For the first time ever, 12 of Chicago’s most beloved institutions will come together for seven days of exclusive offers, events, special programs and giveaways. Running from Oct. 1-7, 2015, the Chicago Museum Week is hosted by Museums in the Park, and is designed for Chicagoans and visitors to become reacquainted with the renowned Museums of our city.
Here are highlights of some of the discounts, special events and activities that are being offered. Don’t miss your chance to see some of these great museums for FREE! The official hashtag for Museum Week is #ChicagoMuseumWeek.
Several museums will be offering free general admission to Illinois residents during Museum Week:
- Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Oct. 1
- The Field Museum, Oct. 4
- Museum of Science and Industry, Oct. 5 and 6
- Shedd Aquarium, Oct. 5 and 6
- Museum of Contemporary Art, Oct. 6
Admission is always free at:
- Lincoln Park Zoo
- National Museum of Mexican Art
- National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture
Each museum will offer specials, including discounts on general admission and memberships, extended hours, free tours, new exhibits, educational programs and giveaways.
Discounts on membership:
- Adler Planetarium: $10 off any level
- Chicago History Museum: 20% off membership
- DuSable Museum of African American History: half-price individual memberships
- Museum of Science and Industry: $20 off any standard membership
- Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum: $15 off one-year memberships and $25 off 2-year memberships
Discounts on admission:
- DuSable Museum of African American History: 2-for-1 tickets; 10% off at café or store
- Chicago History Museum: $4 off; 20% off at café or store
- Museum of Contemporary Art: $5 off if you bring in a receipt from another museum visited during Museum Week
- National Museum of Mexican Art: 15% off at café or store
- National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture: 10% off at café or store
- Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum: $5 off if you bring in a receipt from another museum visited during Museum Week and 10% off at café or store
- Shedd Aquarium: Get exclusive purchase when you buy in advance online; and special discount offers on Extraordinary Experiences
Special museum access:
- Museum of Contemporary Art will host MCA Prime Time on Friday, Oct. 2, 7-11 p.m. The event will include live music, performance art, film screenings and interactive programs.
- Chicago History Museum will keep its doors open late on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 5-8 p.m., to allow visitors to explore exhibitions with museums curators and staff and engage with history on special tours.
Special events/exhibits:
- Adler Planetarium will offer an exclusive Museum Week Sky Show.
- DuSable Museum of African American History will offer special guided tours of the museum.
- Chicago History Museum will premier 30-minute highlight tours of “Chicago: Crossroads of America,” as well as offer excursion tours to Union Station, Old Town, Gold Coast, Lincoln Park and on the CTA Blue and Brown lines during Museum Week.
- The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture will open the exhibit “Metamorphosis of Divine Entanglements” from Chicago artist Oscar Luis Martinez.
- The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum will open “City Creatures: Animal Encounters in the Chicago Wilderness” and “Peanuts…Naturally.”
Additional highlights:
- Adler Planetarium will offer fall family science activities throughout the week and story time with Curious George on Oct. 5.
- The Art Institute of Chicago will offer daily tours and open the Artist’s Studio onOct. 3 and 4 for free drop-in family art-making.
- Lincoln Park Zoo’s Fall Fest, Oct. 2-4, will include fun rides, a hay maze, and educational activities, and its Pritzker Family Children’s Zoo will be transformed into a pumpkin patch.
- The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum will offer special events daily, from “Meet Our Butterflies” to “Turtle Tuesday.” Oct. 4 is the Harvest Hop 5K and Harvest Festival, featuring carnival games, autumn treats, and a live bluegrass band. Every visitor to the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum will be given an entry to win a LIFETIME membership to the museum.
- Shedd Aquarium will offer daily animal chats.
You can also visit some local museums for FREE on Sept. 26, 2015 for the Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day Live! Find out the participating museums and get your tickets online.