The best free things to do in Chicago this month

Throughout the year, one of the best aerial displays you'll find in Chicago originates from Navy Pier. In celebration of Valentine’s Day, Navy Pier will illuminate the skyline with a specially themed edition of its award-winning fireworks. If you're feeling weary of crowds, you can also take in the show from nearby beaches or while cruising along the Lakefront Trail.

Described as “landscape art under glass” when it opened in 1908, the conservatory, while being one of the largest in the world, also boasts revolutionary architecture. About 120,000 plants representing some 600 species occupy the conservatory’s two acres and indoor spaces. Twice a year, flower shows premiere to celebrate the beginning of winter and spring. Admission is free, but timed reservations are required. 

This 24.5-acre park might be one of the most popular gathering spots in the city, known for its free concerts, famous public art installations and its proximity to the Loop. The centerpiece of Millennium Park is the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, a flowing Frank Gehry-designed structure that hosts of the city’s biggest outdoor festivals and concerts. You’ll also find the serene Lurie Garden, al fresco dining destination the Park Grill and pedestrian bridges that lead to the Art Institute and Maggie Daley Park.

This tourist hot spot—which is free to visit—features shops, eateries, an IMAX cinema and a bevy of sightseeing boat tours. Pier Park is home to a 200-foot-high Ferris wheel, a beer garden and public art exhibitions galore. Beyond its year-round offerings, the Pier's seasonal events, indoor activities and great people-watching provide plenty of entertainment, no matter the weather.

What’s better than a show at the Empty Bottle? A free show at the Empty Bottle. Every Monday, Chicago’s premier indie rock club hosts a free concert. Check the venue's website for a schedule of upcoming performances and to RSVP.

Until February 2026, the University of Chicago's Smart Museum of Art hosts “Unto Thee,” Theaster Gates's first solo museum exhibition in his hometown of Chicago. Known for his installations merging sculpture, performance and social practice, Gates has become a driving force in the contemporary art world and beyond. Admission to the Smart Museum of Art is always free. 

On any given day at the Chicago Cultural Center, 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. 

The lively Sunday market at this West Town park offers dozens of vendors, but if that's not enough of a draw, consider the weekly complimentary programming, including free yoga, meditation and storytime for kids. Even better: The market moves indoors for the winter, taking temporary residence at the Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club, so you can enjoy the local farmers' bounty year-round.

Housed in an airy, sun-soaked building in the heart of downtown, The Poetry Foundation is a hidden gem perfect for remote working, perusing its 40,000-volume library, or attending a workshop. If you're game to brave the elements, you can stroll through the tree-lined plaza to savor the snowy vistas.

You don't have to look any further than Pilsen to find one of the largest Latino cultural organizations in the U.S. Visit the National Museum of Mexican Art and explore a 6,000-piece permanent collection, rotating exhibits, performing-arts showcases and educational programming that represents an illustrious Mexican culture.

Escape the planet with exhibits about the first lunar missions, the solar system and more, plus immersive shows in the dome theater. Stationed just a stone's throw away from the Adler, the Doane Observatory is also home to the largest public telescope in the area and gathers 7,000 times more light than the human eye. Every Wednesday, the Adler stays open late from 4pm–10pm so that folks can visit after work or school. And best of all, admission is free on those nights for Illinois residents.

Every Wednesday, the Old Town School of Folk Music hosts a showcase of world music and dance. Featuring both local and touring talent, you're sure to hear something new and exciting at this long-running series. Before the show, be sure to peruse the Old Town School of Folk Music Store, where you can rent instruments, learn about lessons and peruse a wide selection of books.

This weekly “live magazine” is a cavalcade of culture, politics and wit featuring journalists, actors, comedians and musicians offering idiosyncratic reports on the news of the day. Head to Uptown’s iconic Green Mill for drinks, hot takes and laughs; the longstanding Saturday afternoon edition tends to run about two and a half hours.

See some 1,100 animals—from apes to zebras to flamingos—at one of the last free zoos in the country. The 35-acre attraction connects visitors with animals from all over the world, and a variety of seasonal events and special programming keep locals coming back again and again. Admission to Lincoln Park Zoo has been free since it opened in 1868.

With a mission of making contemporary art more approachable, the Hyde Park Art Center offers engaging exhibitions, as well as community programming of all varieties, including artist talks, a residency program, studio classes and more. Established in 1939, it's the oldest alternative visual arts center of its kind in Chicago, a place where visitors can experience art free of charge.

The Whistler’s monthly lit series pops up on the second Wednesday of every month, bringing an evening of readings, workshopping and discussion to the Logan Square cocktail bar. Each show is followed by an installment of the Relax Attack Jazz Series, a free event with a constantly rotating bill.

Founded in 1976, the Museum of Contemporary Photography collaborates with artists and photographers to present exhibitions of analog and digital images. Columbia College frequently presents works from its collection or commissions photographers to develop exhibits that display the capabilities of visual art. Better yet, admission to the museum is always free. 

When this institution opened in 1961, African-American history was suffering serious neglect at the hands of the city’s—and for that matter the nation’s—cultural institutions. The Hyde Park cultural hub is now one of the oldest African-American–focused museums in the country. Admission is free for all every Wednesday.

Every two years, Chicago becomes a global hub of architecture and design during the Chicago Architecture Biennial. This edition’s theme is SHIFT: Architecture in Times of Radical Change, bringing together over 100 projects by architects, artists and designers from 30 countries—each piece engaging with the cultural, social and environmental fluxes transforming our world. Not sure where to start? Check out our first-timer's guide to the exhibition.