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Free Museums in Chicago- Free things to do!
Chris Campbell | 
Jan 18th, 2009 | 
About a block from our office is a Harris Bank. They had a few free things that you can do around Chicago displayed on their window.
- Monday- The Chicago History Museum
- Tuesday- LUMA the Loyola Art Museum
- Wednesday- The Green City Market in Lincoln Park
- Thursday- Peggy Notebaert Museum
- Friday- Museum of Contemporary Photography
This inspired us to dig a little deeper and find where else you can go on a free budget. You can stop in the Art Institute on Thursday evenings from 5-8pm, Second Monday of the month at the Field Museum on Target’s dime. The Science and Industry offers free days on a somewhat random schedule that can be seen here.
Finally it’s a little known fact that the Chicago Public Library offers passes to the various Museums around Chicago. Each Library holds a handful of passes that are checked out like books and gets you free access into all the hottest museums in town. Learn more on the Chicago Public Library website.
- Always Free:
CenterSpace Gallery at Gallery 37
66 E. Randolph Street
312.744.8925
gallery37.org
Chicago ArchiCenter
224 S. Michigan Avenue
312.922.3432
architecture.org
Chicago Beaches and Parks
Various locations
312.742.PLAY (7529)
chicagoparkdistrict.com
Chicago Cultural Center
78 E. Washington Street
Chicago Cultural Center
Chicago Tourism Center
72 E. Randolph Street
312.744.6630
Chicago Office of Tourism
City Gallery at the Historic Water Tower
806 N. Michigan Avenue
312.742.0808
cityorchicago.org
Chicago Public Library’s Harold Washington Library Center
400 S. State Street
312.747.4300
chipublib.org
DePaul University Art Museum
2350 N. Kenmore
773.325.7506
museums.depaul.edu
Garfield Park Conservatory
300 N. Central Park Avenue
312.746.5100
garfield-conservatory.org
Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art
756 N. Milwaukee Avenue
312.243.9088
outsider.art.org
Jane Addams Hull House
800 S. Halsted Street
312.413.5353
Lincoln Park Conservatory
2400 N. Stockton Drive
312.742.7736
Lincoln Park Zoo
2200 N. Cannon Drive
312.742.2000
lpzoo.com
Martin D’Arcy Museum of Art
6525 N. Sheridan Road
773.508.2679
darcy.luc.edu
Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum
1852 W. 19th Street
312.738.1503
mfachicago.org
Museum of Broadcast Communications
78 E. Washington Street
312.629.6000
museum.tv
Museum of Contemporary Photography
600 S. Michigan Avenue
312.663.5554
mocp.org
Navy Pier
600 E. Grand Avenue
312.595.PIER (7437)
navypier.com
Newberry Library
60 W. Walton Street
312.943.9090
newberry.org
The Oriental Institute Museum
1155 E. 58th Street
773.702.9520
oi.uchicago.edu
The Peace Museum
100 N. Central Park Avenue
773.638.6450
peacemuseum.org
The Renaissance Society of University of Chicago
5811 S. Ellis Avenue
Bergman Gallery, Cobb Hall 418
773.702.8670
The Smart Museum of Art
5550 S. Greenwood Avenue
773.702.0200
smartmuseum.uchicago.edu
The Smith Museum of Stained Glass
Navy Pier
700 E. Grand Avenue
312.791.6049
- Free Days Offered:
The Adler Planetarium
1300 S. Lake Shore Drive
312.922.STAR (7827)
adlerplanetarium.org
Several various days
The Art Institute of Chicago
111 S. Michigan Avenue
artic.edu
312.443.3600
Free on Thursday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Chicago Children’s Museum
700 E. Grand Avenue
312.527.1000
chichildrensmuseum.org
5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Free on Wednesdays
Chicago Historical Society
Clark Street at North Avenue
312.642.4600
chicagohistory.org
Free on Mondays
Clark House Museum
1827 S. Indiana Avenue
312.326.1480
Clarke House Museum
Free on Wednesdays
DuSable Museum of African American History
740 E. 56th Place
773.947.0600
dusablemuseum.org
Free on Sundays
The Field Museum
1400 S. Lake Shore Drive
312.922.9410
fmnh.org
Free 2nd Mondays of the month
Glessner House Museum
1800 S. Prairie Avenue
312.326.1480
glessnerhouse.org
Free on Wednesdays
International Museum of Surgical Science
1524 N. Lakeshore Drive
312.642.6502
imss.org
Tuesdays are free
Museum of Contemporary Art
Tuesdays 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
220 E. Chicago Avenue
312.280.2660
mcachicago.org
Free on Tuesdays
Museum of Science and Industry
57th Street and Lake Shore Drive
773.684.1414
msichicago.org
List of Free Days
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
2430 N. Cannon Drive
773.755.5100
naturemuseum.org
Thursdays are suggested donation days
The Shedd Aquarium
1200 S. Lakeshore Drive
312.939.2438
sheddnet.org
Shedd Discount days
Spertus Museum
618 S. Michigan Avenue
312.322.1747
spertus.edu
Free on Fridays
Swedish American Museum
and Children’s Museum of Immigration
5211 N. Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60640
773.728.8111
samac.org
Second Tuesday of every month
Thirsty for more? Check out these related articles:
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- Chicago Green Events August 2008
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- September Green Events in Chicago
- Energy Star House stops in Chicago
You may want to check out the website “Free Things to Do in Chicago” . It is a site that is focused on spreading the word to citizens and visitors on all the free things there are to do in Chicago.