2018 Free Chicago Museum Days

2018 Free Chicago Museum Days. Visiting museums can be very expensive. Thanks to the Illinois General Assembly many museums are mandated by law to offer Illinois residents up to 52 free museum days each year. Some museums are free year round. Others offer free evenings. A valid ID is required for free or special admission prices.

Always call first. Multiple times.

I always recommend that everyone always call everywhere first to confirm things like free days because things change constantly. I don’t recommend checking online exclusively because websites aren’t always updated. That’s why I always try and post phone numbers. In fact personally if I were making a big trip I would call a couple times because many times people answering the phones aren’t aware of what’s going on! Large cultural institutions do not send out updates to their free days. Most don’t respond to emails.

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Adler Planetarium

If the free museum dates don’t work for you consider purchasing:

City Pass Chicago and Go Chicago Card

Here are some other things to do on the cheap:

Adler Planetarium, 1300 S Lake Shore Dr., 312-922-7827

Free general admission for Illinois residents.

January 3, 4, 7-12, 15-19
February 2, 5-9, 19-22
March 24-April 4, April 6-8
June 21
August 27-31
September 9-16
October 8, 21, 24, 25
November 11, 12, 14, 15
December 1, 3-7, 10

What you get on free day at the Adler Planetarium

American Writers Museum, 180 N. Michigan, 2nd Floor. (312) 374-8790. No free days.

Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S Michigan Ave., 312-443-3600

Admission to the Art Institute of Chicago is free to Illinois residents every Thursday evening from 5-8pm. Illinois residents receive free admission to the museum’s galleries as part of Free Winter Weekdays, January 8–February 15.

Children ages 14-17, who are residents of the City of Chicago, are free on all days with a school ID, drivers license, report card or other document indicating that they are a resident of the City of Chicago. All children under age 14 are always free.

Guide to the Art Institute of Chicago

Free Family Fun at the Art Institute of Chicago

Brookfield Zoo, 3300 Golf Rd; Brookfield, 708-688-8000

Through Feb. 28, 2018: free admission on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.. March 1-September 30, 2018 no free days.

What you get on Free Days at Brookfield Zoo

Charnley-Persky House Museum, 1365 N. Astor Street, 312-573-1365

Free tour on Wednesdays 12PM

Chicago Children’s Museum, 700 E Grand Ave, 312-527-1000

First Sunday of each month free admission for visitors 15 and under. Admission is free for all visitors on Thursday evenings 5-8pm.

Chicago Design Museum, Block 37, 108 N. State, 3rd Floor

This free museum is completely volunteer run and closes between exhibits.

Chicago History Museum, 1601 N Clark St., 312-642-4600

The Museum is free to Illinois residents every Tuesday from 12:30 to 9:00 p.m. and on Commemorative Days: January 15, Presidents’ Day February 20, March 4, and July 4. Excludes January 2, January 9, December 18 and December 25.

Chinese-American Museum of Chicago, Raymond B. & Jean T. Lee Center, 238 West 23rd St., 312-949-1000

Suggested donation $5 for adults, $3 for students and seniors.

Clarke House Museum, 1827 S Indiana Ave., 312-326-1480

Free public one hour guided tours Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 1pm and 2:30pm. Admission is free.

DePaul University Art Museum, 935 W. Fullerton Ave., 773-325-7506

Admission is free for all visitors year round.

DuSable Museum of African American History, 740 E 56th Pl., 773-947-0600

Admission is free to all on each Tuesday of the year. The museum also offers free admission rates (on school days) to all Chicago Public School students.

Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Money Museum, 230 S. LaSalle Street, 312-322-2400

Free all days. Free certified guide tour Monday-Friday 1PM.

Field Museum, 1400 S Lake Shore Dr., 312-922-9410

Free basic admission is free for Illinois residents with valid proof of residency of Free Admission Days. CityKey card members can also receive free Basic admission for one visit during the first year after getting your CityKey card. Immediate family members visiting with you also receive free Basic admission.

