Chicago is the best city in the country for museums for two simple reasons: We have the best and most creative curators, and we need something to do when it’s cold outside. With the temperature starting to drop, Chicago Museum Week is the perfect time to take advantage and see the number one museum in the world, the first museum with two full-size planetarium dome theaters, a museum housed in the only remaining building from the1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, and much more.
Below you’ll find a list of the 12 participating museums with highlights of must-see exhibits, special presentations, and discounts.
Adler Planetarium
1300 S. Lake Shore Dr.
Free admission for Illinois residents Oct. 5 – 7
Make sure to take part in their Rocket Science Workshop Monday, Oct. 5, 10:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. where you can build your own rocket ship with everyday materials.
Art Institute of Chicago
111 S. Michigan Ave.
Free admision for Illinois residents Oct. 1 from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Don’t miss the first large-scale exhibit of the internationally recognized architect David Adjaye, “Making Place: The Architecture of David Adjaye”
Chicago History Museum
1601 N. Clark St.
$4 off admission
20% off at the cafe and museum store
Unwind and learn more about Chicago at After hours at CHM with a refreshing drink at the cafe and a flash tour Oct. 6 from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Tickets to After Hours are $5 for adults.
Dusable Museum of African American History
740 E. 56th Pl.
Two-for-one admission
10% off store
With so much history make sure to take advantage of the special guided tours and don’t miss their exhibit “Freedom Resistance and the Journey Toward Equality.”
The Field Museum
1400 S. Lake Shore Dr.
Free admission for Illinois Residents Oct. 4
If you take advantage of the free admision on Oct. 4 then don’t miss the “Vikings” exhibit, which closes that day. Marvel’s “Thor” has nothing on this exhibit with artifacts that have never been seen outside of Scandinavia.
Lincoln Park Zoo
2400 N. Cannon Dr.
Free admission all year
Fall Fest, Oct. 2 – 4, is a great way to welcome the season with a corn maze, pumpkin patch, hay ride, and more seasonal fun. While you’re there don’t miss all the new arrivals at the zoo like the adorable red panda cub, which might still be growing in the behind-the-scenes den.
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
220 E. Chicago Ave.
Free admission for Illinois Residents Oct. 6
Bring a receipt from another museum you visited during Chicago Museum Week and receive 50% off an adult admission
Exploring this museum begins before you even enter the museum with their ongoing Plaza Project series, which now features Alexander da Cunha.
Museum of Science and Industry
Free admission for Illinois Residents Oct. 5 – 6
5700 S. Lake Shore Dr.
The Museum of Science and Industry is always looking into the future and no exhibits demonstrates this more than “Robot Revolution” where you’ll seeing everything from drones to the da Vinci® medical robot.
National Museum of Mexican Art
1852 W. 19th St.
Free admission all year
The most anticipated exhibit every year from this museum is the one dedicated to the Day of the Dead. With 116 art pieces and 90 artists from both the U.S. and Mexico, this year is no different with “La Muerte Niña: Day of the Dead.”
The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture
3015 W. Division St.
Free admission all year
Tour with artist Oscar Luis Martinez through the museum’s latest exhibit “Metamorfosis of Divine Entanglements” during the Wine and Cheese Tour on Oct. 7 from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
2430 N. Cannon Dr.
Free admission for Illinois Residents Oct. 1
From Oct. 2 – 7 bring a receipt from your visit to another museum during Museum Week and get $5 off a paid adult admission ticket
10% off the entire gift shop
With the new “Peanuts” movie coming out kids are going to love the “Peanuts…Naturally” exhibit that explores the way Charles M. Schulz touched on nature in his comic strips.
Shedd Aquarium
1200 S. Lake Shore Dr.
Free admission for Illinois Residents Oct. 5 – 6 or discounted upgraded admission
Visiting during Chicago Museum Week is the perfect time to do the Behind-the-Scenes Tour where you can view all the aquariums and animals from the perspective of the staff for 50 minutes at a 50-percent discount.
Chicago Museum Week takes place Oct. 1 – 7. For more information on the special deals and attractions the museums are offering visit chicagomuseumweek.com.