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Great Kids Museum Passport
By Christine Escobar A visit to Chicago's museums with kids can cost a pretty penny, especially when you add in parking, lunch, snacks or a souvenir.
But, there's a wonderful way to visit the top museums in Chicago for free. It's called the Great Kids Museum Passport and it's offered by the Chicago Public Library to anyone with a valid CPL library card.
How The Passport Works
Adults may check out a Great Kids Museum Passport at all Chicago Public Library locations with a valid Chicago Public Library card. Checkout is limited to one museum passport per person per loan period. The loan period for each Great Kids Museum Passport is one week.
With a Great Kids Museum Passport, families get free admission to Adler Planetarium, The Art Institute of Chicago, Brookfield Zoo, Chicago Children's Museum, Chicago History Museum, Dusable Museum of African American History, The Field Musuem, Shedd Aquarium, the Museum of Contemporary Art, The Notebaert Nature Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, Mexican Fine Art Center Museum and the McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum.
What To Know Before You Go
It's a good idea to call nearby CPL branches in your neighborhood to see if the passport is available for checkout, since it's a pretty popular program. Each library location has a limited number of passports for each of the 13 museums. The overdue fine for museum passports is $1.00 per day, with a maximum limit of $10.00. The charge for a lost museum passport is $30.00 and passports cannot be renewed or reserved. Museum passports must be returned to the main desk of the library from which they were checked out.
