Neighborhood News: Explore the world, celebrate America’s birthday without leaving the city at Museum Free Days!
As the USA celebrates its 250th birthday, the history of our heritage and diverse culture is omnipresent at Chicago’s iconic museums 365 days a year.
DID YOU KNOW…on select days, you can visit Chicago’s iconic museums for FREE? We at Dean’s Team Chicago have compiled a list of this month ‘s free days for you and your family:
The Adler Planetarium, 1300 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Illinois residents can enjoy free admission (with proof of residency) on the following days:
- Wednesday July 8
- Wednesday, July 15
Note: Admission is always free for Illinois teachers. Make sure to book online and in advance by clicking here.
In Chicago’s Loop is the American Writers Museum, 180 N. Michigan Avenue, 2nd Floor, where you and your family can enjoy free admission on the third Sunday of each month. On these days, the museum is open from 10am to 5pm. You can see and interact with exhibits like American Prophets: Writers, Religion, and Culture, which explores the profound ways writing reflects and influences our understanding of religion. From the poet Phyllis Wheatley to the comedian Harold Ramis, writers are driven by their beliefs and the beliefs of those around them.
Access to all exhibits are included on free museum days. Prior registration is not required, but recommended. For more information, click here.
In the Loop, The Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Avenue, sponsors Free Summer Thursdays from 5pm to 8 pm. July dates include:
- Thursday, July 2
- Thursday, July 9
- Thursday, July 16
- Thursday, July 23
- Thursday, July 30
Additionally, they offer free admission every day for Chicago teens under age 18, all children under age 14, Link and WIC cardholders, active-duty military, and Illinois educators. To reserve tickets, click here.
The Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark Street, in Lincoln Park offers free admission on select days. Visit exhibits like Aquí en Chicago, tracing the lives of Latino/a/e communities. Upcoming free admission days are:
- Saturday, July 4
- Wednesday, July 15
Admission is always free for active duty military and veterans, active duty Chicago police and firefighters, Illinois teachers, Illinois residents under age 18, and all children under 12. For tickets, click here.
Washington Park’s DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center, 740 E. 56th Place, there’s free admission for all every Wednesday.
Note: Admission is always free for military and first responders, University of Chicago students, Chicago Park District employees, Illinois public school students, and other groups. For tickets and information, click here.
At the Field Museum, 1400 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, every Wednesday throughout 2026 is free.
Free tickets are available for advance reservation online and on site. The free tickets include all general admission exhibitions. Present a current Illinois driver’s license, State ID, or Chicago CityKey card at the ticket desk to establish proof of residency. For tickets and information, click here.
Note: Illinois teachers and active military personnel receive free general admission year-round.
In Hyde Park, the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, is always free for United States military active-duty personnel and veterans, Illinois POWs, Chicago firefighters & Chicago police officers, Illinois teachers (Pre-K through 12th grade), United States military active-duty personnel and veterans, who also receive $4 off U-505 On-Board Tour tickets. Forinformationand reservations, click here.
Streeterville’s Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Avenue, reserves every Tuesday from 5pm – 9pm for Illinois residents to receive free admission.
Note: The museum is always free for visitors under age 18, visitors with disabilities and their caregivers, active members of the military, police, and fire departments, veterans and their families, and Illinois elementary and high school teachers.
And …If it’s not Tuesday evening, MCA has a pay-what-you-can policy — no one will be turned away.
InLincolnPark, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum 2430 N. Cannon Drive, has the following Resident Days:
- Monday, July 20
- Tuesday, July 21
- Wednesday, July 22
Illinois residents can reserve their free tickets online or in person.
Please note: Free admission does not include the Judy Istock Butterfly Haven exhibit, but access can be purchased as an add-on for $5 per person.
At the Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Illinois residents receive free access to all permanent exhibits on Free Museum Nights from 5pm– 9pm on the following dates:
- Thursday, July 2
- Tuesday, July 7
- Tuesday, July 14
- Tuesday, July 28
And…Admission is always free for Chicago police officers and firefighters, active-duty U.S. military personnel, and educators from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
NOTE: There is a $5 convenience fee per order for Free Hours reservations made online.
HOWEVER, you can reserve tickets by phone with no convenience fee by calling 312-939-2438.
Andersonville’s Swedish American Museum, 5211 N. Clark Street, has free admission every second Tuesday of the month throughout the year, and children aged 1 year or younger are admitted free every day.
If you plan on visiting with a group of 10 or more, it is highly recommended that you contact the museum so that they can accommodate you for a guided or self-guided tour. For more information, click here.
There are many more museums with free admission every day! For a complete list, click here.
Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago
