Saturday, January 14, 2012

Chicago Free Days - Free Museum Days in Chicago and Suburbs

Here is a great new addition to the kidwinks.com website. 
Parents won't need to empty their wallets if they visit Chicago area museums / cultural institutions on one of the many free days offered.  Below you'll find a list of the programs and Chicago museums' free days for 2012.  After the Chicago museums, we have listed the suburban museums. 
Each of the headings for the individual programs and museums is a direct link to the museum's discount page or the program's description page so you can easily click thru to verify the free days.  NOTE:  It's always a good idea to double check by calling the museum first, just in case their policies change before their website is updated.
Bank of America Museums on Us:  Holders of a Bank of America or Merrill Lynch card can enjoy free admission to 150 museums nationwide on the first full weekend of every month.  In Chicago, this includes:
Art Institute of Chicago, Shedd Aquarium, Chicago History Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art, and Adler Planetarium.
Chicago Public Library's Great Kids Museums Passports:  A Great Kids Museum Passport is good for two adults and two children for general admission to certain Chicago museums. Adults may check out these free passes at Chicago Public Library branches with your Chicago Public Library Card.


Illinois residents can enjoy complimentary general admission on Adler Discount Days with proof of residency.  2012 Discount Days:
January: 9-12, 17, 18, 23-26, 31
February: 1, 6-9, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29
March: 6, 7
Click on the link above and check out the Under One Sky membership - Members of the DuSable Museum of African American History and the National Museum of Mexican Art enjoy FREE general admission and sky show tickets at the Adler Planetarium, in addition to other discounts. 
Free Winter Weekdays:  Admission to the Art Institute of Chicago is free to Illinois residents every weekday, January 2–February 10, 2012.
Children under 14 are always free.
Target Free First Sundays:  First Sunday of each month, free admission for visitors 15 and under 
Kraft Free Family Night:  Thursday Evenings 5pm – 8pm, free admission for all visitors 

Illinois Resident Discount Days:  The museum is no longer free every Monday, instead a new schedule of days is offered, which provide free admission to Illinois Residents only. Discount Days at the Museum are on: 

Monday, January 16 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day) 
Sunday, February 5–Wednesday, February 29
Admission for kids age 12 and under is always free.
Free for members of: Chicago History Museum, DuSable Museum, and National Museum of Mexican Art. 

Tours are FREE on Wednesdays (not applicable to groups of ten or more). 
Illinois residents can enjoy complimentary basic admission on free days. 

Free Sundays:  Admission is FREE to all on each Sunday of the year. The museum also offers free admission rates (on school days) to all Chicago Public School students.
Children under 5 are free every day.


Illinois residents can enjoy complimentary basic admission during The Field Museum Discount Days. 
January Discount Days:   11th - 13th;  19th - 20th;  24th;  26th - 27th;  31st

Tours are FREE on Wednesdays (not applicable to groups of ten or more)

On the Shedd's Illinois Resident Discount Days, Illinois residents can enjoy free general admission. Shedd's 52 discount days a year take advantage of civic and school holidays to make family visits more convenient.
2012 Illinois Resident Discount Days 
January: 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31 
February: 6, 7, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28 
June: 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 
September: 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25 
October: 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30 
November: 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27 
 

Admission is FREE for Illinois residents on Tuesdays year round. 
Members of the military and children aged 12 and under (must be accompanied by an adult) are free every day.
Family Days:  Every second Saturday of the month, the MCA invites families to learn about the art of our time through hands-on art activities, scavenger hunts, Look & Learn stations, and more. Admission is FREE For families with children 12 and under.  Activities are appropriate for all ages. 

Children 12 and under eat FREE at Puck’s cafe at the MCA on Family Day with purchase of one adult entrée per child. 
Illinois residents receive free general admission on the following dates in 2012:
January:  12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 30, 31
February:  1, 8, 15, 22, 29
March:  5
April:  19
May:  23
June:  4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11
September:  4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28
October:  1, 2, 3
November:  5
December:  3


Free admission every day.

Thursdays: Illinois Residents can enjoy free admission.
Children 3 and under are free every day.
Plenty of free street parking along Cannon Drive.

Admission to the Brunk Children’s Museum of Immigration is included with Swedish American Museum admission.
Free admission: second Tuesday of every month. 

 

FREE DAYS AT SUBURBAN MUSEUMS / ZOOS


Free Admission Off Season:  Zoo admission is free on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from Jan. 1 through Feb. 28. 

Hamill Family Play Zoo Admission 
Admission is free November 1 to March 1.
   
Free Admission for Military Personnel: 
To show appreciation for the hard work and dedication of the men and women in the United States Armed Forces, the Chicago Zoological Society is offering free admission to Brookfield Zoo to all active, reservist, and retired members of the military. Qualified personnel who present a valid ID at one of the zoo's admission booths will be admitted free of charge.
2012 Family Free Days: 
• January 7 
• February 4 
• March 3 
• April 14 
• November 3 
• December 1 

ALL VISITORS RECEIVE FREE ZOO ADMISSION; THE PARKING FEE REMAINS IN EFFECT.

 
Tuesdays are FREE to the public; group rates still apply.
Children under 12 are always free.
Every Tuesday is Donation Day, which means there is no fixed admission price, but you can leave a donation if you like.

For Chicago parents who are looking for rainy a day activities for kids, what to in Chicago kidwinks is the site for you.
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