It is no secret that Chicago has a remarkable range of world-class museums and attractions but visiting them all can become a costly affair. Luckily for us some, like Lincoln Park Zoo and Garfield Park Conservatory, are free year-round while others, like the Museum of Science and Industry, the Field Museum, and the Art Institute of Chicago, love to announce random Illinois Resident Free Days throughout the year.
At Chicago’s other mammoth attraction, the Shedd Aquarium free days are not quite as much of a regular occurrence and when they do come around, it is rarely on a weekend or outside of working hours.
Starting next month, however, the aquarium will be offering a plethora of free days throughout January and February before kicking off spring with weekly free evenings through to summer.
There will be 13 free days in each of January and February including a week of 7 consecutive free days in early January. But that’s not all, once the winter free days finish on Thursday, February 29th, the aquarium will begin offering free evenings every Tuesday from March 5th all the way through to June 25th.
According to the Shedd Aquarium website, “for those who prefer to plan ahead, online ticket reservations are available with a $5 convenience fee per order. Alternatively, you can reserve tickets by phone at no extra cost by calling 312-939-2438 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Central Time (CT). We also provide free walk-up reservations; however, these are subject to availability and typically sell out quickly. Advance reservations are highly recommended due to the high demand for tickets.”
All adults must provide proof of residency in person when redeeming tickets at the discounted rate. This can be a valid state ID or driver’s license with proof of Illinois residence.
Here is a breakdown of all upcoming dates offering free admission at the Shedd Aquarium:
2024 Free Days:
- Tuesday, January 9
- Wednesday, January 10
- Thursday, January 11
- Friday, January 12
- Saturday, January 13
- Sunday, January 14
- Monday, January 15
- Tuesday, January 16
- Tuesday, January 23
- Wednesday, January 24
- Thursday, January 25
- Tuesday, January 30
- Wednesday, January 31
- Thursday, February 1
- Tuesday, February 6
- Wednesday, February 7
- Thursday, February 8
- Tuesday, February 13
- Wednesday, February 14
- Thursday, February 15
- Tuesday, February 20
- Wednesday, February 21
- Thursday, February 22
- Tuesday, February 27
- Wednesday, February 28
- Thursday, February 29
2024 Free Evenings (5 p.m. – 9 p.m.):
- Tuesday, March 5
- Tuesday, March 12
- Tuesday, March 19
- Tuesday, March 26
- Tuesday, April 2
- Tuesday, April 9
- Tuesday, April 16
- Tuesday, April 23
- Tuesday, April 30
- Tuesday, May 7
- Tuesday, May 14
- Tuesday, May 21
- Tuesday, May 29
- Tuesday, June 4
- Tuesday, June 11
- Tuesday, June 18
- Tuesday, June 25
More information can be found at www.sheddaquarium.org.
[Featured image from Shutterstock]