The best free things to do in Chicago

Housed in a structure that’s as wide as an entire city block and dates back to 1897, the Chicago Cultural Center provides a place for locals and visitors alike to experience amazing art and beautiful architecture without spending a cent. On any given day, you might find a free classical concert being performed, an art exhibition on display in one of the building’s many galleries or tourists marveling at the world’s largest stained glass Tiffany dome. Don’t worry about paying for admission—nearly everything that happens in this building is free and open to the public.

See nearly 200 species of animals—from apes to zebras to giraffes—at one of the last free zoos in the country. The 35-acre attraction connects visitors with animals from all over the world and houses a variety of creatures, big and small, including mammals (beavers, lions, otters and bears), birds (penguins, eagles and parrots) and reptiles (snakes, crocodiles and turtles).

Reservations via the Garfield Park Conservatory website are required.

Described as "landscape art under glass" when it opened in 1908, the Garfield Park Conservatory is one of the largest buildings of its kind in the world. Founded by landscape architect Jens Jensen, the conservatory houses more than 100,000 plants representing hundreds of species in its gigantic greenhouse, which is divided into areas such as the cactus-filled Desert House and the lush green Fern Room.

This 24.5-acre park is where you'll find the Frank Gehry-designed Jay Pritzker Pavilion, the Cloud Gate sculpture (a.k.a. “The Bean”) and the Crown Fountain. The park features a robust series of free programming in the summer, including movie screenings, concerts and workouts, but there are plenty of reasons to visit even in the colder months. See sculpture installations from local artists, watch skaters twist by on the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink or take a walk amid the dormant—but still lovely—landscapes of the 2.5-acre Lurie Garden.

Dubbed “Chicago’s front yard,” Grant Park’s 319-acre expanse is home to the Art Institute of Chicago, Buckingham Fountain, various public art installations and Museum Campus. The park can get crowded during summer’s peak festival season—when it hosts hundreds of thousands of visitors for events like Lollapalooza and Taste of Chicago—but it’s pleasantly devoid of people during winter. Take a stroll through the North Rose Gardens, visit the seated statue of Abraham Lincoln or walk among Magdalena Abakanowicz's Agora sculptures on the south end of the park.

With a collection of more than 15,000 fine art objects, including ancient Chinese artworks and thought-provoking contemporary pieces, the Smart Museum of Art is the kind of place where you can easily spend a few hours taking in all of the work on display. Located on the University of Chicago campus, admission to this museum's galleries is always free—and you'll probably encounter a few scholars combing through the collection.

It's certainly possible to spend a bunch of money at this tourist hot spot, which is packed with restaurants, bars, departing boat tours and a gigantic Ferris wheel. But visitors can also come and simply enjoy the sights from Navy Pier, including some epic views of the Chicago skyline and the waters of Lake Michigan.

If you want to get a great view of the city’s skyline you could dig into your wallet to reach some of its highest points, or see it from the water on a (sometimes) pretty pricey boat tour. But if you’re looking for a cost-free option, you could always take a stroll down the city’s Lakefront Trail. The trail, which spans 18 miles of the city’s shoreline, runs from the northernmost point of Lincoln Park, all the way down to 71st Street. Make a day of the trail and stop at a few beaches, the free-to-enter Lincoln Park Zoo or one of the restaurants open during the summer that sit alongside the trail, like the Clocktower Cafe in Lincoln Park, which serves up American fare in the form of burgers, wings and Chicago dogs.

You don't have to look any further than Pilsen to find one of the largest Latino cultural organizations in the United States. Visit the National Museum of Mexican Art and explore an expansive permanent collection, rotating exhibits, performing-arts showcases and educational programming that represents the creativity of Mexican culture.

The main branch of the Chicago Public Library boasts nine floors of books, computer labs, meeting rooms and more. Head up to the ninth floor to see art displayed in the library's exhibit space, gaze up at the skylights that enclose the library's Winter Garden or view the small Harold Washington museum, where memorabilia related to the building's namesake is collected.

Reservations via Eventbrite are required. 

Housed under a glass dome, the Lincoln Park Conservatory’s greenhouse rooms were built between 1890 and 1895, and contain thousands of plants. Attractions include an extensive fern collection, a room full of dozens of orchid varieties and a 50-foot-tall rubber tree that’s more than a century old. Located near the Lincoln Park Zoo, a walk through the conservatory is the perfect way to cap off an afternoon spent admiring animals, reptiles and birds. Be sure to make a free timed reservation online before you visit.

