Neighborhood News: Celebrating Free Museum Days in December!
Creating special memories is such an important part of the holiday season. Thanks to the upcoming December Free Days at many Chicago area museums, you and your family can create extra special memories, find extra-special gifts and save money!
Located on the Museum Campus, the Adler Planetarium, 1300 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Illinois residents can enjoy free admission (with proof of residency) every Wednesday from 4pm to 10 pm.
Wednesday tickets include entry to the museum at one of the designated entry times, 4pm or 7pm (last admission 9pm). You may enter anytime after your chosen entry time, and up to the next designated entry time.
NOTE: Admission is always free for Illinois teachers.
Make sure to book online and in advance by clicking here.
In the Loop, The Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Avenue offers Free Weekdays, from December 1 – 18.
To receive free admission tickets, Illinois residents must reserve online in advance. Free admission is available from 11 a.m. through closing (5 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and 8 p.m. on Thursdays).
It’s the perfect time to take in special collections like Strange Realities, with haunting works by Munch, Redon, and Gauguin through January 5, Elizabeth Catlett: “A Black Revolutionary Artist and All That It Implies” through January 4, and Raqib Shaw: Paradise Lost through January 19.
NOTE: The museum is always free 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.
Lincoln Park’s Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark Street, helps you explore both Chicago and American history at their upcoming Illinois resident Free Day on Wednesday, December 10.
Note: Throughout the year, admission is always free for active-duty military and 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, offers free entry on select dates and for certain groups.
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.
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.
Pilsen’s National Museum of Mexican Art. 1852 W. 19th Street, is always free! Their Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) exhibit remains open through December 14, showcasing ofrendas (altars) by local and national artists, and an immersive installation designed by the youth artists of Yollocalli Arts Reach. On Saturday December 6, the museum hosts Mañanas en el Museo, their sensory-friendly hours from 9am –11am. Light refreshments will be provided. For moreinformation, click here.
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, 2430 N. Cannon Drive. Every Thursday is free for Illinois residents at this Lincoln Park destination for nature enthusiasts and families seeking to connect with the diverse ecology of Chicago and beyond. Suggested donations are $10 on free days. For tickets and information, click here.
Another Museum Campus favorite is the venerable Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive. Illinois residents free access to all permanent exhibits on select dates throughout the year. In December, you can enjoy free Tuesday evenings from 5pm- 9pm Monday December 9th and 16th.
Illinois Resident Free Hours include access to all exhibits and seasonal Stingray Touch.
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 they are open. Their current exhibit, We Are America, explores Swedish immigration to Chicago. There are environmental displays such as the deck of a steamship, a 19th century Swedish stuga (cottage), an early 20th century Swedish-American woodshop, and a mid-century Swedish-American kitchen.
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.
And a reminder…though not a museum, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2400 N. Cannon Drive, offers free admission 365 days a year. Discover fascinating wildlife, make unforgettable memories, and embrace the thrill of the wild. And through January 4, for $7 per person, you can experience the magic of ZooLights!
Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago
