Free Days at Chicago Museums
Museums are listed by Day of the Week or Alphabetically or by Type or by Geographic Area
- regular admission prices given are for adults
- reduced admission prices are often available for children, senior citizens, students, teachers, military in uniform, etc (ID usually required)
- museum members free
- museums in the parks have a dual-fee structure, with a lower price (usually $1 or $2 less) for Chicago residents (whose taxes are helping support them) .
- Chicago Public Library card-holders can check out passes (very hot! very cool!) giving free admission for an entire family (or any facsimile thereof) to many of these museums; sometimes even includes extras such as shows. Look for the
tag!
The "Museum Campus" pass is replacing the former separate passes for the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, and Adler Planetarium.
Alternatively: a time-limited (nine days), combined (slightly more than) half-price ticket for six major museums (one visit each) is available from CityPass OR variously-priced (by number of days) unlimited visits to some 25 museums and attractions from GoChicago (both commercial outfits).
Just where do these free days come from? See a historical note (with a recent update -- special price breaks for Chicago residents).
The Chicago Tribune ran a special section of articles on museums on Sunday, August 12, 2001. (sorry; seems to have aged off their server)
Get around for free (or maybe not ... no listing yet this year) on the Trolleys!. Routes serve Downtown Shopping, Metra/Navy Pier, Metra/Museums, Navy Pier, Lincoln Park/Metra, Lincoln Park/Navy Pier, Lincoln Park Shuttle, LaSalle Street Commuter Station Express, and Chinatown/Pilsen; downloadable maps are available for Downtown, Lincoln Park, and Chinatown/Pilsen (warning: pdf files).
Some major museum free days have changed. The institutions are playing games with the Park District requirements, shifting from one free day per week to fifty-two free days per year, concentrated in the off-season.
The three "Museum Campus" institutions (Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, and Adler Planetarium), plus the Museum of Science and Industry, now have the same free days, Mondays and Tuesdays from September through February (excluding the Christmas-New Year's season, and plus a few extras noted below).
I have kept the listings under their old free days due to not having enough time or energy to re-do the page yet.
New Free Days
Shedd Aquarium -- formerly Mon
Adler Planetarium -- formerly Tues
Field Museum -- formerly Wed
Museum of Science and Industry -- formerly Thur (Mondays and Tuesdays, Aug-Dec and Jan- February; excludes Christmas)
Art Institute -- Still Tuesdays
Spertus Museum of Judaica -- formerly Friday
Monday
The Chicago Historical Society is now calling itself the Chicago History Museum, but we know who they really are.
Their large scale interior renovation is now complete, and the museum has re-opened (new price, too -- $12)
Shedd Aquarium (now an eye-popping $23 for a ticket including all special exhibit areas -- Oceanarium, Shark Reef, etc -- $8 off on the "free" days, representing the general admission price)
Tuesday
Adler Planetarium ($10 adult, $6 kids general admission (exhibits only); $9 more adds one Sky Show and "Historic Atwood Sphere Experience" or " Special Guided Tour"; another $6 adds unlimited Sky Shows)
(special evening program first Friday of each month with unlimited show, telescope viewing and other activities; $20))
(Free day schedule varies during the year -- check the website.)
Art Institute ($12 (about to rise to $18); sometimes extra fee for special exhibitions ; regular free day used to be Tuesdays, now concentrated in February)(museum open 'til 8:00 PM on Thursdays (free 5:00PM-8:00PM))
(Special exhibit: Yousuf Karsh: Regarding Heroes (January 22–April 26, 2009; no extra fee listed)
(Special exhibit: Ink on Paper: Japanese Monochromatic Prints (January 24–May 10, 2009; no extra fee listed)
(Special exhibit: The Coming of a New Age: Meiji- and Taisho-Period Decorative Arts (March 14–August 9, 2009; no extra fee listed)
Museum of Contemporary Art ($10; closed Mondays; free on Tuesday all day (formerly was evenings only))
Special exhibits: Tropicália: A Revolution in Brazilian Culture (October 22, 2005 – January 8, 2006) and Alexander Calder ( November 12, 2005 – August 27, 2006) (no extra fees listed)
Terra Museum of American Art (temporarily free, although they'd be happy if you tossed $5 at them; closed Mondays)
Too Late!! The Terra closed at the end of October, 2004 (an artifact of a fight among the trustees, some of whom wanted to move the Museum to Washington, D.C.). Part of the collection, will be absorbed by the Art Institute).)
Spertus Museum of Judaica ($7; closes early on Friday) Tuesdays 10-12 noon and Thursdays 2-6pm
Wednesday
Field Museum of Natural History ($12 plus extra for Underground Adventure andSue's Discovery Dig, and many of the special exhibits -- website oddly does not show general admission, just packages ranging from $19-$25)
***** *****
Special exhibit: Dinosaur Dynasty: Discoveries from China ( May 27, 2005—April 23, 2006; $7 extra)
Coming soon: Pompeii: Stories from an Eruption ( October 22, 2005 – March 26, 2006; $7 extra )
...and: one word -- SUE
Thursday
Museum of Science and Industry
($13, plus $7 for Omnimax shows; free days mostly in January and October -- check the website))
Preview your visit at their large array of on-line exhibits, or pay a call on those that have been closed or been replaced.
Special exhibit: Harry Potter (April 30th-September 27th, 2009; $13, yes, THIRTEEN dollars extra, or $18 for the exhibit alone)
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (formerly known as the Academy of Science -- re-opened at its new location) ($7; free Thursdays; sometimes extra fee for special exhibitions)
(location note: claims to be in the Lincoln Park area near the Zoo and Conservatory, but is really more than walking distance (but too close to be worth giving up a parking space for)).