Most city tours have set routes and highlights that they stop at every single time, but that’s not the case on a Chicago Greeter Tour. Chicago Greeter depends on local volunteers to share interesting facts, as well as insider tips on Chicago’s neighborhoods. The tours, which can be customizable based on the attendee’s interests, typically last between two and hour hours, and can accommodate up to six people. Tours can be booked via Chicago Greeter’s website, and it’s recommended to book two weeks in advance.

For more than 40 years, the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, located in the city’s Ukrainian Village neighborhood, has been showcasing some of the finest contemporary work in Chicago. The museum has a permanent collection of paintings and sculptures made by Ukrainian artists. In addition to its permanent collection, the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art also houses rotating exhibitions. While admission is free, the museum does accept donations.

Hop off the train at the Fullerton Red, Brown and Purple Line station and you'll find yourself at the front door of this art museum on the DePaul University campus. There are typically two or more small exhibitions on display simultaneously, featuring large sculptures, photographs, paintings and installations made by established and emerging artists. Admission is free (though donations are welcome), so don't be afraid to step inside and see what's on the walls.

One of the crown jewels of the Chicago Park District, Maggie Daley Park offers 20 acres of recreational opportunity, including an expansive playground, towering climbing wall, mini golf course, skating ribbon and more. For wintertime fun, rent a pair of skates (or bring your own) and take a spin around the ribbon, but make sure to get a ticket for that in advance.

Stretching from the Chicago River to Western Avenue, the walls of an old railroad embankment host a vibrant and evolving outdoor gallery of murals by prominent and emerging artists. Take a stroll along 16th Street to spot murals by revered local artists like JC Rivera and Hebru Brantley, as well as an infamous painting of a severed possum by Belgian street artist ROA.

Libraries are hubs of knowledge, and there are few places where that is more evident than the Newberry Library, an independent research library that’s been free to the public since it was established in 1887. Take a look at the library’s collection, which houses approximately 1.6 million books, 600 thousand maps and 500 thousand postcards, among many, many more items. You can even put together your family tree with the library’s free-to-access genealogy resources.

Churn out the chuckles at the Laugh Factory on Tuesdays nights. The nationally recognized comedy outpost has free open mic comedy nights every week with no drink minimum. Bring some friends along for a night of laughter or venture off on your own for a special solo date. Either way, book your tickets in advance for this great cost-friendly activity.

Humboldt Park was once the nation’s greatest public park, boasting acres of Prairie-style gardens, grazing livestock and a meandering river scene. Though the animals are long gone, the park is still a gem among Chicago's public green spaces, filled with lagoons, tennis courts, an inland beach, a fieldhouse, baseball fields and bike paths. If you wander through the area long enough, you'll probably come across the Humboldt Park Boathouse, where you can admire the scenery and pay your respects to the former home of Chance the Snapper.

Jackson Park once hosted the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893, but these days the nearly 600-acre park offers golf, baseball, a fitness center, a playground, tennis courts and a network of paths for walking, running or biking. We recommend venturing to the Japanese-inspired Garden of the Phoenix to see Yoko Ono's permanent art installation, Sky Landing.

Winding along the riverfront from Lake Street to Lake Shore Drive, the Chicago Riverwalk is packed with restaurants, bars and amazing views of the towering architecture which surrounds the Chicago River. The path is open from 6am to 11pm daily, and during summertime it's the best place to enjoy a meal or cocktail by the water.

Concerts are getting more expensive, and it’s rare that you can head out to see live music without racking up a serious bill. You'll usually pay a cover to see a show at the Empty Bottle, but there are two exceptions to that rule. On Monday nights, admission is oftentimes free for shows that feature a mixture of local bands and touring acts. And on Friday afternoons, country act the Hoyle Brothers sometimes play a free set of twangy tunes for the after-work crowd beginning at 5:30pm.

Located on the ground floor of the Federal Reserve Bank, the Money Museum is all about cash—it just doesn’t cost you any to get in. The museum has exhibits with interactive displays allowing visitors the chance to try and control inflation and design their own money, and there’s a game where museum goers can try and detect counterfeit currency. The highlight of the museum is its three stacks of one million dollars that visitors can take pictures of—one in $1 bills, one in $20 bills and one in $100 bills.

