There are so many places in Chicago where you can do things in free time. Free museums in Chicago may be the places to visit with your kid’s and family members. These museums are offering free admission on these days. So this is the right time to visit those place with your families.
Note: Please contact the museums for free days or exhibit before going to visit. It helps to save your time.
Always Free Museums in Chicago
1. National Museum of Mexican Art
This is one of the greatest free museums in Chicago. This place accepts free admission. I would have to say this place was amazing. The art was so beautiful and I would say the artist extremely talented. It’s a beautiful museum that discusses and shows the beauty and story of Mexican culture.
Came here on a field trip and had a tour guide walk us through the art. It’s very colorful, the exhibits are eye-catching, and you’ll leave with a little bit more knowledge.
Address: 1852 W 19th St, Chicago, IL 60608
Timing: Tuesday – Sunday(10am – 5pm)
2. Museum of Contemporary Photography
It’s a must-see for someone who loves photography and is in Chicago. Amazing museum with very interesting exhibitions. Great free exhibition and the collection is well prepared and the message is clear and strong. Highly recommended.
Address: 600 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60605
Timing: Monday – Saturday(10am – pm), Sunday(12 – 5pm)
3. National Veterans Art Museum
It seems little is known about these wonderful free museums in the northwest side of the Chicago city, at Irving Park & Cicero, but it’s definitely worth visiting. As you can imagine, the artwork is powerful & moving, no matter what your views or experiences are related to war, service, or being a veteran.
First-class museum with knowledgeable staff. This place isn’t just a stuffy museum. There’s modern artwork that is done by great artists.
Address: 4041 N Milwaukee Ave 2nd floor, Chicago, IL 60641
Timing: Tuesday – Saturday(10am – 5pm)
4. The DePaul Art Museum
A great little museum, conveniently located just east of the Fullerton CTA station–you can always count on an interesting exhibit. Timewise, it does not require the commitment of a larger museum, but you will still leave feeling satisfied.
Small, but they usually have something worth seeing. If you’re in the area it’s definitely worth stopping by. It’s free too.
Address: 935 W Fullerton Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
Timing: Wednesday – Sunday(11 am – 5 pm)
5. National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture
This is the only free museum about Puerto Rican art in the United States outside of Puerto Rico. It’s in a small venue but located inside the former Humboldt Park Receptory Building and Stable – a two-floor Chicago Landmark built-in 1895-96.
Tons of information on the history of the building and surrounding parkland. Would highly recommend visiting.
Address: 3015 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622
Timing: Tuesday – Saturday(10am – 5pm)
6. Smart Museum of Art
The Smart Museum is small, free, an easy and engaging place to museums in Chicago. It’s easily accessible by public transit and there is a parking garage nearby. Exhibitions, which rotate, are really tremendous, tending towards the avant-garde but including the historical and always celebrating the vast diversity of the art world.
The fun little museum doesn’t cost to get in and there is a good amount of stuff to look at.
Address: 5550 S Greenwood Ave, Chicago, IL 60637
Timing: Tuesday – Sunday(10am – pm)
7. Chicago Cultural Center
It has very beautiful stained glass work and mosaics everywhere. The dome is magnificent. And it was fun trying to read all the different inscriptions in various languages.
The best part of this is it offers always free admission.
Address: 78 E Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602
Timing: Monday – Friday(10am – 7pm), Saturday – Sunday(10am – 5pm)
Museums That Offer Free Days in Chicago
8. DuSable Museum of African American History
This place is amazing! It was very informative with regards to the black soldiers during the war & their contributions. The DuSable Museum has jazz in the park and there was plenty of jazz lover’s there. The bands were fantastic and the weather was great.
There is free admission on every Tuesday.
Address: 740 E 56th Pl, Chicago, IL 60637
Timing: Tuesday – Saturday(10am – 5pm), Sunday(12-5pm)
9. Chicago Children’s Museum
This place is renovated and the new exhibits are so cool. There is one that has to make music but they have ordinary things to make music like things we use every day and it’s so cool for kids. It is so interactive and yet simple yet intriguing.
Here the kid’s whose age is 15 or under are offered for free admission on every first Sunday of the month. Kid’s whose age is 1 and under are always free.
Address: 700 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
Timing: Friday – Wednesday(10am – 5pm), Thursday(10am – 8pm)
10. Brookfield Zoo
Nice Zoo! However, for the admission, they should include some sort of souvenir or discount gift for next visit. On another note, the Zoo is pretty big and the parking lot is conveniently close by. Admissions process on a weekend was pretty quick.
Brookfield Zoo is free on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday of the month of February.
Address: 8400 W 31st St, Brookfield, IL 60513
Timing: Monday – Friday(10am – 5pm), Saturday – Sunday(10am – 6pm)
Also See: 20+ Free Museums in NYC(New York City)
11. The Field Museum
One of the free and great natural history museums of the world as well as in Chicago. My favorite exhibit is the Evolving Planet, an incredible journey through time. It’s sobering to walk through the five global extinction events, and then to come to the end of the exhibit and realize that we are living in the sixth extinction period.
The Illinois residents who have proof of residency, then those may enjoy free admission in the following days January 21, February 1 – 28, April 5-7, May 2, and June 26-28.
Address: 1400 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60605
Timing: Monday – Sunday(9am – 5pm)
