One Of Illinois’ Most Popular Museums May Soon Be Free

The most famous (and, in my opinion, best) museum in Chicago might be on the verge of becoming free once again.

The Museum of Science and Industry is exploring permanent free admission, as its CEO says they want to make the place more accessible to families.

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Is Chicago's Top Science Museum Going Free Again?

Before 1991, the museum had 3.5 million visitors a year; since then, it has declined to 1.5 million. It’s a shame it took 35 years for them to realize that more people would visit if it were free, but better late than never.

The plan is to phase back in more free access over the next 10-15 years, but that doesn’t mean we’ll have to wait that long, as there will be more free Sundays, new public-access spaces, and a free-entry area planned by 2027.

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The Multi-Year Plan for Phasing in Permanent Free Admission

My last trip to the Museum of Science and Industry was when they had the fantastic Marvel exhibit, but as a big comic book fan, I had to make sure I saw it. Other than that, it had been plenty of years since and before.

That said, many of us have pretty fond memories of the Museum of Science and Industry, but haven’t been in years, probably because those of us with families thought it was just too expensive.

With today's news, they might be bringing back those who were priced out in recent years.