With cold temperatures blanketing the city, it’s the perfect time to head inside and visit area museums and attractions as many are offering multiple free admission days. For those who want to brave the cold, zoos and gardens offer free days, too.
Also throughout the year, many institutions have free admission for the military, first responders, students, teachers and children. Some also take part in Museums for All, a program that offers free or reduced admission to those receiving food assistance (SNAP benefits). Check websites for further information on these.
And for year-round free admission consider becoming a member of your favorite museum, zoo or garden.
Here’s a guide to free admission at area attractions and exhibit highlights at each of them:
Adler Planetarium, 1300 S. Lake Shore DuSable Dr.
Free admission from 4-11 p.m. Wednesdays for Illinois residents; book in advance. Visit adlerplanetarium.org.
Current exhibits: “Chasing Eclipses,” “Chicago’s Night Sky.”
American Writers Museum, 180 N. Michigan
Free the third Sunday of the month. Visit americanwritersmuseum.org.
Current exhibits: “Level Up: Writers & Gamers,” “A Nation of Writers.”
Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan
Free admission for Illinois residents: Monday, Thursday, Friday to March 14 and Wednesdays March 5, 12; prebook in advance. Visit artic.edu.
Some current exhibits: “Project a Black Planet: The Art and Culture of Panafrica,” “James Frey: Woven.”
Block Museum of Art, 40 Arts Circle, Evanston
Admission is always free. Visit blockmuseum.northwestern.edu.
Exhibits beginning Jan. 25: “Woven Being: Art for Zhegagoynak/Chicagoland,” “It Takes a Long Time to Stay Here: Paintings by Jordan Ann Craig.”
Brookfield Zoo, 8400 31st St., Brookfield
Free general admission for all Sat-Sun, Tue, Thu through Feb. 27 (parking and attraction fees still apply). Visit brookfieldzoo.org.
Experience the wonders of the animal world and learn about nature and conservation via exhibits and special events.
Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Rd., Glencoe:
A number of free admission days are available each month throughout the year for Illinois residents; upcoming dates are Jan. 20 and Feb. 2-7, 17; preregistration required (parking fees still apply). Visit chicagobotanic.org.
Winter, spring, summer or fall, every season is filled with special events and lovely walks, expanses throughout the garden’s 385 acres.
Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington
Admission and tours are always free. Visit chicagoculturalcenter.org.
Current exhibits: “Potential Energy: Chicago Puppets Up Close,” “Two Hundred Fifty One Days: Bryana Bibbs,” “A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of the Great Migration.”
Chicago Fed Money Museum, 230 S. LaSalle:
Admission is always free. Visit chicagofed.org.
Features a variety of exhibits focused on economics, money and the role of the Federal Reserve.
Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark
Winter free days for Illinois residents are Jan. 20-24, 28-31 and Tuesday-Friday Feb. 4-28 and Feb. 17. Visit chicagohistory.org.
Current exhibits: “Dressed in History – A Costume Collection Retrospective,” “Designing for Change: Chicago Protest Art of the 1960s-1970s,” “Injustice: The Trial for the Murder of Emmett Till.”
DePaul Art Museum, 935 W. Fullerton
Admission is always free. Visit resources.depaul.edu.
Current exhibits: “Edgar Miller: Anti-Modern, 1917-1967,” “The Spaces We Call Home.”
Design Museum of Chicago, 108 N. State
Admission is always free. Visit designchicago.org.
Current exhibits: “Letters Beyond Form: Chicago Types,” “20 Years of the Chicago Design Archive.”
Driehaus Museum, 50 E. Erie
Free on Wednesdays from 5-7 p.m. Visit driehausmuseum.org.
Upcoming exhibits: “A Tale of Today: Materialities,” “Rory McEwen: A New Perspective.”
DuSable Museum of African American History, 740 E. 56th Place
Free on Wednesdays for Illinois residents. Visit dusablemuseum.org.
Current exhibits: “The Many Colors of Us,” “The Art of Our Storytellers: Selections from the Johnson Publishing Company Collection.
The Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore DuSable Dr.
Free admission Wednesdays for Illinois residents. Visit fieldmuseum.org.
Current exhibits: “Wild Color,” “SUE: The T. Rex Experience,” “Cats: Predators to Pets.”
