CHICAGO — As Chicago Public Faculties and different establishments gear up for his or her spring break subsequent week, Block Membership has rounded up some museums you’ll be able to go to with out spending a dime.
A few of these cultural establishments present free admission year-round to college students, households, academics and Illinois residents, whereas others are providing particular spring break hours and applications, or numerous weekly free days.
You probably have a Chicago Public Library card, you may also attempt to acquire a digital cross for sure establishments on-line.
Whether or not you’re interested by seeing up to date artwork, studying about Black historical past or exploring the cosmos, we’ve bought you lined.
Listed below are 24 museums that households and Chicagoans of all ages can take pleasure in over spring break:
1300 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive
The Adler Planetarium invitations Illinois residents to discover the cosmos without spending a dime 4-10 p.m. Wednesdays.
Acknowledged because the nation’s first planetarium, the Adler presents interactive displays and sky reveals to study astronomy and house exploration. Illinois academics from pre-Okay via Twelfth grade additionally obtain free admission year-round with proof of residency.
Be taught extra right here.
111 S. Michigan Ave.
The Artwork Institute of Chicago presents free year-round admission to these youthful than 18, Illinois educators and Hyperlink and WIC cardholders. Chicago Public Library cardholders 18 and older may also register without spending a dime common admission passes on-line.
Be taught extra right here.
111 E. Wacker Drive
The Chicago Structure Heart presents free admission to youngsters 5 and youthful, and it presents discounted $10 tickets to college students with IDs. Normal admission tickets for adults are $15. The middle has exhibitions of Chicago buildings became hats and Ukrainian mutual help efforts.
Be taught extra right here.
78 E. Washington St.
The Chicago Cultural Heart presents free admission year-round, showcasing displays on subjects starting from Black girlhood to structure. It’s additionally house to 2 iconic stained-glass domes and infrequently hosts free music, dance, theater, movie and artwork occasions for all ages.
Be taught extra right here.
700 E. Grand Avenue, Navy Pier
From March 22-April 6, the Chicago Kids’s Museum has “Spring Break Weeks of Play” with particular applications, actions and prolonged hours. There might be dwell animal encounters, artwork workshops and extra. Be taught extra about spring applications right here.
Admission is free to youngsters youthful than 1 and $21 for all Illinois residents older than 1. Veterans and energetic navy obtain free admission year-round with legitimate navy standing identification. Households with EBT or WIC playing cards additionally obtain reductions. Be taught extra about admission right here.
1601 N. Clark St.
On the Chicago Historical past Museum, you’ll be able to discover town with skilled guides, delve into numerous fascinating exhibitions and uncover Chicago historical past via family-friendly actions. CHM is providing free admission for Illinois residents March 27, April 16 and 30 and Might 8 and 26. Illinois residents 18 and youthful get in free year-round.
Be taught extra right here.
238 W. twenty third St.
The Chinese language American Museum of Chicago highlights Chinese language American tradition via exhibitions, training and analysis, together with the everlasting exhibit “Nice Wall to Nice Lakes: Chinese language Immigration to the Midwest.” The museum is all the time free to go to, with recommended donations of $5 for college kids and older individuals and $8 for adults. It’s open Wednesdays and Friday-Sunday.
Be taught extra right here.
740 E. 56th Place
Because the oldest unbiased African American historical past museum in the US, this Washington Park museum highlights the contributions of Black individuals in Chicago and past. It presents free admission each Wednesday, in addition to year-round free admission to adults and youngsters with Chicago Public Library passes, College of Chicago college students, Chicago Park District workers, active-duty navy, first responders, Okay-Twelfth grade Illinois Public College college students and extra.
Be taught extra right here.
5700 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive
The Museum of Science and Business presents free admission on choose dates, together with April 20 and June 12 and 19. Examine the museum’s web site for up to date free-day schedules. Alongside the particular James Bond-themed exhibition closing April 6, there are numerous springtime actions coming, together with a Robotic Block Social gathering April 4-5 and Dungeons and Dragons recreation play on Saturdays in April.
Be taught extra right here.
1400 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive
Illinois residents can go to the Area Museum without spending a dime this Wednesday. Normal admission contains entry to displays like Evolving Planet, Inside Historical Egypt and The Historical Americas. Guests can discover ticketed exhibitions or watch a 3D film for an extra payment. Reductions and free admission are additionally supplied to Illinois academics for pre-Okay via Twelfth grade, active-duty navy and veterans and extra.
Be taught extra right here.
4410 N. Clark St.
The Haitian American Museum in Uptown presents free day by day admission for youngsters youthful than 5. Admission is $6 for college kids and older individuals and $8 for adults. Guests can discover vibrant works by Haitian American artists together with a particular youngsters’s assortment. The museum is closed Monday-Tuesday.
Be taught extra right here.