As long as you're 21 years of age or older (sorry, kids), you can enjoy all the free arcade games you can handle at Replay Lincoln Park, with the purchase of a beverage. Everything from the NBA Jam cabinet to the Jurassic Park pinball machine is set to free play, which means that you won't be pumping any quarters or tokens into the machines. You can spend all of the money you save on a craft beer or a cocktail at one of Replay's bars.

You don’t have to have a reservation at the Chicago Athletic Association hotel to hang out in its game room. The hotel, situated in a 130-year-old building that used to house a sportsmen’s club, features a room dedicated to classic gaming on its second floor that’s free to enter for hotel guests and anyone who’s interested in taking on a game of checkers, shuffleboard or billiards, as well as several other games. While not free, the Game Room also features a cocktail bar and a menu that serves up Midwestern classics like soft pretzels, wings and a Maxwell Street Polish.

As far as this gallery on the University of Chicago’s campus is concerned, the avantest of the avant-garde is the only one that matters. As for the name, well, the university wants to broaden the definition of "renaissance" (think less Michelangelo, more the Next Michelangelo, in other words). The white walls and high ceiling create a hyper-resonant environment. Many rising European artists get their only Chicago exposure here, and the shows are always free.

Founded in 1976, the Museum of Contemporary Photography—part of Columbia College Chicago—collaborates with artists and photographers to present exhibitions of film and digital images. Columbia College frequently presents works from its collection or commissions photographers to develop exhibits that display the capabilities of visual art. Visit to tour thought-provoking exhibitions or check out public lectures, discussions and other events held online and in person.

Reservations via the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum website are recommended.

In 1931 Jane Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize for her social work and co-founding Hull House on the city’s Near West Side. The famous home served recently-arrived European immigrants, and now serves as a museum and gallery on the campus of the University of Illinois Chicago. The museum is free to all UIC students, staff and faculty and has a suggested donation of $5 for any other visitors.

The Poetry Foundation is a great indoor activity for bookworms, poetry fanatics or anyone trying to expand their literary knowledge. The facility has a 30,000-volume poetry library, an exhibition gallery and a performance space for free performances. Stop by on a rainy day and read up on your favorite poems all free of charge.

Each month, there are several days where admission to the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe is totally free, but if you're driving to the suburban attraction, be prepared to pay for parking (we recommend taking the Metra to Braeside and walking over). Once you arrive, stroll through dozens of wildly different landscapes, including areas devoted to aquatic flowers, fruits and veggies, roses, prairie plants and woodland vegetation.

If you want to take a 2.7-mile jaunt through Logan Square, Humboldt Park, Wicker Park and Bucktown, this elevated path is the best way to get around. Built on an abandoned railroad line, the 606 is connected to parks and thoroughfares in some of the busiest neighborhoods on the North Side of Chicago. On a particularly nice day, you'll probably have to dodge cyclists and people pushing strollers, but the trail still provides one of the most relaxing and scenic ways to traverse the city.

This Bronzeville incubator for Black art is the only Works Progress Administration-funded community art center that's still up and running—more than 80 years later—and the oldest African-American arts center in the country. Visit to check out the Center's dynamic permanent collection (including works from founders Margaret Taylor-Burroughs and Charles White), rotating exhibitions and free events.

Since 1860, Graceland Cemetery has been the final resting place for numerous famous Chicagoans, including urban designer Daniel H. Burnham, film critic Roger Ebert and business magnate Marshall Field. Take a self-guided tour of the interesting statues and ornate mausoleums (there's a free audio tour on the cemetery’s website) or just walk around to admire the beauty of the space.

There are a lot of homes to tour in Chicago, but none of them have the history that Clarke-Ford House does. That’s not an exaggeration, as it's the oldest surviving home in the city. The Greek Revival home was constructed in the Near South Side in 1836, and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. The house has survived fires and two different moves, a name change, and now sits in the Prairie Avenue Historic District, where it’s used as a museum to showcase what life was like for a family in pre-Civil War Chicago.

In operation for more than a century, the Maxwell Street Market has been selling clothing, antiques and food since at least 1912. While it may be tempting to spend money on the vendor’s handmade crafts, resale items and some of the best street food in the city, it’s not necessary to do so in order to enjoy the market. There’s free live music every week, including a rotating list of DJs and family-friendly activities. The market, which runs from May through the end of October, culminates in a Día de Los Muertos and Halloween celebration.