Garfield Park Conservatory, 300 N. Central Park
Always free for Chicago residents. Visit garfieldconservatory.org.
Walk through the lush flora and tropical gardens filled with thousands of plant species from around the world.
Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. Lake Shore DuSable Dr.:
Free admission for Illinois residents Jan. 26-29 and Feb. 3-6, 9-13, 18-20, 24-27 (some exhibits are ticketed). Visit msichicago.org.
Current exhibits: “007 Science: Inventing the World of James Bond,” “Black Creativity Juried Art Exhibition,” “Notes to Neurons.”
Heritage Museum of Asian Art, 3500 S. Morgan
Free admission on third Friday of the month and the entire month of May. Visit heritageasianart.org.
Current exhibits: “Year of the Dragon: Early China to LEGO,” “Carved Chalcedony Agate Snuff Bottles,” “The Conley Collection: Chinese Art from Han and Beyond.”
Hyde Park Art Center, 5020 S. Cornell:
Admission is free to all. Visit hydeparkart.org.
Current exhibits: “Positions: New Landscapes,” “Cecilia Beaven: Flickering Cocoon.”
Illinois Holocaust Museum, 9603 Woods, Skokie
Free admission last Friday of the month. Visit ilholocaustmuseum.org.
Exhibits include: “Resilience: A Sansei Sense of Legacy,” “Shetl in the Sun: Andy Sweet’s South Beach 1977-1980,” “Interactive Holograms: Survivor Stories Experience.”
Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, 800 S. Halsted
Admission is always free. Visit hullhousemuseum.org.
Current exhibit: “Radical Craft: Arts Education at Hull-House, 1889-1935.”
Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N. Clark:
Admission is always free. Visit lpzoo.org.
Explore nearly 200 species and their habitats; for a list of special events and children’s activities check website.
Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago
Free on Tuesdays for Illinois residents. Visit mcachicago.org.
Current exhibits: “Atrium Project: Do Ho Suh,” “The Living End: Painting and Technology, 1970-2020,” “Descending the Staircase.”
Museum of Contemporary Photography, 600 S. Michigan:
Admission is always free (closed when Columbia College is closed). Visit mocp.org.
Current exhibits: “Regina Agu: ShoreLines,” “Collaboration: A Potential History of Photography in Dialogue with the MoCP Collection.”
National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th
Admission is always free. Visit nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org.
Current exhibits: “Contemporary Casta Portraiture: Nuestra Calidad,” “Semilla: Cecilia Beaven, Solo Exhibition.”
National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture, 3015 W. Division
Admission is always free. Visit nmprac.org.
Current exhibits: “Puerto Rican Equations: Juan Sanchez,” “Cuentos Ocultos/Hidden Tales,” “Liminal: LGBTQ+ Chicago – Boricua Imaginings.”
National Veterans Art Museum, 4041 N. Milwaukee:
Admission is always free. Visit nvam.org.
Current exhibits: “Leopold Segedin: Conflict & Confrontation,” “Steven Luu: A Path to Healing & Transformation,” “Ron Mann: Life & Work.”
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, 2430 N. Cannon:
Free on Thursdays for Illinois residents; reserve online. Visit naturemuseum.org.
Current exhibits: “Nature Cat: Backyard and Beyond,” “Interconnected: Birds and Wildflowers of Illinois,” “Butterfly Haven.”
The Renaissance Society, 6811 S. Ellis
Admission is always free. Visit renaissancesociety.org.
Current exhibit: “Isabelle Frances McGuire: Year Zero.”
Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S. Lake Shore DuSable Dr.:
Numerous free weekdays in Jan.-Feb and free Tuesday evenings March-May for Illinois residents; reserve online. Visit sheddaquarium.org.
New saltwater and freshwater tanks greet visitors in the Shedd’s rotunda plus in the aquarium encounter an endless roster of aquatic creatures.
Smart Museum, 5550 S. Greenwood
Admission is always free. Visit smartmuseum.uchicago.edu.
Current exhibits: “Robert Earl Paige: Give the Drummer Some,” “The 50th: An Anniversary Exhibition.”
Swedish American Museum, 5211 N. Clark
Free admission second Tuesday of the month. Visit swedishamericanmuseum.org.
Features two gallery spaces with special art exhibits as well as the “We Are America Exhibit” and the Brunk Children’s Museum of Immigration.