Our annual list of free/low cost things to do in our great city of Chicago.
Walk Chicago Riverwalk – Free
Hamilton exhibit on Northerly Island
CAC Chicago Architectural Tour
Pullman Historic Monument: www.pullman-museum.org
Bloomingdale Trail Park: http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/cdot/supp_info/bloomingdale_trail.html
Best Value: Chicago Architectural Center http://www.architecture.org/. Rated the #1 thing to do in Chicago!
- More than 85 FREE walking and bike tours
- Buy-one-ticket-get-one-FREE on the Architecture River Cruise*
- Priority Pass for citywide festival Open House Chicago
- Discounts on bus, elevated and Segway tours
- Access to Members Travel Program and Behind-the-Scenes tours
Best Kids Special
http://www.chicagokids.com/
Chicago Things to Do
http://www.choosechicago.com/things-to-do/
Enjoy IL / Chicago
http://www.enjoyillinois.com/region/chicagoandbeyond#chicago
Chicago Events for the Next 12 Months
http://www.events12.com/chicago/may/
2019 City of Chicago Cultural Affairs & Special Events
http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/festival_events_dates.html
Choose Chicago, what to do in Chicago: Chicago Official Visitor’s Guide
http://www.choosechicago.com/plan-your-trip/visitor-services-and-resources/request-visitors-guide/
Chicago Summer Festival Guide
http://www.timeout.com/chicago/things-to-do/chicago-summer-festivals
Chicago Food Truck Fest
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chicago-food-truck-festival-summer-festival-tickets-42218908893
Additional Chicago Attractions
The Adler Planetarium – http://www.adlerplanetarium.org/
The Field Museum http://fieldmuseum.org/
Free Days:
- June 26, 27, 28
Shedd Aquarium discount days for Illinois residents https://www.sheddaquarium.org/
- June 17, 18, 24, 25
- August 26 – 27
- September 3,4, 9-11, 16-18, 23-25, 30
- October 1,2
- December 4
The Art Institute of Chicago http://www.artic.edu/
Charnley-Persky House Museum http://www.sah.org/about-sah/charnley-persky-house
Wednesdays – 12 p.m.
Cost: Free
Chicago Children’s Museum – http://www.chicagochildrensmuseum.org/?gclid=CNHE0qehhLcCFeZFMgodDQcA7g
| Target Free Family Night Thursday Evenings 5pm – 8pm Free admission for all visitors |
Free First Sundays First Sunday of each month Free admission for visitors 15 and under |
Teachers, Firefighters, & Police Officers
To honor their contributions to the community, Chicago Children’s Museum offers a discounted admission price of $5.95 to teachers, firefighters and police officers with a valid form of employment identification.
Veterans & Active Military
For their service to our country, veterans and active military receive free admission every day. Please present a valid form of military status identification at the admissions desk to receive free admission.
Museums for All $3 Admission
All Illinois EBT or WIC card holders receive $3 admission for up to 6 people. Families must include 1 adult and 1 child age 15 or younger. Present a valid EBT (known as the Link card) or WIC card to qualify. Learn More
Chicago History Museum – http://www.chicagohs.org/
The Museum is free to Illinois residents every Tuesday* from 12:30 to 9:00 p.m. and on Commemorative Days: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, March 4, and July 4. *Excludes December 17, December 24 and December 31.
Clark House Museum – http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/clarke_house_museum.html
Free Public Tours
Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 1pm and 3pm; Starting April 1, tours will take place at 1pm & 2:30pm
One-hour guided tours
Admission is FREE
Tours are limited to 15 people, available on a first-come, first-served basis. For groups of 5 or more, please contact clarkehousemuseum@cityofchicago.org.
