To begin your Museum Adventure, visit your local public library to check out a pass. Passes are restricted to registered borrowers of each library.
Admission offers vary per museum, and are included with each listing below.
Search for libraries and museums near you
Air Classic Inc Museum of Aviation
Get up close and personal with an A-7E Corsair II Navy Attack Bomber, combat veteran from Desert Storm that flew from the deck of the USS John F. Kennedy. Be the pilot of a Huey helicopter that flew combat in Viet Nam. Sit in a full size mock up of a AIRBUS A319 cockpit.
44W546 US Route 30
Sugar Grove IL, 60554-9886
Hours: SATURDAY AND SUNDAY 10:00 am TILL 3:00 pm. Sunday 24 November is our last day of the season. We plan to reopen the first Saturday of April, 2025.
Admits one person (Senior, Adult or Child) free with one paid adult admission ($10.00) SATURDAY AND SUNDAY ONLY. ONE PASS PER FAMILY/GROUP.
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American Writers Museum
Visitors will explore the great writers and learn about and celebrate authors who are emblematic of a unique American Voice, across history, genre, and mediums, from poets to sportswriters. Galleries will de-mystify famed writers works and methodologies and invite visitor creativity with games and other immersive offerings. Delve into the great writers, literary influencers, characters, and groups that shaped the city's unique literary tradition.
180 N Michigan Ave, 2nd Floor
Chicago Illinois, 60601
Hours: Summer Hours: Monday, Wednesday-Sunday 10am - 5pm. Closed Tuesday.
1/2 off adult museum admission ($16 full price, $8 discounted). Special exhibits are free with museum admission. Children 12 and under are always free. CLOSED Nov 28, Dec 24, 25, and Jan 1. OPEN Dec 26, 27, 31 AWM is offering FREE DAYS FOR EVERYONE on the third Sunday of every month: March 17, April 21, May 19, June 16, July 21, August 18, September 15, October 20, November 17, December 15.
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Aurora Regional Fire Museum
Located in Aurora's Old Central Fire Station, the Aurora Regional Fire Museum features a variety of hands-on exhibits about the history of firefighting, a children's discovery room, and the Hayloft Theater. Perfect for the whole family.
53 N. Broadway
Aurora Illinois, 60505
Hours: Monday: Closed Tuesday-Saturday: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Sunday: Closed
Buy one, get one free of equal or lesser value. Valid for General Admission only. Not valid for special events, group tours or programs, and cannot be combined with other offers.
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Bess Bower Dunn Museum of Lake County
The Dunn Museum collects, preserves and interprets the material culture of Lake County, Illinois, and provides captivating educational experiences for visitors of all ages. Exhibitions offer a chronological walk through Lake County’s history from prehistoric times to the present and invites visitors to explore the land on which the history took place.
1899 West Winchester Road
Libertyville Illinois, 60048
Hours: OPEN Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday: 10 am - 4:30pm and Sunday: 12pm - 4:30pm CLOSED M,W,F;
The MAP pass can be redeemed for two (2) general admission tickets. General admission: Resident - $6 Adults, $3 Seniors (62+) , $3 Youth (4 - 17) (limit 10 youth per adult), $3 Students (18 - 25 w/ID) , FREE children 3 yrs. and under. Non-resident - $10 Adults, $6 Seniors (62+) , $6 Youth (4 -17) (limit 10 youth per adult), $6 Students (18 - 25 w/ID) , FREE children 3 yrs. and under.
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Bronzeville Children's Museum
First and only African American children's museum in the nation.
9301 South Stony Island Avenue
Chicago IL, 60617
Hours: Monday: Closed for special events Tuesday-Saturday: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm (Tours at 10:00 am, 11:00 am, 12:00 pm, 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm) Sunday: Closed for special events
Admits 2 (Buy one, get one free. Limit is two admissions per family)
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Brookfield Zoo (Chicago Zoological Society)
A world leader in animal care, conservation, and education, Brookfield Zoo is celebrating 75 years of fun this year!
First Ave. and 31st St.
Brookfield IL, 60513
Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Admits 2 (Passes are valid for Brookfield Zoo only and does not include parking or admission to any internal exhibits or attractions, such as Dolphin Show, Butterflies!, Children's Zoo, Temporary exhibits, Motor Safari, etc.) RESERVATIONS ARE NO LONGER REQUIRED! If you previously reserved tickets and parking for your zoo visit, you are welcome to enter the zoo at any time during that day.
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Cantigny Park
With gardens, a museum, dining options, picnic areas, hiking trails, educational opportunities and more, Cantigny Park offers something for everyone.
1S151 Winfield Road
Wheaton IL, 60189
Hours: Visit our website for park hours.
1 vehicle on days with a parking fee - limited to one car per use. Does not include limousines, busses, trollies, campers, or any other large vehicles.
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Cernan Earth and Space Center at Triton College
Out of this world! In your neighborhood. Conveniently located with plenty of free parking.
