2019 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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If the free museum dates don’t work for you consider purchasing:
Here are some other things to do on the cheap:
Museum of Contemporary Art Free for IL residents on Tuesdays
Adler Planetarium, 1300 S Lake Shore Dr., 312-922-7827
Free general admission for Illinois residents.
January 21-22, 29
February 5-7, 12-14, 18-21, 26-28
April 2-4, 9-11
June 3-5, 10-13
September 5-6, 12-13, 19-20, 26-27
October 7-9, 14-16
November 8, 11
December 2-3, 7, 12-13
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. Free Winter Weekdays January 7-February 15; February 19-20, 2019. Illinois residents only.
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 Discount tickets available from time-to-time
January 1 through February 28, 2019: free admission is on Saturdays, Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Kids Free Days from August 5-7. Kids 11 and under are admitted free on those days.
October 1 through December 31, 2019: free admission is on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
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
Play Late Thursdays up to four people can enter the museum for the price of one ticket ($14.95) from 4-8pm. Free First Sunday – on the first Sunday of every month children under the age of 15 are admitted to the museum for free.
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 21, Presidents’ Day February 18, March 4, and July 4.
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.
Design Museum of Chicago, Block 37, 108 N. State, 3rd Floor location is Permanently closed. 312-894-6263
This museum now runs it’s exhibits at Expo72, 72 E. Randolph.
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
Basic admission is free for Illinois residents with valid proof of residency. CityKey card members: 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 21
February 1-28
April 5-7
May 2,4
June 26-28
More TBA
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. The museum will close for reconfiguration April 1 and reopen possibly by Memorial Day weekend 2019. The Museum has sold the top two floors of the building and will be consolidating onto the 2nd floor during this time.
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 7–10, 14–17, 21–24, 28–31
February 4–7, 11–14, 19–21, 25–28
June 3-5
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 17-21
February 1, 4-8, 11-15, 18-22, 25-28
June 17, 18, 24, 25
August 26-27
September 3, 4, 9-11, 16-18, 23-25, 30
October 1, 2
December 4
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:
- Adler Planetarium
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Chicago History Museum
- Museum of Contemporary Art
- National Veterans Art Museum (Saturdays only)
- Shedd Aquarium (Sundays only)
- The National Hellenic Museum
Lisle The Morton Arboretum
2019 Museums on Us Dates
January 5-6
February 2-3
March 2-3
April 6-7
May 4-5
June 1-2
July 6-7
August 3-4
September 7-8
October 5-6
November 2-3
December 7-8
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Smithsonian Magazine Free Days: September Participating museums vary each year.
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