Bored, but on a budget? Here’s a list of Chicago’s free museum days for summer

Now that the dog days of summer are abundant, so are free Chicago museum days.

Whether you’re looking for a cheap activity for the kids or craving a new experience, the city’s museum scene has got something for everyone.

Some Chicago museums and cultural institutions are always free for police, teachers, active-duty personnel and veterans of the U.S. military or children under the age of 12. Be sure to check online for which museums require a reservation, too.

The Art Institute of Chicago is offering free admission to Illinois residents on Thursdays.

Here is a list of free museum days in Chicago for summer 2026.

Adler Planetarium, 1300 S. DuSable Lake Shore Dr. Free for Illinois residents on July 8 and 15, Aug. 26 and Sept. 8-10 and 14-15; adlerplanetarium.org.
Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Ave. Free for Illinois residents on Thursdays (July 9, 16, 23, 30 and Aug. 6, 13, 20, 27) from 5 to 8 p.m.; artic.edu.
Chicago History Musuem, 1601 N. Clark St. Free for Illinois residents on July 15, Aug. 13 and 27 and Sept. 7 and 24; chicagohistory.org.
DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center, 740 E. 56th Pl. Free for Illinois residents every Wednesday (July 8, 15, 22, 29 and Aug. 5, 12, 19, 26); dusablemuseum.org.

The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center on 56th Place in Washington Park.

Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore Dr. Free for Illinois residents every Wednesday (July 8, 15, 22, 29 and Aug. 5, 12, 19, 26); fieldmuseum.org.
Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. DuSable Lake Shore Dr. Free for Illinois residents on Aug 24-27 and 31 and Sept. 1-2, 8-10, 15-16, 20-23, and 27-30; griffinmsi.org.
Heritage Museum of Asian Art, 3500 S. Morgan St. Free admission on the third Friday of each month (July 10, 17, 24, 31 and Aug. 7, 14, 21, 28); heritageasianart.org.
Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave. Free for Illinois residents on Tuesdays (July 7, 14, 21, 28 and Aug. 4, 11, 18 and 25) from 5 to 9 p.m.; mcachicago.org. Every Tuesday through Aug. 25, the MCA puts on a free contemporary jazz concert.
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, 2430 N. Cannon Dr. Free for Illinois residents on July 20-22, Aug. 24-26, and Sept. 8-11, 14-18, 21-25 and 28-30; naturemuseum.org.
Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S. DuSable Lake Shore Dr. Free for Illinois residents from 5 to 9 p.m. on July 7, 14 and 28 and Aug. 4, 11, 18 and 26; sheddaquarium.org.
Swedish American Museum, 5211 N Clark St. Free admission every second Tuesday of the month (July 14 and Aug. 11); swedishamericanmuseum.org.

Museums that are free year-round:

Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.; chicago.gov.
Chicago Fed Money Museum, 230 S LaSalle St.; chicagofed.org.
Climate Action Museum, 300 S. Riverside Plaza; climateactionmuseum.org.
Hyde Park Art Center, 5020 S. Cornell Ave.; hydeparkart.org.
Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, 800 S Halsted St.; hullhousemuseum.org.
Mindworks: The Science of Thinking, at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, 224 S. Michigan Ave.; chicagobooth.edu/mindworks.
Museum of Contemporary Photography, 600 S. Michigan Ave.; mocp.org.

Photographs from the 50th anniversary exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Photography at 600 S. Michigan Ave.

National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th St.; nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org.
National Public Housing Museum, 919 S. Ada St.; nphm.org.
National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture, 3015 W. Division St.; nmprac.org.
National Veterans Art Museum, 4041 N. Milwaukee Ave.; nvam.org.
Smart Museum of Art, 5550 S. Greenwood Ave.; smartmuseum.uchicago.edu.

Here is a list of free museum days in Chicago for summer 2026.

Museums that are free year-round:

Bored, but on a budget? Here’s a list of Chicago’s free museum days for summer

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