Culture At A Discount
Posted at 6:30 am on April 29, 2010 by Farrah
Do you love visiting the museums and attractions in the city, but hate the high admission cost and crazy parking rates? Well here is the insider’s guide to enjoying Chicago while keeping the cost reasonable.
Free Days
All of the museums and attractions in the city have FREE days. There are more free days in winter than any other season, but there are plenty of free days year-round to keep you and your little ones busy.
In addition to getting in for free, most of the museums and attractions have special activities designed just for little ones (story time, special kid friendly sections, arts and crafts, etc.). My hands-down favorite toddler friendly museum is the Field Museum. Not only did my girls love exploring the museum’s many great exhibits and checking out Sue the T. Rex, but the Crown Family PlayLab on the bottom floor is like a children’s museum inside a museum. Your little explorer can dig up dinosaur bones, grind corn in a pueblo, create an art project or, my girls’ personal favorite, bang on drums and bells from around the world in the Rhythm Section.
Below is a list of May & June FREE days at Chicago museums:
· Field Museum– May 10 and June 14 (every second Monday is free) and June 2 & 3
· Adler Planetarium– May 4, 11, 12, 18 & 25; June 7-11
· Chicago Children’s Museum–Thursdays from 5-8pm the museum is free to all. Every first Sunday, 15 and under are free. Plus, if you are a member of the DuPage Children’s Museum, you can always get in free.
· Museum of Science and Industry – May 3, June 7-11
· Art Institute– Every Thursday from 5-8pm
· Museum of Contemporary Art– Every Tuesday
· Chicago History Museum – Every Monday
· Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum – Thursdays are suggested donation days
· Shedd Aquarium- June 14-18.
· Lincoln Park Zoo– ALWAYS free
One thing to note is that free days generally only include general admission. If you want to see a special attraction or exhibit you normally have to pay a small fee. Also, free days tend to be crowded. A lot of neighborhood schools do field trips on free days.
Parking
As a mom always looking to save a few bucks, I tend to scope out the cheapest parking options. Here are a few insider tips on saving money on Chicago parking.
· Shedd, Adler and Field Museum Campus – If you get there early (before 10:30), you can almost always find a metered spot. Drive past the normal parking and head towards the Adler. Turn right down Solidarity Drive. Metered parking spots line both sides of Solidarity Drive.
· Art Institute – There is metered parking on South Columbus Drive directly behind the modern wing. You can only stay a few hours without feeding the meter again, but, honestly, my kids only have a two-hour attention span anyways.
· Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum – There is usually plenty of free parking along Cannon Drive. If you can’t find a free spot on the street, try Diversey Harbor (directly across from the museum’s entrance). During the off-season (late Fall through early Spring) the harbor parking lot is free for museum attendees.
· Museum of Science and Industry – Don’t be fooled by the parking signs telling you to take the 57th St. exit from Lakeshore Dr. Instead, exit onto Science Dr. from Lakeshore. There is a HUGE free lot. I was told last week that they plan to eventually install meters, but even meters will be cheaper than the $16 underground lot.
Pack Your Lunch
Another great way to keep costs down is to bring your own lunch. Most of the museums have cafeteria areas in addition to their restaurants. If you are interested in being a bit greener when packing lunch (avoiding Ziplocs), check out my post on how to be “greener” on the go.
I am always looking for fun, low cost adventures for my kids, and would love to explore more of DuPage county. What are your insider tips for enjoying your neighborhood?
Cindy McCarthy lives in Chicago with her two daughters (Grace 2 and Clare 1). In addition to being a mother of two, Cindy is an urban explore of family friendly activities, events, classes and restaurants. You can read about Cindy’s adventures on her blog, OnTheGoChicago.com. You can also follow Cindy on Twitter at www.twitter.com/onthegochicago.
Leave a Reply