You can find our updated list – 2022 Free Chicago Museum Days here.
I always recommend that everyone always call everywhere first to confirm things like days and hours of operation, ticketing procedures and 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 downtown 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. Many don’t respond to emails.
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2021 Free Chicago Museum Days
Adler Planetarium, 1300 S Lake Shore Dr., 312-922-7827. Partially reopened.
Illinois Resident Discount Days are July 3-4, July 10-11, and July 17-18. The Skyshows are free on those dates.
What you get on free day at the Adler Planetarium (pre-Covid)
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
Free day used to be on Wednesdays 5-8PM. 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.
If you have children you may want to try and get a Chicago Public Library Free Museum pass
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
October 5-7, 12-14, 19-21, 26-28, November 2-4, 9-11, 16-18, December 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, (A parking fee still applies.)
If you have children you may want to try and get a Chicago Public Library Free Museum pass
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 Closed until further notice.
Free tour on Wednesdays 12PM
2021 Free Chicago Museum Days
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.
If you have children you may want to try and get a Chicago Public Library Free Museum pass
Chicago History Museum, 1601 N Clark St., 312-642-4600 No current free days.
Check website for hours of operation.
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.
If you have children you may want to try and get a Chicago Public Library Free Museum pass
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
Opening October 16 & 17 as part of Open House Chicago. Tours: Wednesdays & Saturdays at 1pm starting October 20, 2021. FREE Admission
DePaul University Art Museum, 935 W. Fullerton Ave., 773-325-7506
Admission is free for all visitors year round.
Design Museum of Chicago, 72 E. Randolph.312-894-6263
This museum now runs it’s exhibits at Expo72, 72 E. Randolph. Exhibits
DuSable Museum of African American History, 740 E 56th Pl., 773-947-0600.
Admission is free to all on each Wednesday of the year. Children 6 and under always get in free. The museum also offers free admission rates (on school days) to all Chicago Public School students. If you have children you may want to try and get a Chicago Public Library Free Museum pass
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
2021 free days: Additional dates
July 15
August 23, 26
If you have children you may want to try and get a Chicago Public Library Free Museum pass
What you get on free day at the Field Museum
2021 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
No free days.
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.
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.
Free on Sundays. Watch the Chicago Bridge lifts (from outside the museum) on Wednesday and Saturday
If you have children you may want to try and get a Chicago Public Library Free Museum pass
Museum of Broadcast Communications, 360 N State St, (312) 245-8200 Closed until further notice.
No free days.
Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E Chicago Ave., 312-280-2660
Admission is free for Illinois residents on Tuesdays. If you have children you may want to try and get a Chicago Public Library Free Museum pass
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.
2021 free days
April 14
May 12
June 9, 19
July 14
August 11
September 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 29-30
October 27
November 3, 10, 17
December 8
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 Reopening June 16.
Free admission daily.
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
Thursdays are suggested donation days for Illinois residents year round. If you have children you may want to try and get a Chicago Public Library Free Museum pass Upcoming free days: November 11, 18, 2021.
Pritzker Military Museum and Library, 104 S Michigan Ave, (312) 374-9333
Memorial Day (May 31) and Veterans Day (Nov 11)
2021 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. Additional days TBA
If you have children you may want to try and get a Chicago Public Library Free Museum pass
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.
2021 Free Days Additional dates TBA.
September: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays
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 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 With proof of vaccination you cant enter without a mask.
Ukrainian National Museum of Chicago, 2249 W. Superior St., 312-421-8020
No free days. Adult admission – $10; Senior and Student admission – $5.
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.
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
2021 dates:
January 2nd & 3rd
February 6th & 7th
March 6th & 7th
April 3rd & 4th
May 1st & 2nd
June 5th & 6th
July 3rd & 4th
August 7th & 8th
September 4th & 5th
October 2nd & 3rd
November 6th & 7th
December 4th & 5th
Please check with our partners for current reopening plans, safety procedures and operating hours.
Smithsonian Magazine Free Days: September 18, 2021 Participating museums vary each year.
Shedd Aquarium Oceanarium Dolphin Show
Shedd Aquarium Penguins
Shedd Aquarium Jellies
