There are plenty of museums in the city to visit! Here are some of our favorites. At the Field Museum, get closer to dinosaurs than ever before in Jurassic World: The Exhibition! Meet a penguin, touch a beluga whale, become a trainer for a day or take a tour behind the scenes of the Shedd Aquarium. Our Solar System is much more than a star and eight planets; it is home to a set of diverse and amazing objects that we are only beginning to understand. Explore it today at the Adler Planetarium! Make sure to check out the free admission days!
LIST OF CHICAGO MUSEUMS
Adler Planetarium
- Hours: 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
- Admission: Click on the link for ticket prices. http://www.adlerplanetarium.org/ticketing-options/
John G Shedd Aquarium
- Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday – Friday; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday and holidays. Closed Christmas day. Check website for extended summer hours.
- Admission: General Admission (original galleries only): $8, $6 kids. Total Experience pass: $39.95, $30.95 kids.
- Free Days: August:28-29, September: 5, 11-12, 18-19, 25-26
The Field Museum
- Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Last admission at 4 p.m. Closed Christmas day.
- Admission: $16-$38; visit website for pricing structure. Discounts available to Chicago residents
- Free Days: June:21-23, August: 10, 28, 31, September: 10, 11, 23, 24
Museum of Science and Industry
- Hours: 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. daily. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas day. Extended hours, until 5:30 p.m., are offered on select dates; check website for full schedule.
- Admission: $18, $11 kids ages 3-11. Ticket packages begin at $20 for kids and go up to $54 for adults. City of Chicago residents receive a discount on packages and Museum Entry. Parking $22.
- Free Days: September: 5-8, 11-15, 18-22, 25-29
Art Institute of Chicago
- Hours: 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Sunday; 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday (Family Room open until 5 p.m.)
- Admission: $25, $19 students and seniors 65+, free kids under 14. Free Thursday evenings for IL residents.
- Free Days: Free for Illinois residents 5-8 p.m. Thursdays. Kids 13 and under are always free.
Museum of Contemporary Art
- Hours: Tues. & Fri 10 a.m.-9p.m.; Wed.-Thurs. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat.-Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Closed Monday and major holidays.
- Admission: $15 adults; free for youth 18 and under, and members of police, fire, and military personnel. Tuesday admission is free for Illinois residents.
- Free Days: Free 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesdays for Illinois residents; kids 18 and under are always free (starting June 1, 2017).
Chicago History Museum
- Hours: 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday; noon-5 p.m. Sunday
- Admission: $16, $14 seniors (65+) and students, free for museum members and kids 12 and under. Call or check website for free day schedule.
- Free Days: July 4th.
Chicago Children’s Museum
- Hours: Winter hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Wednesday; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday.
- Admission: $14, $13 seniors, free kids under 1 and members. Visit website for free admission days.
- Free Days: Free 5-8 p.m. Thursdays and the first Sunday of every month for kids 15 and under. Always free to kids under 1.
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
- Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday
- Admission: $9, $7 seniors and students, $6 kids 3-12, free kids under 3. Thursday is suggested donation day for IL residents.
- Free Days: Free Thursdays for Illinois residents. Kids under 3 are always free.
DuSable Museum of African History
- Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday
- Admission: $3, $2 students and seniors, $1 kids 6-12, free kids under 6
- Free Days: Every Sunday