Saturday, January 23, 2010

Chicago Freebies!

Do you love to be a tourist in your own town? Are you planning a trip to Chicago and wanting to take in some of the most popular destinations, but shocked by the ticket prices?

Not to worry, all the museums and other hot spots offer free days and Little Merry Sunshine has the list (just like we did in 2008). Mark your calendar now and make sure you take advantage of these freebies. If you live in the area, this is a great way to take advantage of what some of our high taxes pay for.

From The Local Tourist:

Adler Planetarium:
  • January 5, 11-15, 19, & 26
  • February 2, 8-12, 16 & 23
  • March 2, 9, 16 & 23
  • April 20 & 27
  • May 4, 11, 12, 18 & 25
  • June 7-11
  • September 7, 13 - 17, 21 & 28
  • October 5, 12, 19 & 26
  • November 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30
  • December 7, 14 & 21
Art Institute of Chicago:
  • Free Thursdays 5 to 8pm until Memorial Day and after Labor Day
  • Free in February

Chicago Children's Museum:

  • 1st Sunday of every month free admission for children 15 and under
  • Free Thursdays 5 to 8pm for everyone

Chicago History Museum:

  • Free every Monday

Field Museum of Natural History:

  • 2nd Monday of every month
  • January 13, 14, 19, 20, 26, 27
  • February 2, 3, 10, 11, 16, 17, 23, 24
  • March 2, 3
  • June 2, 3
  • August 24
  • September 15, 16, 21, 22
  • October 5, 6, 13, 14, 19, 20
  • November 2, 3, 10, 16, 17, 30
  • December 1, 7, 8, 15, 16

International Museum of Surgical Science:

  • Free on Tuesdays

Jane Addam's Hull House Museum:

  • Always Free

Loyola University Museum of Art:

  • Free on Tuesdays

Museum of Contemporary Art:

  • Free on Tuesdays

Museum of Contemporary Photography:

  • Always Free

Museum of Science & Industry:

  • January 4 - 8, 11 - 15, 18 - 22, 25 - 29
  • February 8, 14
  • March 18
  • April 19 - 23
  • May 3
  • June 7 - 11
  • August 30
  • September 7 - 14, 20, 21, 27, 28
  • October 4 - 6
  • November 11
  • December 6
  • Always free (donations accepted)
  • Free on Thursdays (donations suggested)

Shedd Aquarium:

  • January 4, 5, 11, 12, 16 - 21, 25, 26
  • February 1, 2, 8, 9, 15 - 19, 22, 23
  • June 14 - 18
  • September 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28
  • October 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26
  • November 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30

Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows

  • Always free

Swedish American Museum

  • Free on second Tuesday of every month

Ukrainian National Museum

  • Always free, suggested donation of $5
From the Chicago Symphony Orchestra:
The Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s training orchestra for young, preprofessional musicians, has announced its 2009-2010 season of free orchestral and chamber music performances at Symphony Center and in neighborhoods throughout Chicago.

Concerts at Symphony Hall

Music director of the Toronto Symphony and principal guest conductor of the Detroit Symphony, Peter Oundjian leads Civic for the first time on Monday, Feb. 8, 2010, at 8 p.m., in Mahler’s Seventh Symphony. The Civic Orchestra has performed this symphony only once previously, in 1991.



On Monday, March 8, 2010, at 8 p.m., Leo McFall conducts “Lullaby for Hans” by CSO Mead Composer-in-Residence Mark-Anthony Turnage—a tribute to his mentor Hans Werner Henze—and Sibelius’ Symphony No. 5. McFall, who has studied with and assisted CSO Principal Conductor Bernard Haitink, made his Civic debut in April 2009.



Colnot returns to the podium on Monday, April 5, 2010, at 8 p.m., for a program of enchanting works, featuring Mendelssohn’s Overture to “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Ravel’s “Gaspard de la nuit” and Stravinsky’s “Le chant du rossignol” (Song of the Nightingale).



Civic’s 2009-2010 season closes Monday, May 24, 2010, at 8 p.m., with a virtuosic program led by Larry Rachleff and featuring CSO Concertmaster Robert Chen in Beethoven’s Violin Concerto—heralding the CSO’s Beethoven Festival, which begins the following week. An integral part of the Civic training program is the opportunity for young musicians to collaborate with and learn from their professional mentors in the CSO. This concert concludes with Bartók’s great Concerto for Orchestra.



Preconcert Conversations are given before all Civic Orchestra concerts at Symphony Center, beginning 90 minutes before the performance, in Grainger Ballroom. Tickets for all Civic Orchestra concerts at Symphony Center are free but required. Seating is general admission, and there is a non-refundable $1 per-ticket service fee. Tickets for these concerts can be reserved by calling 312-294-3000.

Performances in the Community

The Civic Orchestra’s 2009-2010 season features dozens of free performances throughout the city. On Sunday, May 2, 2010, at 3 p.m., the orchestra and conductor Edwin Outwater present a free, all-Beethoven concert at South Shore Cultural Center in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood, in anticipation of the CSO’s June 2009 Beethoven Festival. This concert also introduces pianist Adam Kim, winner of the 2009 CSO Youth Auditions, as soloist. Part of the Institute’s continuum of opportunities for active participation in music, the annual Youth Auditions identify one talented 14-to-17-year-old musician to perform with the CSO as well as with Civic and through other avenues.



Chamber ensembles from the Civic Orchestra present many free educational concerts in neighborhoods across Chicago, as part of the MusiCorps community-engagement program. MusiCorps’ “In the Park with Civic” series—free, interactive chamber concerts for families with children ages 5 and up—take place in Chicago Park District locations, including Gage, Harrison, Indian Boundary, Kosciuszko, North and Washington parks, and at the National Museum of Mexican Art.

Chamber ensembles and repertoire will be announced at a later date. 

All Civic Orchestra chamber performances are free, and tickets are not required. For more information about MusiCorps’ “In the Park with Civic” concerts, please visit civicorchestra.org or call 312-294-3803.



MusiCorps is generously sponsored by United Airlines. “In the Park with Civic” is presented through a partnership with the Chicago Park District.

1 comment:

  1. I'm excited about this post, Jessica! Thanks for all the great info! I will keep this post in mind when planning my family's next trip to Chicago!

    ReplyDelete

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