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What is free in Chicago on Fridays

Official sources checked Oct 4, 2026

Free museum hours in Chicago change with the day of the week. This is the list for Friday: first what is free on this day in particular, then what is free on any day.

Free on Fridays in particular1

ISAC Museum (former Oriental Institute)

Hyde Park

Free on certain daysIndoorGood with kids

Ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia and Persia, including a 16-foot Assyrian winged bull and a colossal statue of Tutankhamun. It started charging admission on September 28, 2026.

Free when: Fridays 4–8 pm, free for all. At other times adults pay $15.
Free for whom: Everyone on Friday evenings. Under-4s, military and veterans are free at any time.
Reservation: Not needed, walk-ins welcome
Time needed: 1–1.5h
How to get there: Metra Electric to 59th St, then 10 minutes west on foot to 1155 E. 58th St. Bus 6 from the Loop also works.

Worth it? Yes.Many lists still call it free all week. It is not anymore, so come on Friday after 4 pm. The Khorsabad court with the winged bull is at the back, go there first.

Source: ISAC, University of Chicago · checked Oct 4, 2026Open in Maps

Free every day, Friday included19

Millennium ParkLoopAlways · daily 6 am–11 pm
Chicago Cultural CenterLoopAlways · daily 10 am–5 pm, closed on holidays. Exhibitions close 15 minutes before the building.
Lincoln Park ZooLincoln ParkAlways · 365 days a year, 8 am–5 pm. Animal buildings open at 10 am.
Lincoln Park ConservatoryLincoln ParkAlways · Wed–Sun 10 am–5 pm (plan to enter by 4:30 pm). Closed Mon–Tue.
Chicago RiverwalkLoop / River NorthAlways · daily 6 am–11 pm
Lakefront TrailLakefrontAlways · open during park hours, 6 am–11 pm. Sections close for repairs through the season, watch the signs.
North Avenue BeachLincoln ParkAlways · beach open 6 am–11 pm all year. Swimming only with lifeguards on duty, 11 am–7 pm, from the Friday before Memorial Day through Labor Day.
National Museum of Mexican ArtPilsenAlways · Tue–Sun 10 am–5 pm, until 8 pm on the first Wednesday of the month. Closed Mondays and major holidays.
The 606 (Bloomingdale Trail)Wicker Park / Logan SquareAlways · daily 6 am–11 pm
Newberry Library exhibitionsGold CoastAlways · Tue–Thu 10 am–7 pm, Fri–Sat 10 am–5 pm. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Promontory PointHyde ParkAlways · daily 6 am–11 pm
Graceland CemeteryUptownAlways · gates open 365 days. Fall and winter: Mon–Fri 8 am–4 pm, Sat–Sun 9 am–4 pm. Spring and summer weekdays until 6 pm.
Museum of Contemporary PhotographySouth LoopAlways · Mon–Wed and Fri–Sat 10 am–5 pm, Thu 10 am–8 pm. Closed Sundays and major holidays.
Smart Museum of ArtHyde ParkAlways · Tue–Sun 10 am–4:30 pm. Closed Mondays, university holidays and between exhibitions, so check before the trip south.
Maggie Daley ParkLoopAlways · daily 6 am–9 pm
Buckingham FountainGrant ParkSeasonal · typically early May to mid-October, 8 am–11 pm, with a 20-minute major display on the hour. In 2026 it runs through October 31, weather permitting, but the hourly major display is off for the rest of the season.
Money Museum at the Chicago FedLoopAlways · Mon–Fri 10 am–5 pm, closed on Federal Reserve Bank holidays
DePaul Art MuseumLincoln ParkAlways · Wed–Thu 11 am–7 pm, Fri–Sun 11 am–5 pm. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
Navy PierStreetervilleAlways · through Dec 31, 2026: Sun–Thu 11 am–8 pm, Fri–Sat 11 am–10 pm. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Under-18s need an adult after 5 pm Fri–Sun.

PAID · ONE PER CITY

If you spend on one thing in Chicago, make it this.

Chicago Architecture Center river cruise

A docent spends 90 minutes explaining more than 50 buildings from the middle of the river, an angle the Riverwalk cannot give you. You can walk the same water for free, but you will not know what you are looking at. Take a late afternoon departure.

Everything above is free. This is the only paid pick on the page, chosen because no free option replaces it.

See tickets and prices