Chicago Museum Free Days 2015 part 2

Earlier in 2015 I pulled together the freebie dates and information from Chicago area museums. Since many of the freebie dates already passed I thought I'd pull together the free dates for the rest of the year. The fall and winter time are great for museum going. There is always tons to do in conjuncture with your visit.

There are also usually discounts for certain groups, such as military personnel and teachers. Be sure to check websites or call and check to see if you can get that discount before you go.

If you're from the Chicago area I would also highly recommend you become a member of your favorite museums you visit often. This not only gets you into the museum for a discounted rate and in most cases special member perks but it supports the museum and the work that they do.

The Big 6 Chicago Museums
Adler Planetarium
1300 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago IL 60605
312-922-7827
These are Illinois resident discount days

• October 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 12

Art Institute of Chicago
111 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60603
312-443-3600

• Free admission every Thursday 5-8PM

Chicago Children’s Museum at Navy Pier

700 East Grand Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611
312-527-1000

• Target Free Family Night - Free admission every Thursday 5PM-8PM
• First Free Sunday - Free admission for visitors 15 and under on the first Sunday of each month

Field Museum of Natural History
1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605
312-922-9410
Illinois residents can enjoy free Basic admission on Field Museum Discount Days. On these Discount Days, Illinois residents may upgrade to a Discovery Pass for $11 or upgrade to an All-Access Pass for $18.

• October 4 and 30  
• November 1 and 22  
• December 5, 6, and 13

Museum of Science and Industry 
5700 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60637
773-684-1414
These are Illinois resident discount days

• October 5, 6

Shedd Aquarium
1200 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605
312-939-2438

• October 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27 
• November 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24

Art

Elmhurst Art Museum
150 Cottage Hill Ave. Elmhurst, Illinois 60126
630-834-0202

• Free admission every Friday

Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art
220 South Cottage Hill Avenue, Elmhurst, IL 60126
630-833-1616

• Free admission every Friday

Illinois State Museum Chicago Gallery
100 West Randolph Street Chicago, IL 60601
312-814-5322

• Free daily admission

Loyola University Museum of Art
820 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611
312-915-7600

• Free admission every Tuesday

Museum of Contemporary Art
220 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611
312-280-2660

• Free admission every Tuesday

National Veterans Art Museum
4041 N. Milwaukee Avenue Chicago, IL 60641
312-326-0270

• Free daily admission

Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago
5550 S. Greenwood Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637
773-702-0200

• Free daily admission

Ethnic Museums
DuSable Museum of African American History
740 East 56th Place, Chicago, IL 60637
773-947-0600

• Free admission every Sunday

Mitchell Museum of the American Indian
3001 Central Street, Evanston, IL 60201
847-475-1030

• Free admission every first Friday

National Museum of Mexican Art
1852 West 19th Street, Chicago, IL 60608
312-738-1503

• Free daily admission

Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago
1155 East 58th Street, Chicago, IL 60637
773-702-9514

• Free daily admission (suggested donation)

Swedish American Museum
5211 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60601
773-728-8111

• Free admission every second Tuesday of the month

History Museums
Robert McCormick Museum and
First Division Museum (at Cantigny)
1S151 South Winfield Road, Wheaton, IL 60189
630-668-5161

• Free daily admission, $5 parking fee per car

Chicago History Museum
1601 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60614
312-642-4600
Illinois resident discount days

• No more for 2015

Clarke House Museum
1827 South Indiana Avenue, Chicago, IL 60616
312-326-1480

• Free on Wednesdays

Dupage Historical Museum

102 E. Wesley Street Wheaton, Illinois 60187
630-510-4941

• Free daily admission

Elmhurst Historical Museum

120 E. Park Ave.  Elmhurst, IL 60126
630-833-1457

• Free daily admission

Glessner House Museum
1800 South Prairie Avenue, Chicago, IL 60616
312-326-1480

• Free on Wednesdays

Illinois Holocaust Museum
9603 Woods Drive, Skokie, IL 60077
847-967-4800
Free days for Bank of America/Merrill Lynch ATM, credit or debit cardholders ONLY.

• October 3-4
• November 7-8
• December 5-6

Jane Addams Hull House at UIC
800 S. Halsted Chicago, IL 60607-7017
312-413-5353

• Suggested donation of $5

International Museum of Surgical Science
1524 N. Lake Shore Dr. Chicago, IL 60610
312-642-6502

• Free on Tuesdays

McDonalds #1 Store Museum
400 N. Lee Street Des Plaines, IL 60016
847-297-5022

• Free daily admission

Naper Settlement
523 S. Webster St. Naperville, IL 60540
630-420-6010

• Free general admission for Naperville residents. Discounted rate during the winter season (November-March)

Local Historical Societies

These local historical institutions usually have free admission, suggested donation or an extremely low fee which will usually include a tour. Since a majority these institutions are run by volunteers be sure to check what their hours are since sometimes they will only be open certain days of the week to the public.

Arlington Heights

Aurora

Bartlett

Bloomingdale

Buffalo Grove

Elgin

Elk Grove Village

Glenview

La Grange

Lake Forest/Lake Bluff

Lombard

Morton Grove

Northbrook

Skokie

Winnetka

Nature Museums, Farms & Zoos
Brookfield Zoo
8400 West 31st Street, Brookfield, IL 60513
708-688-8000

• General admission is free from October 1 – December 31, 2015, on Tuesdays, Thursdays.

Chicago Botanic Garden
1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL 60022
847-835-5440

• Free daily admission, parking fees apply

Cantigny
1S151 South Winfield Road, Wheaton, IL 60189
630-668-5161

• Free daily admission, $5 parking

Garfield Park Conservatory
300 North Central Park Avenue, Chicago, IL 60624
312-746-5100

• Free daily admission, street parking available

Lincoln Park Zoo
2001 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60614
312-742-2000

• Free daily admission, parking fees apply

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
2430 North Cannon Drive, Chicago, IL 60614
773-755-5100

• Thursdays are suggested donation days for Illinois residents

The Grove
1421 Milwaukee Avenue, Glenview, IL
847-299-6096

• Free daily admission

Wagner Farm
1510 Wagner Road, Glenview, IL 60026
847-657-1506

• Free daily admission

***While this list is pretty comprehensive there are a number of museum's that don't advertise free/discounted days but you should definitely be sure to check them out as well because there are some amazing museums in the Chicago area***