Chicago Museum Free Days 2018 Update

I've got some hot off the presses Chicago museum news! Several of the large museums downtown have added free days this month and after further inspection I found that several added more in the next couple of months as well! Who doesn't love a free museum? So I thought I'd give you an update on the free museums in the Chicago area. Happy Museuming!

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

• January 3, 4, 7-12, 15-19
• February 2, 5-9, 19-22
• June 21
• August 27-31
• September 9-16
• October 8, 21, 24, 25
• November 11, 12, 14, 15
• December 1, 3-7, 10

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.

• January 3, 4, 15, 27, 28 
• February 1-28 
• June 20-22
• September 15-17, 30
• October 8, 21, 28, 31
• November 11, 18
• December 9, 16 

Museum of Science and Industry 
5700 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60637
773-684-1414
These are Illinois resident discount days. The Museum of Science & Industry is also pairing with the Walt Disney Company to do a special free Sunday in September to EVERYONE!! This is an online promotion so you have to purchase prior to your visit.

• January 8–11, 15–18, 22–25, 29–31 
• February 1, 5–8, 12–15, 20–22, 26–27 
• March 14 J
• June 4–7, 11–12 
• September 4–5, 10–12, 16–19, 23–26
• November 12

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

• January 15, 18, 19, 22-26
• February 2, 14
• June 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19
• September 4-30
• October 3, 10

Art

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

• Free admission the first Friday of the month

Block Museum of Art

40 Arts Cir Dr, Evanston, IL 60208
847-491-4000

• Free daily admission

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

• Free admission every Friday

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 for Illinois residents

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 Tuesday

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 

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 to museums, $5 parking fee per car

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

• Every Tuesday* from 12:30 to 7:30 p.m. and on Commemorative Days: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, March 4, and July 4. *Excluding December 19 and 26

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

• Free admission 

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.

• January 6-7
• February 3-4
• March 3-4
• April 7-8
• May 5-6
• June 2-3
• July 7-8
• August 4-5
• September 1-2 
• October 6-7
• November 3-4
• December 1-2

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

Money Museum

230 S LaSalle St, Chicago, IL 60604
312-322-2400

• 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)

National Museum of the American Sailor

2531 Sheridan Road Great Lakes, IL 60088 

847-688-3154

• Free daily admission 

Pritzker Military Museum and Library
104 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60603
312-374-9333

• May 9, 27, 29 
• June 14 
• August 4 
• September 11, 18 
• October 13 
• November 10, 11 
• December 7, 13 

Local Historical Societies & Museums

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

Barrington

Bartlett

Batavia

Bloomingdale

Buffalo Grove

Deerfield

Elgin

Elk Grove Village

Glencoe

Glenview

Hinsdale

Kenilworth

La Grange

Lake Forest/Lake Bluff

Lombard

Morton Grove

Northbrook

Norwood Park

Riverside

Palatine

Skokie

St. Charles

Wilmette

Winnetka

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

• General admission is free on Tuesdays and 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

Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum
5700 College Road Lisle, IL 60532 
630-829-6569

• Free daily admission

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

• Free daily admission

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***

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