DuSable Museum of African American History – http://www.dusablemuseum.org/ Tuesday’s free
Glessner House Museum – http://www.glessnerhouse.org/ Wednesdays free
Loyola University Museum of Art – http://www.luc.edu/luma/ . Tuesdays free
Museum of Contemporary Art – http://www.mcachicago.org/
FREE for members of the military and police and fire departments, veterans, and anyone 18 and under
Admission is free for Illinois residents on Tuesdays, year-round
Notebart Nature Museum – http://www.naturemuseum.org/
Spertus Museum http://www.spertus.edu/
Swedish American Museum Center and Children’s Museum of Immigration – http://www.swedishamericanmuseum.org/
Lincoln Park Zoo http://www.lpzoo.org/ free
McCormick Tribune Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum – http://www.chicagoriver.org/get-involved/attend/mccormick-bridgehouse-chicago-river-museum ($5/pp)
Pritzker Military Library – http://www.pritzkermilitary.org/
Chicago Sinfonetta: http://www.chicagosinfonietta.org/
Combination of symphony and funk.
Garfield Park Conservatory http://www.garfield-conservatory.org/ free
Navy Pier https://navypier.org/
Grant Park/Millennium Park http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/millennium_park.html (The Bean, Lurie Gardens, Pritzker Pavilion) free
Chicago Cultural Center
https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/chicago_culturalcenter.html
(Tour of Tiffany glass/structure) free
Federal Reserve Bank – http://www.chicagofed.org/webpages/education/money_museum/index.cfm (See $1 million in a briefcase)
Metrowalkz Self-guided Walking Tours. Download at www.metrowalkz.com
Illinois Holocaust Museum – http://www.ilholocaustmuseum.org/
Adult Admission*: $15.00
Senior (65+): $10.00
Student (12-22): $8.00
Child (5-11): $6.00
Retired/active Military personnel & up to 5 family members: 50% Off
Disabled visitors (with Federal ID) – 50% off
Members: Free
Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art http://www.lizzadromuseum.org/ – Fridays free
Illinois Railway Museum – Thomas and Friends Days
The new dates of the event are:
- Saturday, July 13th, 2019
- Sunday, July 14th, 2019
- Saturday, July 20th, 2019
- Sunday, July 21st, 2019
Additional calendar for special events at http://www.irm.org/schedule/index.html
Historic Water Tower http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/city_gallery_in_thehistoricwatertower.html – free
Lincoln Park Conservatory http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks/lincoln-park-conservatory/ – free
Bahai’i House of Worship https://www.bahai.us/bahai-temple/
Oriental Institute http://oi.uchicago.edu/ – free
Jane Adams Hull House http://www.uic.edu/jaddams/hull/hull_house.html free
Newberry Library http://www.newberry.org/ – free
National Museum of Mexican Art http://www.nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org/ – free
Museum of Contemporary Photography http://www.mocp.org/ – free
Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art http://www.blockmuseum.northwestern.edu/ – free
Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture http://www.balzekasmuseum.org/
Terra Museum of American Art http://www.terraamericanart.org/
Museum of Broadcast Communications http://www.museum.tv/
Smart Museum of Art http://smartmuseum.uchicago.edu/
Garden Conservancy Garden Walk, https://www.gardenconservancy.org/
Volo Auto Museum http://volocars.com/#sthash.b23JuiDo.dpbs
Websites for additional attractions:
Concierge Preferred: http://www.conciergepreferred.com/chicago-attractions/4305-top-10-chicago-attractions.html
Greg Borzo http://www.gregborzo.com/
Greg is a Chicago author and tour guide on the Chicago El, Chicago Cable Cars, Biking in Chicagoland, and Chicago History in general. Superior knowledge.
Chicago Interactive Map: https://www.choosechicago.com/mapexplorer/
Broadway in Chicago for theater lovers: http://www.broadwayinchicago.com/
Chicago Shakespeare Theater: https://www.chicagoshakes.com/
Chicago Riverwalk: https://www.chicagoriverwalk.us/
Written by John Ruh
John M. Ruh and Associates are mission based business advisors who partner with growth oriented leaders to create the right P.S.T. support: the right People, the right Structure and the right Tools.