Spertus Museum of Judaica ($7; closes early on Friday) Tuesdays 10-12 noon and Thursdays 2-6pm
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
DuSable Museum of African-American History ($3)
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No Admission Fee
Chicago Botanic Garden ($7/car charge for parking)
Lincoln Park Zoo, Lincoln Park Conservatory
Mexican Fine Arts Center
Museum of Broadcast Communications
Newberry Library
Special exhibit: Lewis and Clark and the Indian Country (September 28, 2005, through January 14, 2006)
Oriental Institute (U of Chicago) (now with "suggested donation of $5.00; some galleries closed for renovation )
No Weekly Free Day
Brookfield Zoo ($6)
(free on Tuesday and Thursdays October through March; several additional fee attractions)
Children's Museum ($6) (free Thursday evenings)
The Oak Park duo:
Hemingway Birthplace and Museum ($6) and
Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio ($8, includes tour; website has much information about other Wright buildings)
Extras
Music
Chicago has two major summer music festivals. The
Grant Park Concerts are always free (special seating is available for a charge). The
Ravinia Festival has reserved seats at various prices (depending on the program), plus general admission (modestly priced and also available free on the Chicago Public Library's "Check Us Out" passes).
Other
Last year it was sofas -- Suite Home Chicago Official and Unofficial (latter very extensive).
Before that, the famous Cows ... and more Cows ...
Ghosts of the Windy City is a directory of places associated with crimes and strange happenings, with complete stories.
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Alphabetically (details in "Day" sections)
Adler Planetarium -- Tuesday
Art Institute -- Tuesday
Chicago Botanic Garden -- No Admission Fee
Museum of Broadcast Communications -- No Admission Fee
Brookfield Zoo -- No Weekly Free Day
Children's Museum -- No Weekly Free Day
Museum of Contemporary Art -- Tuesday
DuSable Museum of African-American History -- Sunday
Field Museum of Natural History -- Wednesday
Hemingway Museum -- No Weekly Free Day
Chicago Historical Society -- Monday
Lincoln Park Zoo, Lincoln Park Conservatory -- No Admission Fee
Mexican Fine Arts Center -- No Admission Fee
Newberry Library -- No Admission Fee
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (formerly known as the Academy of Science) -- Tuesday
Oriental Institute -- No Admission Fee
Museum of Science and Industry -- Thursday
Shedd Aquarium -- Monday
Spertus Museum of Judaica -- Tuesday
10-12 noon and Thursday 2-6pm
Terra Museum of American Art -- Tuesday
Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio -- No Weekly Free Day
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Type (details in "Day" sections)
Art/Architecture/Archeology
Art Institute -- Tuesday
Museum of Contemporary Art -- Tuesday
Oriental Institute -- No Admission Fee
Terra Museum of American Art-- Tuesday
Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio -- No Weekly Free Day
Science/Nature/Technology/Medicine
Adler Planetarium -- Tuesday
Chicago Botanic Garden -- No Admission Fee
Brookfield Zoo -- No Weekly Free Day
Field Museum of Natural History -- Wednesday
Lincoln Park Zoo, Lincoln Park Conservatory -- No Admission Fee
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (formerly known as the Academy of Science) -- Tuesday
Museum of Science and Industry -- Thursday
Shedd Aquarium -- Monday
Cultural/Ethnic
DuSable Museum of African-American History -- Sunday
Chicago Historical Society -- Monday
Mexican Fine Arts Center -- No Admission Fee
Newberry Library -- No Admission Fee
Spertus Museum of Judaica -- Tuesday
10-12 noon and Thursday 2-6pm
Other
Museum of Broadcast Communications -- No Admission Fee
Children's Museum -- No Weekly Free Day
Hemingway Museum -- No Weekly Free Day
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Geographic Area (details in "Day" sections)
North
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (formerly known as the Academy of Science) -- Tuesday
Lincoln Park Zoo, Lincoln Park Conservatory -- No Admission Fee
Chicago Historical Society -- Monday
Newberry Library -- No Admission Fee
Museum of Contemporary Art -- Tuesday
Children's Museum -- No Weekly Free Day
Central
Terra Museum of American Art -- Tuesday
Museum of Broadcast Communications -- No Admission Fee
Art Institute -- Tuesday
Spertus Museum of Judaica -- Tuesday
10-12 noon and Thursday 2-6pm
Museum Campus (south of Loop, along lakefront)
Field Museum of Natural History -- Wednesday
Shedd Aquarium -- Monday
Adler Planetarium -- Tuesday
South
Mexican Fine Arts Center -- No Admission Fee
DuSable Museum of African-American History -- Sunday
Oriental Institute -- No Admission Fee
Museum of Science and Industry -- Thursday
Suburbs
Chicago Botanic Garden -- No Admission Fee
Brookfield Zoo -- No Weekly Free Day
Hemingway Museum -- No Weekly Free Day
Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio -- No Weekly Free Day
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Historical Note
Museums on Chicago Park District property are, as a condition of the land use, required to have one free day a week. Recently, this law was changed to "52 days per year", enabling the museums to wriggle out of holding free days at times when attendance is high (mostly during the summer).
Additionally, custom and specific funding have added to the stock of free days. Most notably, Montgomery Ward (the founder, not his defunct chain stores) endowed the Art Institute for both a free day and an evening-hours day. More museums used to have evening hours, largely for the benefit of convention and business visitors to Chicago. Financial considerations have been slowly eliminating these goodies.
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Tribune Museums Section Features
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Comments? Questions? New information? E-mail
me! (Yeah, I know I'm a little behind on the special exhibits information. Dennis O'Brien, who seems to have ripped off an earlier version of this page, is even further behind.))
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Last updated May 2009, for Adler Planetarium, Museum of Science and Industry, and& Art Institute; still working on other updates.