Chicago Museum Free Days - and even some Free Weeks

If your budget is tight but you don't want to miss out on visiting some of Chicago's best museums this year, make sure you check with our listing of 2011 Chicago Museum Free Days.

January seems to have quite a lot of free days, and even free weeks at some locations.

Here's the rundown:

Adler Planetarium
January 4, 5, 10-14, 18, 19, 24-27
February 1, 2, 7-10, 15, 16, 22, 23, 28
March 1-3, 8, 9, 15, 16

Art Institute
Free Winter Weekdays: From January 3 through February 4, the museum is offering free admission, every weekday, all day long (late evenings included)!

Chicago Botanic Garden
Always free.

Chicago Children's Museum
The first Sunday of every month is free admission for ages 15 and under.
Kraft Free Family Night is every Thursday from 5-8pm, free admission for everyone.

Chicago Cultural Center
Always free.

Chicago History Museum
Free Mondays.

Field Museum
Free admission the 2nd Monday of each month, with additional free days throughout the year.
January 3, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 24, 26 and 31
February 2, 3, 8, 9, 14, 15 and 17
March 14
April 11
May 9
June 7, 13

John G. Shedd Aquarium
Jan. 10, 11, 16-21, 24, 25 & 31
Feb. 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 20-24, 28

Museum of Contemporary Art
Free on Tuesdays.

Museum of Science and Industry
January 3-7, 10-14, 17-21, 24-28, 31
February 1, 8, 14, 15, 22
June 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9
September 6-9, 12-16, 19-23, 26-30

National Museum of Mexican Art
Always free.

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Thursdays are "suggested donation days."

Free Chicago Holiday Family Fun

We've just released the ChicagoKids.com Winter Guide to Free Family Fun, and you can find lots of fun family activities and events taking place this winter in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.

Here's a sampling of free holiday activities for kids and families taking place in December:

ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo
Weekends Nov 26 – Jan 2 (closed Dec 24/25)
One of the brightest parts of Chicago’s winter, ZooLights, is free and open to all. Head out for a winter evening of ice carving demonstrations, visits with Santa, warm drinks, cool crafts and more than one million beautiful lights.

Winter WonderFest at Navy Pier
December 3 – January 2
Navy Pier transforms into an enchanted 170,000 square foot holiday hamlet, and you can come out for music, entertainment, indoor ice skating, inflatable slides, carnival rides, food, beverages, and more. General admission is free, some rides and attractions have fees.

Christkindlmarket at Daley Plaza
Through December 24
Christkindlmarket Chicago is a holiday market that brings a cherished German and European tradition with international flair and local charm to Chicago. Children visiting the market can enjoy scavenger hunts, interviews with vendors, and singing German holiday songs.

Holiday Concert Series at Harold Washington Public Library
Select days between December 1-17
The Chicago Public Library presents its annual Sounds of Our City: 2010 Holiday Concert Series on selected dates during the month of December. The free, lunchtime holiday performances feature some of the best Chicago area children’s, grade school and high school choirs.

Ice Skating at McCormick Tribune Ice Rink
Through March 13
Come out for a family skate! The rink is free and open to the public, and skate rental is available for $10.

See more fun free Winter family activities at ChicagoKids.com.

ChicagoKids.com Fall Guide to Free Family Fun

It certainly seems odd to release a guide to Fall Fun on a day when the temperature will be nearing 90, but it's officially Fall and we're ready for it!

I've just finished up the ChicagoKids.com Fall Guide to Free Family Fun, a downloadable, printable booklet of free activities that your family can enjoy. This is by no means a comprehensive list, but a sampling of fun ideas that are FREE. You can find more events and activities by visiting ChicagoKids.com.

The list includes ideas for pumpkin patches, story hours, nature centers, farms, indoor fun and even some great free fall festivals that are taking place.

You can download the guide at ChicagoKids.com/guide.