2000 5th Ave North
River Grove Illinois, 60171
Hours: Check the Google calendar on our web site for shows scheduled, as they change from time to time. Families, scouts, schools and other groups are invited to call and schedule private shows. Call 708-456-0300 x 3372 for more information or see https://www.triton.edu/campus/cernan-center/school-and-group-reservations/
The MAPpass is good for one free adult or two free youth/senior tickets with the purchase of one adult ticket. For the latest program and schedule information: • Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/cernancenter. • Subscribe to our YouTube channel at youtube.com/c/CernanEarthAndSpaceCenter. • Visit our website at triton.edu/cernan.
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Chicago Botanic Garden
With its world-renowned plant collections and displays, it is one of the country's most visited public gardens and preeminent center for learning and scientific research.
1000 Lake Cook Road
Glencoe IL, 60022
Hours: **Visitors with this MAP pass are NOT required to preregister to enter. June 24 - September 7 (Summer Hours) Garden Grounds Daily: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm September 8 - November 12 (Fall Hours) Garden Grounds *Hours for specific attractions can be found here: https://www.chicagobotanic.org/visit/hours
The Museum Adventure Pass allows a family of four general admission during regular public hours. Group must include at least one child under 18; maximum of two adults admitted with this pass. Parking for one vehicle per pass is included. Please present your Museum Adventure Pass at the entry gatehouse (one car/van vehicle per entry) and at the admission entrance to the Visitor Center.
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Children's Museum in Oak Lawn
5100 Museum Drive
Oak Lawn IL, 60453
Hours: See www.cmoaklawn.org for hours of operation.
This pass is good for one free child admission with the purchase of an adult admission. Limited one. PLEASE PRINT TO REDEEM.
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Elgin History Museum
Housed in an 1856 landmark building and listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The museum brings to life Elgin's rich heritage.
360 Park Street
Elgin IL, 60120
Hours: Monday-Tuesday: Closed Wednesday-Saturday: 11:00 am - 4:00 pm Sunday: Closed
Admits up to 4 persons
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Elgin Public Museum
Offers exhibits and educational programs with natural history and cultural themes for families, school groups, scouts, clubs, organizations, homeschoolers, and anyone who wants to have fun while learning! To receive a pdf of our latest Educational Programs brochure, email blazier_s@cityofelgin.org
225 Grand Boulevard (inside Lords Park)
Elgin IL, 60120
Hours: LABOR DAY thru MEMORIAL DAY: Saturday & Sunday, 12-4 MEMORIAL DAY thru LABOR DAY: Thursday thru Sunday, 12-4
MAP ticketholders: 1 Free Kids Admission with every paid Adult Admission [NOTE: MAP tickets cannot be used on days of Special Events; follow us on Facebook or other social media, or call ahead, to be sure your pass will be accepted on your chosen date]. General Admission: $3 Adults $2 Kids 3-12 and Seniors 60+ FREE for Kids under 3, Museum Members, & Elgin Twp. Senior Access Pass holders
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Ellwood House Museum
The Ellwood House Museum is a campus of seven historic buildings, including the 1879 Ellwood mansion, situated on ten acres of parkland in the heart of DeKalb, Illinois. Originally built for barbed wire entrepreneur Isaac Ellwood, the site was home to three generations of the Ellwood family from 1879 to 1965.
5009 N First St
DeKalb Illinois, 60115
Hours: Visitor Center galleries are open by appointment from 12:30pm - 4:30pm Tuesday through Sunday.
Pass valid for up to five (5) youth ages 6-17, plus two (2) adults. Not valid for Holiday Tours or Holiday Event Weekend.
Website
Geneva Lake Museum
Take a trip back in time, from the Potawatomi culture to the first white settlers, who ran their local businesses. You will also be able to peek in on daily living from an 1880's parlor, a 1900's dining room and two kitchens that compare the "progress" of new inventions. Come touch history! Enjoy the fire station, general store, blacksmith shop, lawyer's office, post office, railroad depot, military room, log cabin and dairy shed.
255 Mill St
Lake Geneva Wisconsin, 53147
Hours: Jan, Feb, March, Nov, Dec M, F, Sat 11-3pm /// April M, F, Sat 10-4pm /// May, Sept, Oct M, Th, F, Sat 10-4 /// June, July, Aug M, T, W, Th, F, Sat 10-4pm /// All Sunday 11-3pm
Children through age twelve and active military are free, students 13-17 are $5, seniors are $10, Adults $12. Two for one with MAP pass. One adult pays and the second adult is free.
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Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center
The Museum is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Holocaust by honoring the memories of those who were lost and by teaching universal lessons that combat hatred, prejudice and indifference. The Museum fulfills its mission through the exhibition, preservation and interpretation of its collections and through education programs and initiatives that foster the promotion of human rights and the elimination of genocide.
9603 Woods Drive
Skokie Illinois, 60076
Hours: The Museum is open Wednesday through Monday, 10 am through 5 pm. We welcome our last visitors at 4:00 pm, one hour before closing. Parking is free, and a bicycle rack is available near the south parking lot.
General Admission- Buy One get One free entry is from 10AM until one hour before the Museum closes (Last entry is 4PM each day except 7PM on Thurs). The Museum reserves the right to request identification upon entry to verify ticket purchase type.
