Winter Guide 2013: Visiting a Chicago-Area Museum or Zoo for Free

We are all so appreciative of all the amazing museums in the Chicago area, but sometimes visiting -- especially with a few kids in tow -- can get pricey.

The Shedd Aquarium has a number of free days coming up in January and February. Photo by rendomthoughts on Flickr.Checking out a Museum Adventure Pass from your local library is one option. Sometimes it makes the most sense to become a member, especially if it's a place you'll visit more than once in a year. And if you plan to visit a couple of museums in a short time span, you'll want to look into purchasing the CityPass or the Go Chicago Card.

But many Chicago museums also offer community free days or regular days during a month when visitors get in free. Note that these days are often quite popular, so you might be fighting some crowds. And also make sure to check the museum’s website, or give the museum a call, before your visit to make sure nothing has changed since this guide was compiled. 

Here's a list of the published discount dates for Chicago sites in winter and spring of 2013:

* The Adler Planetarium, 1300 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago. 312-922-7827. Free general admission for Illinois residents: Jan. 17, 28-31. 

* Museum of Science & Industry, 57^th Street and Lake Shore Drive. 773-684-1414. Free general admission for Illinois residents on: Jan. 16-18, Jan. 21-25, Jan. 28-31; Feb. 6, Feb. 13, Feb. 20, Feb. 27; March 4; April 22; May 6: June 3-7, June 10.

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Visiting a Suburban Museum or Zoo for Free: Fall & Winter 2012

Last week, we brought you an updated "Visiting a Chicago Museum for Free in Fall & Winter 2012” post. But we can't forget the suburbs! While nearly every major Chicago museum offers “community free days,” that is more rare among suburban institutions, so the list below is a bit less definitive than the Chicago one.

Please make sure to check the museum’s website, or give the museum a call, before your visit to make sure nothing has changed since this list was compiled. And if you know of a spot that should be on here, please let us know!

* Brookfield Zoo, 8400 31^st Street, Brookfield. 708-688-8000. Information for the 2012-13 season has yet to be posted. During the 2011-12 year, admission to the Hamill Family Play Zoo, as well as the Children’s Zoo, were free from Nov. 1 to March 1, but you still had to pay pay general admission and a $9 parking fee at the zoo. In early 2012, the Brookfield Zoo had free admission on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays in from Jan. 1 through Feb. 28, but again, that has not been confirmed for 2013 yet. 

* Midwest Museum of Natural History, 425 W. State Street, Sycamore. 815-895-9777. Free admission on Wednesdays. Fees still apply for special events or programs.

Admission is always free at the Spring Valley Nature Center in Schaumburg. Photo by Prairie Woods Audubon on Flickr.

* Kline Creek Farm, 1N600 County Farm Road, West Chicago. 630-876-5900. Admission is always free at this DuPage County Forest Preserve property that seeks to show visitors what life was like on a northern Illinois farm in in the 1890s.

* Lederman Science Center at Fermilab, Kirk Road and Pine Street, Batavia. 630-840-8258. The museum was designed for middle school field trips, but the hands-on exhibits are available to the general public on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free. On holidays, call to check if the center is open. 

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How to Visit a Chicago Museum for Free: Fall & Winter 2012

We are all so appreciative of all the amazing museums in the Chicago area, but sometimes visiting -- especially with a few kids in tow -- can get pricey.

The Adler Planetarium is among several museums that offer "community free days." Photo by happysteve on Flickr.Checking out a Museum Adventure Pass from your local library is one option. Sometimes it makes the most sense to become a member, especially if it's a place you'll visit more than once in a year. And if you plan to visit a couple of museums in a short time span, you'll want to look into purchasing the CityPass or the Go Chicago Card.

But many museums also offer community free days or regular days during a month when visitors get in free. Note that these days are often quite popular, so you might be fighting some crowds. And also make sure to check the museum’s website, or give the museum a call, before your visit to make sure nothing has changed since this guide was compiled. Here's a list of the published discount dates for fall and winter of 2012:

* The Adler Planetarium, 1300 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago. 312-922-7827. Free general admission for Illinois residents: Sept. 11-12, Sept. 18-19, Sept. 25-26; Oct. 2-3, Oct. 9-10, Oct. 16-17, Oct. 23-24, Oct. 30-31.

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Summer Guide 2012: Passport to Adventure

If you're looking to expose your children to some culture this summer, and do it on the cheap, then you'll definitely want to check out the Passport to Adventure program.

Photo by Rossi Projects NY on Flickr.The free program just got underway this week and runs through Labor Day. It is designed for children between the ages of 4 and 12.

To get started, your family just needs to visit a participating museum or public library to pick up a passport booklet filled with destinations to over 50 museums, nature centers and historical sites in Chicago's western suburbs. (Call your local library to see if it has the passports; if not, you can check with one of the sites on this list.)

Then during the summer, your family's goal is to fill your passport with as many stamps as you can. Some of the museums, zoos, nature centers and sites offer special activities for children who participate in the Passport to Adventure program.

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Daytrip: Midwest Museum of Natural History in Sycamore

Did you know there is an elephant in the DeKalb County of Sycamore? Yep, it's true! He's mounted and is surrounded by dozens of other "stuffed' animals. Read on to find out where he makes his home.

Name: Midwest Museum of Natural History

Location: 425 W. State Street (Route 64) in downtown Sycamore, about 25 minutes west of St. Charles.

Hours: Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Closed on Mondays, although it will be open during spring break on March 26, 2012. 

Photo by Tara Burghart.

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