CHICAGO — As Chicago Public Schools and other institutions gear up for their spring break next week, Block Club has rounded up some museums you can visit without spending a dime. Some of these cultural institutions provide free admission year-round to students, families, teachers and Illinois residents, while others are offering special spring break hours and programs, or various weekly free days. If you have a Chicago Public Library card, you can also try to obtain a digital pass for certain institutions
online . Whether you’re interested in seeing contemporary art, learning about Black history or exploring the cosmos, we’ve got you covered.
The Adler Planetarium invites Illinois residents to explore the cosmos for free 4-10 p.m. Wednesdays. Recognized as the nation’s first planetarium, the Adler offers interactive exhibits and sky shows to learn about astronomy and space exploration. Illinois teachers from pre-K through 12th grade also receive free admission year-round with proof of residency. Learn more
here .
111 S. Michigan Ave . The Art Institute of Chicago offers free year-round admission to those younger than 18, Illinois educators and Link and WIC cardholders. Chicago Public Library cardholders 18 and older can also register for free general admission passes
online . Learn more
here .
The Chicago Architecture Center offers free admission to children 5 and younger, and it offers discounted $10 tickets to students with IDs. General admission tickets for adults are $15. The center has exhibitions of
Chicago buildings turned into hats and
Ukrainian mutual aid efforts . Learn more
here .
78 E. Washington St . The Chicago Cultural Center offers free admission year-round, showcasing exhibits on topics ranging from Black girlhood to architecture. It’s also home to two iconic stained-glass domes and often hosts free music, dance, theater, film and art events for all ages. Learn more
here .
From March 22-April 6, the Chicago Children’s Museum has “Spring Break Weeks of Play” with special programs, activities and extended hours. There will be live animal encounters, art workshops and more. Learn more about spring programs
here . Admission is free to children younger than 1 and $21 for all Illinois residents older than 1. Veterans and active military receive free admission year-round with valid military status identification. Families with EBT or WIC cards also receive discounts. Learn more about admission
here .
1601 N. Clark St . At the Chicago History Museum, you can explore the city with expert guides, delve into various fascinating exhibitions and discover Chicago history through family-friendly activities. CHM is offering free admission for Illinois residents March 27, April 16 and 30 and May 8 and 26. Illinois residents 18 and younger get in free year-round. Learn more
here .
238 W. 23rd St . The Chinese American Museum of Chicago highlights Chinese American culture through exhibitions, education and research, including the permanent exhibit “Great Wall to Great Lakes: Chinese Immigration to the Midwest.” The museum is always free to visit, with suggested donations of $5 for students and older people and $8 for adults. It’s open Wednesdays and Friday-Sunday. Learn more
here .
As the oldest independent African American history museum in the United States, this Washington Park museum highlights the contributions of Black people in Chicago and beyond. It offers free admission every Wednesday, as well as year-round free admission to adults and children with Chicago Public Library passes, University of Chicago students, Chicago Park District employees, active-duty military, first responders, K-12th grade Illinois Public School students and more. Learn more
here .
The Museum of Science and Industry offers free admission on select dates, including April 20 and June 12 and 19. Check the museum’s website for
updated free-day schedules . Alongside the special James Bond-themed exhibition closing April 6, there are various springtime activities coming, including
a Robot Block Party April 4-5 and
Dungeons and Dragons game play on Saturdays in April . Learn more
here .
Illinois residents can visit the Field Museum for free this Wednesday. General admission includes access to exhibits like Evolving Planet, Inside Ancient Egypt and The Ancient Americas. Visitors can explore ticketed exhibitions or watch a 3D movie for an additional fee. Discounts and free admission are also offered to Illinois teachers for pre-K through 12th grade, active-duty military and veterans and more. Learn more
here .
4410 N. Clark St . The Haitian American Museum in Uptown offers free daily admission for children younger than 5. Admission is $6 for students and older people and $8 for adults. Visitors can explore vibrant works by Haitian American artists along with a special children’s collection. The museum is closed Monday-Tuesday. Learn more
here .
