Chicago Museums reopening status – Most museums and institutions are closed.
As a result of Covid-19 all Chicago Museums are closed. Additionally because of Covid most museums and institutions are in severe financial straights so it is unlikely that they will be offering any free days in the foreseeable future. I have no idea how that works, whether they have to get a waiver from the Illinois General Assembly or what. As they open I will post what I know. Check back as I will update regularly.
Status – See Addresses, phone number listed alphabetically below photo. Read the institutions website and/or CALL FIRST before heading out. Many are requiring reservations and have specific rules.
Art Institute of Chicago – Opening July 30
Brookfield Zoo Open
Chicago History Museum Open and free to all visitors in July.
Chinese-American Museum of Chicago Open
Field Museum Reopens to the public July 24; member previews begin July 17
International Museum of Surgical Science Open
Lincoln Park Zoo grounds only will be open June 29. Most buildings, including animal buildings, will remain closed until further notice. Reservations required. See below.
Museum of Broadcast Communications Opening July 24 Register for free admission
Museum of Contemporary Art will reopen July 24; admission i s free through August. Register for free admission
Museum of Contemporary Photography Open
Museum of Science and Industry Opens August 1, with free admission through August 14. Register for free admission.
Pritzker Military Museum & Library Open
Shedd Aquarium Open. Register for free admission
Smart Museum of Art Limited engagement from July 24-August 9, Make a reservation to experience a reconfigured presentation of The Allure of Matter: Material Art from China Make a reservation to visit
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
Chicago Museums reopening status – The following free days no longer apply. See list of open museums above.
Adler Planetarium, 1300 S Lake Shore Dr., 312-922-7827
Free general admission for Illinois residents. Following are 2020 free days:
August 22-23, 31
September 1-4
October 12-15
November 11, 17-19
December 4-6
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 with valid ID every Wednesday evening from 5-8 pm. 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.
When you go on free evenings always check the AIC Calendar as they usually have lectures open to the general public.
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
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: Every Thursday at 4-8 pm, groups of up to 4 people pay just $20. If your group is more than 4, each extra person pays $5 each. The first Sunday of every month, visitors 15 and under receive free admission. Groups of 18 or more must register for First Free Sundays by calling (312) 464-8249.
Chicago History Museum, 1601 N Clark St., 312-642-4600
IL Resident free days (with valid ID) are every Tuesday from 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m excluding January 27, May 12, and Tuesdays in July and August, Museum admission is free for Illinois residents on Commemorative Days: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, March 4, and July 4.
Chicago Museums reopening status
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 Tours: Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 1pm and 2:30pm. Admission is FREE. Tours are limited to 15 people, available on a first-come, first-served basis.
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.
Following are 2020 free days:
Additional dates 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 for Illinois residents every Wednesday. Guided tours are limited to 15 people per tour on a first-come, first-served, walk-in basis. Tours at 11:30am, 1:00pm, and 2:30pm.
International Museum of Surgical Science, 1524 N. Lake Shore Dr., 312-642-6502
Admission is no longer free for Illinois residents every Tuesday. Beginning in 2020 the following days are free for all visitors :
November: 30
December: 1-4, 7-11, 14-18
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.
Admission always free.
Loyola University Museum of Art, 820 N Michigan Ave, 312-915-7600
The museum is open Monday-Friday from 10am-3pm. People need to call ahead (at least the day before) to make an appointment because they are currently between temporary exhibitions and the staff are occupied with those preparations. Scheduled appointments give them advance notice so that they can make sure a staff member is available.
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 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. This museum closes from time-to-time. Always call first to confirm.
Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S Lake Shore Dr., 773-684-1414
Free general admission for Illinois residents.
2020 Free Days
Future dates TBA
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, 23, 25; 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. A $3-per-order transaction fee applies to Illinois Free Day tickets reserved online.
2020 Free Days
Additional dates TBA.
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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Chicago Museums reopening status
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
2020 Museums on Us Dates
January 4-5
February 1-2
March 7-8
April 4-5
May 2-3
June 6-7
July 4-5
August 1-2
September 5-6
October 3-4
November 7-8
December 5-6
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Smithsonian Magazine Free Days: September Participating museums vary each year.
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Pre-covid information DOES NOT APPLY
2020 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.
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