January 3, 4, 15, 27, 28
February 1-28
June 20-22
October 28, 31
November 6, 11, 18
December 9, 16

What you get on free day at the Field Museum

Foodseum, Block 37, Pop up location closed Dec. 20, 2015. New location TBA.

Glessner House Museum, 1800 S. Prairie Ave., (312) 326-1480

Tours are free on Wednesdays, year round (not applicable to groups of ten or more).

International Museum of Surgical Science, 1524 N. Lake Shore Dr., 312.642.6502

Admission is free for all visitors every Tuesday, year round.

Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, 800 S. Halsted, 312-413-5353

A $5 donation is requested.

Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N Clark St, (312) 742-2000. Always free. Open year round.

Loyola University Museum of Art, 820 N Michigan Ave, 312-915-7600

Admission is free for all visitors every Tuesday, year round.

McCormick Bridgehouse and Chicago River Museum, 376 N Michigan Ave., 312-977-0227

Free on Sundays. Watch the Chicago Bridge lifts on Wednesday and Saturday

Museum of Broadcast Communications, 360 N State St, (312) 245-8200

No free days.

Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E Chicago Ave., 312-280-2660

Admission is free for Illinois residents on Tuesdays year round.

Museum of Contemporary Photography, 600 S Michigan Ave, (312) 663-5554

Free admission daily.

Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S Lake Shore Dr., 773-684-1414

Free general admission for Illinois residents.

January 8–11, 15–18, 22–25, 29–31
February 1, 5–8, 12–15, 20–22, 26–27
March 14
June 4–7, 11–12
September 4–6, 10–13, 17–20, 24–27
November 12

What you get on free day at the Museum of Science and Industry

National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W 19th St, 312-738-1503

Free admission daily.

The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture, 3015 West Division St., 773-486-8345

Free admission daily.

National Veterans Art Museum, 4041 N. Milwaukee Avenue, 2nd floor, 312-326-0270

Free admission daily.

The Oriental Institute Museum, 1155 E 58th St, 773-702-9520

Free admission daily with a suggested donation of $10 adult and $5 child.

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, 2430 N Cannon Dr, 773-755-5100

Thursdays are suggested donation days for Illinois residents year round.

Pritzker Military Museum and Library, 104 S Michigan Ave, (312) 374-9333

April 6, May 9, 26, 28; June 14, July 4, August 4, September 11, 18, October 13, November 10, 11, December 7 and 13.

Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S Lake Shore Dr, 312-939-2438

Illinois residents get access to almost all exhibits on free day.

January 15, 18, 19, 22-26
February 2, 14
June 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19
September 4-30
October 3, 10

What you get on free day at the Shedd Aquarium

Smart Museum of Art, 5550 S Greenwood Ave., 773-702-0200

Free admission daily.

Swedish American Museum, 5211 N Clark St., 773-728-8111

Admission is free for all visitors on the second Tuesday of the month, year round.

Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, 2320 W. Chicago Ave., (773) 227-5522

Admission free: $5 donation requested

Ukrainian National Museum of Chicago, 2249 W. Superior St., 312-421-8020

Admission free: $5 donation requested

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Kids Museum Passport

This program, sponsored by the 15 Museums Work for Chicago institutions, allows individuals with a Chicago Public Library card to check out a pass for free general admission to the Art Institute. (This program replaces the Kraft Great Kids Museum Passport Program, which has been offered by CPL since 2003.) Please note the new rules regarding the use of the Kids Museum Passport:

Each pass admits a maximum of four people for general admission, including special exhibitions.
Each group using a pass must be accompanied by at least one child under the age of 18.
A maximum of two adults are admitted on one pass.

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Bank of America Museums on Us. On the first weekend of every month, anyone with a Bank of America credit or debit card can get free admission to museums nationwide through the Museums on Us program. Museums included under this program are:

2018 Museums on Us Dates

January 6 & 7
February 3 & 4
March 3 & 4
April 7 & 8
May 5 & 6
June 2 & 3
July 7 & 8
August 4 & 5
September 1 & 2
October 6 & 7
November 3 & 4
December 1 & 2

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Smithsonian Magazine Free Days: September Participating museums vary each year.