5020 S. Cornell Ave. The Hyde Park Art Center is free and open to the public year-round. It serves as a hub for artists in Chicago, hosting exhibitions, artist talks, studio art classes, free public events and more. Learn more
here . The Illinois Holocaust Museum offers free admission to all visitors the last Friday of each month, which falls on March 28 this month. The suburban Skokie institution is dedicated to preserving the memory of the Holocaust while inspiring visitors to stand up for human rights and social justice through its powerful exhibits and educational programs. Learn more
here .
800 S. Halsted St. As a National Historic Landmark, the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum is free and open to the public year-round. It hosts exhibitions and programs like “Radical Craft,” which celebrates and explores the work of immigrant artists and reformers on the Near West Side. Learn more
here .
2001 N. Clark St. Chicago’s always free-public zoo, the Lincoln Park Zoo offers free wildlife for all in the midst of the city. The popular destination now features a new must-see meerkat mob — Clover, Violet and Dahlia — as well as
emperor tamarins Sal and Feta, who recently moved into their new home at the zoo’s Regenstein Small Mammal and Reptile House. The zoo opens every day at 10 a.m. For more information, visit
the zoo website .
220 E. Chicago Ave . The Museum of Contemporary Art offers free admission for Illinois residents every Tuesday and free admission daily for visitors younger than 18, Illinois elementary and high school teachers, visitors with disabilities and their caregivers, active members of the military, police and fire department and veterans. The Streeterville museum features a diverse range of contemporary art, showcasing works from local and international artists, such as current exhibitions of Andrea Carlson, Do Ho Suh and Arthur Jafa. Learn more
here .
1852 W. 19th St . The National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen offers free admission year-round. With a rich collection of Mexican and Mexican American textiles, paintings, sculptures and multimedia art, the museum provides a captivating cultural experience for all visitors. Its current exhibition, “Into the Hourglass,” is a traveling show that highlights paños as an art form (pen or pencil drawings on fabric and a form of prison artwork) and the contributions of incarcerated artists to Chicano and American art. Learn more
here .
3015 W. Division St . Visitors can check out the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture in Humboldt Park with free admission year-round. The museum features exhibits on Puerto Rican heritage, such as the exploration of LGBTQ+ and Puerto Rican identities and multimedia works of artist Juan Sánchez. Learn more
here .
The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum offers Free Days for Illinois residents every Thursday. Guests can pay what they can to support the museum or enjoy free admission to explore exhibits like the serene Butterfly Haven or displays about Chicago’s natural ecosystems. Children 2 and younger get in for free year-round, and discounts are available for Illinois teachers, active-duty service members, veterans and retired service members, families with EBT and WIC cards and more. Learn more
here .
610 E. 111th St. The Pullman National Historical Park takes visitors through the history of Pullman with the National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum, Pullman House Project, Arcade Park, Pullman Firehouse and more. The park is free to visit with no ticket required for entry. Learn more
here .
Known for its expansive marine life exhibits, including habitats from the Amazon to the Arctic, the Shedd is a must-visit for families and sea-life enthusiasts. The aquarium offers
free days and nights to residents each year, including 5-9 p.m. March 25 and April 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29. It also offers free and discounted admission to families with EBT cards; educators in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin; first responders; active-duty military and more. Reservations are required. While a $5 online booking fee applies, you can avoid it by calling 312-939-2438. Learn more
here .
Located on the north edge of the University of Chicago’s campus, the Smart Museum of Art is showcasing works by South Side artist Robert Earl Paige and a 50th anniversary exhibition by four commissioned artists. Admission is always free. It also hosts various
family and after-school programs . Learn more
here .
Swedish American Museum
5211 N. Clark St . Andersonville’s Swedish American Museum offers free admission the second Tuesday of each month throughout the year. It also offers free admission year-round to children younger than 1. The museum celebrates Swedish culture and heritage with exhibits on Swedish immigration and hands-on activities for visitors of all ages. You can learn more
here .
55 E. Ontario St. The 21c Museum Hotel has a display of contemporary art that’s free and open to the public year-round. It has a multimedia exhibit about the blurred lines between truth and fiction in “Truth or Dare,” an immersive show of sculpture and collage by Mayumi Lak in “Unison,” a mural called “Horsepower” by Chicago-based painter Natalie Clare and more. Learn more
here .
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