5020 S. Cornell Ave.
The Hyde Park Artwork Heart is free and open to the general public year-round. It serves as a hub for artists in Chicago, internet hosting exhibitions, artist talks, studio artwork courses, free public occasions and extra.
Be taught extra right here.
9603 Woods Drive, Skokie
The Illinois Holocaust Museum presents free admission to all guests the final Friday of every month, which falls on March 28 this month. The suburban Skokie establishment is devoted to preserving the reminiscence of the Holocaust whereas inspiring guests to face up for human rights and social justice via its highly effective displays and academic applications.
Be taught extra right here.
800 S. Halsted St.
As a Nationwide Historic Landmark, the Jane Addams Hull-Home Museum is free and open to the general public year-round. It hosts exhibitions and applications like “Radical Craft,” which celebrates and explores the work of immigrant artists and reformers on the Close to West Aspect.
Be taught extra right here.
2001 N. Clark St.
Chicago’s all the time free-public zoo, the Lincoln Park Zoo presents free wildlife for all within the midst of town. The favored vacation spot now includes a new must-see meerkat mob — Clover, Violet and Dahlia — in addition to emperor tamarins Sal and Feta, who just lately moved into their new house on the zoo’s Regenstein Small Mammal and Reptile Home. The zoo opens daily at 10 a.m. For extra info, go to the zoo web site.
220 E. Chicago Ave.
The Museum of Modern Artwork presents free admission for Illinois residents each Tuesday and free admission day by day for guests youthful than 18, Illinois elementary and highschool academics, guests with disabilities and their caregivers, energetic members of the navy, police and hearth division and veterans.
The Streeterville museum includes a numerous vary of up to date artwork, showcasing works from native and worldwide artists, corresponding to present exhibitions of Andrea Carlson, Do Ho Suh and Arthur Jafa.
Be taught extra right here.
1852 W. nineteenth St.
The Nationwide Museum of Mexican Artwork in Pilsen presents free admission year-round. With a wealthy assortment of Mexican and Mexican American textiles, work, sculptures and multimedia artwork, the museum offers a fascinating cultural expertise for all guests. Its present exhibition, “Into the Hourglass,” is a touring present that highlights paños as an artwork type (pen or pencil drawings on material and a type of jail art work) and the contributions of incarcerated artists to Chicano and American artwork.
Be taught extra right here.
3015 W. Division St.
Guests can try the Nationwide Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Tradition in Humboldt Park with free admission year-round. The museum options displays on Puerto Rican heritage, such because the exploration of LGBTQ+ and Puerto Rican identities and multimedia works of artist Juan Sánchez.
Be taught extra right here.
2430 N. Cannon Drive
The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum presents Free Days for Illinois residents each Thursday. Visitors pays what they’ll to assist the museum or take pleasure in free admission to discover displays just like the serene Butterfly Haven or shows about Chicago’s pure ecosystems. Kids 2 and youthful get in without spending a dime year-round, and reductions can be found for Illinois academics, active-duty service members, veterans and retired service members, households with EBT and WIC playing cards and extra.
Be taught extra right here.
610 E. 111th St.
The Pullman Nationwide Historic Park takes guests via the historical past of Pullman with the Nationwide A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum, Pullman Home Undertaking, Arcade Park, Pullman Firehouse and extra. The park is free to go to with no ticket required for entry.
Be taught extra right here.
1200 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive
Identified for its expansive marine life displays, together with habitats from the Amazon to the Arctic, the Shedd is a must-visit for households and sea-life fans. The aquarium presents free days and nights to residents every year, together with 5-9 p.m. March 25 and April 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29. It additionally presents free and discounted admission to households with EBT playing cards; educators in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin; first responders; active-duty navy and extra.
Reservations are required. Whereas a $5 on-line reserving payment applies, you’ll be able to keep away from it by calling 312-939-2438. Be taught extra right here.
5550 S. Greenwood Ave., The College of Chicago
Situated on the north fringe of the College of Chicago’s campus, the Good Museum of Artwork is showcasing works by South Aspect artist Robert Earl Paige and a fiftieth anniversary exhibition by 4 commissioned artists. Admission is all the time free. It additionally hosts numerous household and after-school applications.
Be taught extra right here.
Swedish American Museum
5211 N. Clark St.
Andersonville’s Swedish American Museum presents free admission the second Tuesday of every month all year long. It additionally presents free admission year-round to youngsters youthful than 1. The museum celebrates Swedish tradition and heritage with displays on Swedish immigration and hands-on actions for guests of all ages.
You may study extra right here.
55 E. Ontario St.
The 21c Museum Resort has a show of up to date artwork that’s free and open to the general public year-round. It has a multimedia exhibit in regards to the blurred strains between reality and fiction in “Fact or Dare,” an immersive present of sculpture and collage by Mayumi Lak in “Unison,” a mural known as “Horsepower” by Chicago-based painter Natalie Clare and extra.
Be taught extra right here.
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