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Illinois Railway Museum
AMERICA'S LARGEST RAILWAY MUSEUM, featuring many pieces of historic railway equipment on display, and regular operation on our demonstration railroad. TAKE A RIDE on one of our many restored trains and experience a museum in motion.
7000 Olson Rd (Mailing: PO Box 427)
Union IL, 60180
Hours: *Tickets must be purchased at entry Monday-Friday: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm (final entry at 2:00 pm) Saturday-Sunday: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm (final entry at 3:00 pm)
2 free passes with the purchase of 2, or 1 free pass with the purchase of 1. ****Weekends May through September, and Special Event days: Electric cars and steam or diesel trains operate hourly 11:00am-4:00pm, or more often as needed, and streetcars operate on the streetcar loop 11:00am-4:00pm as needed ****April 7, 14, 21, and 28; Weekdays May 28-August 30 (except holidays); and October 12 and 13. Not Valid on Bunny Trolley Hop, Day Out with Thomas or Happy Holiday Railway.
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Institute for Study of Ancient Cultures
Both a pioneering interdisciplinary research center and a world-renowned museum, the ISAC aims to understand, reveal, and protect the earliest civilizations. The ISAC presents informative and engaging exhibits and programs on ancient Egypt, Nubia, Israel, Iraq, Iran and Turkey.
1155 E. 58th Street
Chicago IL, 60637
Hours: Tuesday–Sunday 10:00am–5:00pm
One free Museum Explorer's Guide per pass. General admission is free (donation suggested).
Website
Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art
People of all ages enjoy this exceptional museum dedicated to sharing with others the beauty of gemstones and promoting the study of earth science. The museum houses a large collection of Chinese jade and other hard-stone carvings. Other displays include animal dioramas, mineral specimens, gemstones and geologic phenomena. Browse through the unique Museum Shop. Free parking is available.
1220 Kensington Road
Oak Brook IL, 60523
Hours: Monday: Closed Tuesday-Saturday: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Sunday: 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Please have printed ticket available at check-in. 1/2 off admission passes for General Museum Admission Only - Discount not available on Wednesdays or for classes, programs or special events. Maximum of four (4) admissions per pass. Can not be combined with any other offer or pass. Pass will be collected at the time of redemption. This pass must be presented at check-in with purchased ticket.
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Mitchell Museum of the American Indian
The Mitchell Museum of the American Indian is one of only a handful of museums across the country that focuses exclusively on the art, history, and culture of Native American and First Nation peoples from throughout the United States and Canada. It promotes public understanding of cultural diversity through first voice perspectives.
3001 Central Street
Evanston IL, 60201
Hours: Monday 10:00-5:00PM Tuesday 10:00-5:00PM Wednesday 10:00-5:00PM Thursday 10:00-8:00PM Friday 10:00-5:00PM
Admits 2 free for regular museum admission
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Naper Settlement
Naper Settlement is a nationally accredited outdoor museum located in downtown Naperville, Illinois. The museum maintains 30 historic buildings on a 12 acre site with 50,000 objects. Museum staff and volunteers interpret life from the 19th century to today, while wearing period-correct costumes.
523 South Webster Street
Naperville IL, 60540
Hours: Monday: Closed Tuesday-Saturday: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Sunday: 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
1. Buy One Ticket: Get one Free; Maximum of Two (2) free tickets per coupon. Free ticket(s) will be lowest value item(s). 2. Valid for General Admission only: April 1 - October 31. Not valid for special events, or events sponsored on the museum grounds by others with an entry fee.
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Pleasant Home Foundation
Pleasant Home is a landmark prairie style house museum, designed in 1897 by George W. Maher. The home is one of the earliest and most distinguished examples of prairie school architecture. Pleasant Home is the only Maher building open to the public as a museum.
217 Home Avenue
Oak Park IL, 60302
Hours: Open for tours every Thursday, from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Buy 1, Get 1 free Tour Admission
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St. Charles Heritage Museum
Exhibits highlight early settlers, agriculture, industry, education, the Richard's Riot, millionaires and tourism in the Roaring Twenties.
215 E. Main Street
St. Charles IL, 60174
Hours: Jack & Kathy Brens Exhibit Hall Monday: Closed Tuesday-Saturday: 11:00 am - 4:00 pm by appointment only Sunday: Closed Gift Shop Monday: Closed Tuesday-Saturday: 11:00 am – 4:00 pm Sunday: Closed
15% discount on visitors entire gift shop purchase with some exclusions.
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Volo Museum
The World-Famous Volo Museum guarantees to have something amazing for any age with over 45 exhibits and 10,000 mechanical marvels.
27582 Volo Village Rd.
Volo IL, 60073
Hours: Open Daily (including weekends) from 10am-5pm. From Memorial Day to Labor Day Sun-Fri (10am-6pm) Saturday (10am-7pm)
50% off of admission per pass, for up to six persons of any age to the world famous Volo Museum's 45 exhibits and 10,000 mechanical marvels. Jurassic Gardens and Titanic Museum are not included.
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