A Guide to Chicago’s Free Museums
Everyone knows that Chicago has an abundance of great museums. What many people don't know is that many of them offer free or discounted admission during certain days of the week and/or certain times of the year. With the rising cost of parking, food, gas and practically everything else associated with traveling, we could all use a break on the admission fees!
eJourna has compiled a comprehensive list of museums in Chicago that offer free or discounted admission. They are listed below in alphabetical order.
Enjoying the Polar Bears at the Lincoln Park Zoo. Just one of Chicago's many free attractions. Photo by Karl Heubaum.
Adler Planetarium
1300 South Lake Shore Drive
312-922-7827
Free on Mondays
American Bar Association Museum of Law
American Bar Association
321 North Clark Street
312-988-6222
Free* (closed Saturday and Sunday)
*Note: currently closed until further notice
Art Institute of Chicago
Michigan and Adams
312-443-3600
Free on Tuesdays
Arts Club of Chicago
201 East Ontario
312-787-3997
Free
Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture
6500 S. Pulaski
312-582-6500
Free on Mondays (call to verify)
Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art
Northwestern University
1967 South Campus Drive, Evanston
847-491-4000
Free (closed on Mondays)
Center for Book and Paper Arts
Columbia College
2nd floor, Luddington building, 1104 South Wabash
312-369-6630
Free
Chicago Architecture Foundation
224 South Michigan Avenue
312-922-3432
Free
Chicago Botanic Garden
1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL
Free Admission (High parking fees though!)
Chicago Children's Museum
Navy Pier, 600 East Grand Avenue
312-527-1000
Free on Thursdays 5-8 p.m.
Chicago Cultural Center
78 East Washington
312-346-3278
Free
Chicago Historical Society
Clark at North Avenue
312-642-4600
Free on Mondays
DePaul University Museum
2350 N. Kenmore Avenue
773-325-7506
Free
DuSable Museum of African American History
740 East 56th Place
773-947-0600
Free on Sundays (closed Mondays between June 1 and January 2 except school holidays)
Field Museum of Natural History
Roosevelt at Lake Shore Drive
312-922-9410
Free every second Monday of the month
Jane Addams' Hull-House Museum
800 S. Halsted
312-413-5353
Free (closed Mondays and Saturdays)
Garfield Park Conservatory
300 N. Central Park Avenue
312-746-5100
Free
International Museum of Surgical Science
1524 North Lake Shore Drive
312-642-6502
Free on Tuesdays
Intuit: The Center for Outsider and Intuitive Art
756 North Milwaukee Avenue
312-243-9088
Free (closed on Sundays and Mondays)
Lincoln Park Conservatory
2391 N. Stockton Drive
312-742-7736
Free
Lincoln Park Zoo
2001 N. Clark Street
312-742-2000
Free
National Museum of Mexican Art
1852 West 19th Street
312-738-1503
Free
Museum of Broadcast Communications
Chicago Cultural Center
78 East Washington
312-629-6000
Free
Museum of Contemporary Art
220 East Chicago Avenue
312-280-2660
Admission is free on Tuesdays (closed Mondays)
Museum of Contemporary Photography
Columbia College Chicago
600 South Michigan Avenue
312-663-5554
Free
Museum of Science and Industry
57th and Lake Shore Drive
773-684-1414
Free January 5-31, April 22, June 1-5 and 19, October 8, 9, 12-16, 19-23, 26-30, November 11
Newberry Library
60 West Walton
312-943-9090
Free
Oriental Institute Museum
1155 East 58th Street
312-702-9521
Free (with optional suggested donation)
Polish Museum of America
984 North Milwaukee Avenue
312-384-3352
Free (Donation requested. Closed Thursdays)
Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
Cobb Hall 418, 5811 South Ellis Avenue, 4th floor
773-702-8670
Free (closed Mondays, Gallery closed in July and August)
Shedd Aquarium
1200 South Lake Shore Drive
312-939-2439
From the Shedd's site:
On our Community Discount Days, general admission is free. Includes the Waters of the World, Amazon Rising, and the Caribbean Reef. Packages including Wild Reef, Polar Play Zone and Oceanarium are available at a discounted rate. Shedd's 52 discount days a year take advantage of civic and school holidays to make family visits more convenient.
Remaining 2009 Community Discount Days are these Mondays and Tuesdays: Oct. 26 and 27; and Nov. 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24 and 30.
Smart Museum of Art
University of Chicago
5550 South Greenwood Avenue
773-702-0200
Free (Galleries closed on Mondays)
Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows
Navy Pier, 600 East Grand Avenue
312-595-5063
Free
Vietnam War Museum
954 West Carmen Avenue
773-728-6111
Free (only open on Saturday and Sunday: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.)
Have you visited any of these places? Why not leave a comment below and let others know about your experiences! Do you know of a museum that we missed? Do you have updated information? Let us know and we'll update the list!
Photo of Polar Bears at Lincoln Park Zoo by Karl Heubaum.
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