategy and 'reading' your opponents. I would highly recommend this class! read more

I recently took the Discovery Center's multi-hour "PowerPoint How-To" (class #2607) with instructor David B., and found it incredibly helpful and useful. Before the class, I could do basic PPT slides, but needed a better understanding for my corporate job. We had a three-person class -- great for being able to move through material quickly. I especially appreciated the several projects we did in class, each building well on the others. I WILL, however, say that you'll likely get more out of this course if you've got at least a BASIC understanding of PowerPoint. While our smaller class benefited from one-on-one attention, if you're especially slow it will be hard to keep up -- frustrating both for you and the instructor. I give it a thumbs-up. I definitely feel more confident editing PPT slides and creating others at work, and that was my main goal. read more

I attended the Whitewater Rafting trip with a group of my friends on Saturday Aug 22-23rd. The event was hosted and arranged by Discovery Center. I have heard of this company but never had the opportunity to attend a class or event. The Whitewater Camping and Rafting trip was overnight it was great. The Staff, Bod and Jeff attended the trip with us their hospitality was that of a long time family friend. They are very friendly, organized. professional and I love the way they mingle and interact with the group. The trip itself was so much fun it was my first time camping and rafting and such a great experience. They were very informative, patient and resourceful. Looking for forward to attending more classes. read more

I've been coming to the Discovery Center for 6months for various painting classes and it's a joy every time! Everyone is so friendly and helpful. Would recommend these classes to anyone read more

Don't go for the rafting trip. They put you on a raft with all amateurs and send you over a waterfall. Every other rafting trip I've been on, there's been a guide. This company is negligent. They send you over a dangerous waterfall with a bunch of people who may or may not have been on a raft. No helmets... Just danger and deadly rocks. I hated this trip, and you may too. The love of my life nearly smashed her head on a rock emerging from the waterfall. I had to rescue her. read more

Along with Kristina B., I'm surprised this place is still in business as well. The quality of the classes and instructors are questionable, to say the least. I had a very HUMILIATING experience in one of their Salsa Dance classes. This happened years ago, so I'm not sure if the male instructor is still there... The instructor was an overweight Latin man, who always wore dress shoes with no socks, not exactly a hygienic move... Anyway, he had asked me to come to the front of a packed class, to demonstrate a dance move, which was followed by a dip. I'm an African-American woman, with naturally long hair. So he demonstrated the move with me, than afterwards he turns and announced to the class "Men, when you're doing this move with a woman, make sure she's NOT WEARING FALSE HAIR!" Then he bent down and pretended like he was picking up a wig, and motioned like he was putting it back on top of my head!!!! I didn't appreciate this racist, stereotypical joke, especially since my hair is naturally long. NEWS FLASH, not all black women wear weaves! Some of us can actually grow hair! I just shook my head and said "no." I really regret not cursing him out. Along with some of the other ignorant, racist people in the class who laughed. I never took another class there again after that. Looking back, there were warning signs that this instructor was bad news. He was always making many hurtful, snide comments at women in general. I remember one woman, he was dancing with stopped mid-step and walked out of the class. I can only imagine what he said to her... My advice to anybody considering taking a class here, is to sit in on the class for free before forking over a dime. Make sure the instructor is good and won't actually humiliate you in of the entire class for their own amusement! I sure wish I had! Sign, Burned Student read more

My daughter and I took the calligraphy class a few years ago and it was fine. And I liked the acting class also a few years ago. However the Italian class I took in the spring was terrible. First of all the first class was moved back a week but I wasn't notified so I went there for nothing. The instructor was always late for the classes I attended. He literally refused to tell us his name nor gave any contact info. How weird is that?! (In contrast, when I took another Italian class last year at Truman college Continuing Ed, the teacher gave us her email so we could ask questions.) The instructor was disorganized, unprepared and abrasive. He would get on rants about one topic or another and would often use swear words which got old. The room was either freezing if the heat was off or worse when the radiator was on, it clanked so much that we couldn't hear. It was very frustrating. I learned no Italian and stopped going in the middle of the series. I asked for a refund or the option of taking another class but never heard back so that's that. I would never take a class here again. The building is is really bad condition and is depressing. Mama mia! read more

Wish I could say I loved this place, since they offer sooo many classes and trips that sound super fun... but after my experience there, I can only agree with the person below: proceed with caution. I felt really misled trying to use a coupon there, and when I tried to reach out to management to work it out, it only made things worse. Not exactly the best customer service. read more

This place is a joke. They do a great job of marketing since classes look exciting but they're awful. I took proofreading, writing a screenplay with Dan Dekker and a shyness workshop. The shyness workshop was run by Katherine Kellar and she couldn't have cared less about helping us and I was embarrased that I went. I even wrote the owner about how terrible it was. I've learned more about screenwriting after taking the course and people have said that Dan Dekker is full of it which confirmed what I thought. The proofreading course was poor. The instructor looked like she didn't want to be there. I'm done with this place. read more

I took an arobics call here years ago, and aggree that the building was sort of old and gross. This winter I took a cooking class and it was located at the instructors apartment. It was SO much fun, we ate everything we cooked and took home lots of healthy cooking tips. I would not let the condition of the building stop me from taking classes here. read more

i agree wit the other yelper, this place was creepy but the price was in fact right

BOOOO! I signed up to take French. The instructor called the day before I was to start to cancel the first class. I then realized I was going to have to move and could not make any of the classes. I've called five times to speak to a manager to get my money back. They always tell me I can have a credit. EVERY time I explain to them that I don't live there anymore and will not live there again. The manager has NEVER called me back. Highly unprofessional. I will never get to use my $130.00. read more

The most recent class I took at Discovery Center was the Calligraphy Course. It was excellent. Every week we build on what was learned before. The two hours for each class meeting went by very fast. I've found calligraphy to be a very relaxing hobby. John Michael Korpal is a great instructor. read more

Last fall when I enrolled in David Miller's Create and Distribute a Web Series; I was impressed with David knowledge and experience working in film and also creating a web series. So it was very easy for me to sign up for his class: Micro-Budget and Low Budget Filmmaking. David does a good job giving you tons of information on how to get started and where to go for your material needs. David does emphasize it does takes time and practice, that's why planning and putting that plan to work is important. Just like the last class David offers some advice to help you out. The next class is coming up March 30. If you interested to know what the film industry is all about David the person to talk to. read more

I took the canoeing trip in September and loved it. The scenery was beautiful, the trip was well organized, and Bob drove us himself. I will definitely do it again as well as whitewater rafting trips next summer. I highly recommend it. read more

The new location is on Elston Avenue and the facilities are modernized. I took the notary public class because I had never done much with my notary commission. The instructor was Eva Marie Tolbert-Bradley and she was sensational - very knowledgeable and generous with providing tips to jump start your business. I highly recommend the Discovery Center and the Notary Public class that they offer. P.S. You will have to pay for parking unless you take public transportation, but you don't pay downtown rates. read more

I signed up for a class at Discovery Center. They called me the day before to say the class was cancelled. They assured me that they would credit my account immediately. It took them 10 weeks to credit my account. read more

I recently took the "Becoming a Sales Superstar" class. The instructor was extremely experienced and knowledgeable. The content of the material was deep and very useful in my profession. I would definitely recommend this class to anyone in the sales business. read more