2020 Free Chicago Museum Days

2020 Free Chicago Museum Days.

Covid status: 11/17/2020 All museums are closed until further notice.

Pre-covid:  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.

Covid status:  All museums have been financially devastated by Covid closures and almost none are offering any free days.

Pre-covid:  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.

Covid status: Each museum that has reopened has specific ticketing arrangements, restrictions and recommendations.  Many museums have changed their hours and days of operation.  Please read everything on their websites (links provided) before purchasing tickets.  The situation can change with little notice so Always call first. Multiple times.

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2020 Free Chicago Museum Days

Adler Planetarium, 1300 S Lake Shore Dr., 312-922-7827. Closed 3/14/2020 until further notice.  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  No free days until further notice. Closed until further notice.

Since reopening, the majority of visitors have been arriving within the first two hours of the day. Please consider visiting later in the day to avoid busier galleries and longer exhibition wait times.  Free day used to be on Wednesday 5-8PM.  Now the AIC is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  Also all the benches have been removed so if you’re looking for somewhere to rest after walking and standing for hours you’re out of luck.

Admission to the Art Institute of Chicago is free to 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

Brookfield Zoo will temporarily close to the public January 1-February 28, 2021, with plans to reopen to the public on March 1, within state restrictions.  What you get on Free Days at Brookfield Zoo

Charnley-Persky House Museum, 1365 N. Astor Street, 312-573-1365 Closed until further notice.

Free tour on Wednesdays 12PM

Chicago Children’s Museum, 700 E Grand Ave, 312-527-1000 Closed until further notice.

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 Free days cancelled until January 2021

The Museum is free to Illinois residents every Tuesday from 12:30 to 9:00p.m. with valid I.D. *Excluding: January 2 January 9 December 18 December 25 The Museum is also free to Illinois residents on Commemorative Days: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, March 4, City of Chicago’s Birthday, 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 Closed until further notice.

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 Closed until further notice.

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. Closed until further notice.

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 Closed until further notice.

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

Field Museum, 1400 S Lake Shore Dr., 312-922-9410 No free days until further notice.

Basic admission is free for Illinois residents with valid proof of residency.  Following are 2020 free days: Additional dates TBA

What you get on free day at the Field Museum

2020 Free Chicago Museum Days

Glessner House Museum, 1800 S. Prairie Ave., (312) 326-1480 No free days until further notice.

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 

2020 free days:

November: 30
December: 1-4, 7-11, 14-18

Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, 800 S. Halsted, 312-413-5353 Closed until further notice.

A $5 donation is requested. Virtual tour

Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N Clark St, (312) 742-2000. Always free. Open year round. You are required to book your visit in advance.  Most buildings, including animal buildings, will remain closed until further notice.

Loyola University Museum of Art, 820 N Michigan Ave, 312-915-7600 Closed until further notice.

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 No free days until further notice.  May be closed.

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  No free days until further notice. Closed until further notice.

Admission is free for Illinois residents on Tuesdays year round.

Museum of Contemporary Photography, 600 S Michigan Ave, (312) 663-5554  Prior to visiting the MoCP, you must reserve a free timed ticket. 

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. No free days until further notice.

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 Closed until further notice.

Free admission daily.

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

Free admission daily.

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

Free admission daily.

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

Reservations, available every fifteen minutes, are required for your visit. In order to give as many visitors as possible an opportunity to enjoy the OI Museum, all visits are limited to one hour.  Free admission daily with a suggested donation of $10 adult and $5 child.

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, 2430 N Cannon Dr, 773-755-5100 Closed until further notice.

Thursdays are suggested donation days for Illinois residents year round.

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

Free days:  April 6, May 9, 23, 25; June 14, July 4, August 4, September 11, 18, October 13, November 10, 11, December 7 and 13.

2020 Free Chicago Museum Days

Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S Lake Shore Dr, 312-939-2438 No free days until further notice.  On free days, prior to visiting, you must reserve a free ($3 fee) timed ticket.

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 Timed tickets must be reserved in advance.

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 A docent led tour is included with the price of admission, however all tours are by appointment only and need to be booked in advance.

Admission free: $5 donation requested

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

No free days.  Adult admission – $10; Senior and Student admission – $5.

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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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Check, in advance,  with each museum to see if they are still participating in the program.

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

• Skokie Illinois Holocaust Museum & Educational Center

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.