Chicago is a city filled to the brim with art, architecture, science and culture. And what better way to experience it all than at some of the best museums and attractions in the city?
The Chicago CityPASS is a golden ticket that grants you access to some of these museums. With just one ticket, you can do twice as much as you would have been able to otherwise!
What is the Chicago CityPASS and where can I go?
What is the Chicago CityPASS?
The Chicago CityPASS gives ticket holders access to five of Chicago’s best museums and attractions — all at a fraction of the regular price!
The CItyPASS includes admission to the following three museums by default:
- Shedd Aquarium
- Skydeck Chicago
- Field Museum
Then, you can choose another two of these museums to visit:
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Museum of Science and Industry
- 360 CHICAGO Observation Deck
- Adler Planetarium
Luckily, you don’t have to choose right when you purchase the ticket, so you have plenty of time to still decide which ones to pick.
How long is the Chicago CityPASS valid?
Once you purchase your Chicago CityPASS ticket, whether you buy it online or in-person, you have a year to activate it at your first museum. After that first visit, though, you have just 9 days to visit all the museums you want to before the ticket expires.
There’s no limit on how many museums you can visit in one day, but to be safe, plan on visiting no more than two museums each day so that you get the most out of each unique attraction. Be sure to also check with each museum in advance to find out if they require reservations or timed entries, or are only open on certain days before you head over!
How much is the Chicago CityPASS?
The Chicago CityPASS is an all-inclusive ticket that costs just $114 per adult (ages 12+) and $93 per child (ages 3-11).
The ticket grants you access to a collection of Chicago’s best museums which, on their own, would cost a pretty penny to visit. Here are the admission prices for each of those museums separately, for comparisons!
- Shedd Aquarium: $45 per adult, $35 per child
- Skydeck Chicago: $55 per adult, $55 per child
- Field Museum: $40 per adult, $30 per child
- Art Institute of Chicago: $35 per adult, free for children 31 and under
- Museum of Science and Industry: $34 per adult, $22 per child
- 360 CHICAGO Observation Deck: $44 per adult, $44 per child
- Adler Planetarium: $35 per adult, $24 per child
Visiting five of these museums without the Chicago CityPASS would cost you around $218 per adult and $186 per child, at the minimum. That’s nearly twice as much as you’d pay for the CityPASS!
Handy, huh?
Where can I go with the Chicago CityPASS?
Shedd Aquarium
Housed in a stunning building as part of the museum campus on the shores of Field Park and Lake Michigan, the Shedd Aquarium is a world-renowned aquatic facility that features a variety of in-depth habitats and educational programs.
Skydeck Chicago
Gaze out at the lands of four different states from the tallest building in the Midwest, towering over 103 floors above the hustle and bustle of Downtown Chicago. The Willis Tower — formerly the Sears Tower — has a stunning 360-degree glass observatory at its apex, offering visitors an unparalleled view of Chicago, Lake Michigan and the surrounding Midwest.
Field Museum
There’s a bit of everything here at the Field Museum, from the most well-preserved tyrannosaurus rex ever discovered to the remnants of an ancient Egyptian tomb to ten-thousand-year-old of Chinese artifacts and much, much more. Plus, your CityPASS ticket grants an all-access pass to all the permanent and temporary exhibitions, as well as a 3D movie of your choice!
Art Institute of Chicago
Chicago is home to the largest collection of Impressionist paintings and art outside of Paris itself, and it’s all right here at the Art Institute of Chicago. Gaze upon masterpieces that have defined the movement, the likes of which include Van Gogh’s famous self-portrait, Georges Seurat’s pointillism pieces and Monet’s "Water Lilies." Don’t miss out on the extensive collections that cover everything else from African art to modern media to Byzantium artifacts and more!
Museum of Science and Industry
Chicago is a city of innovation, and what better place to see the city’s inventive history on display than at the Museum of Science and industry? Here, visitors can learn about inventions and innovation from the distant past right up to the near future, including Tesla coils, ancient ships, robots, medical exhibits and everything in between!
360 CHICAGO Observation Deck
Zoom into the sky above Chicago’s Magnificent Mile on one of North America’s fastest elevators, then get rewarded with the second-highest 360-degree view of Chicago.
Adler Planetarium
Adler Planetarium was the nation’s first planetarium, and as such is a center for astounding astronomical education and over 60,000 square feet of out-of-this-world exhibitions. Plus, it also contains the largest publicly-accessible telescope around, so you’ll not want to miss this attraction at all!
Where can I get a Chicago CityPASS?
You can get Chicago CityPASS tickets online through this website, after which you’ll receive an email with your downloadable tickets ready to use immediately. You can also buy the tickets in-person at participating locations.
If you live anywhere near our luxury Chicago apartments and want to experience some of the best museums that the Windy City has to offer, then the Chicago CityPASS is absolutely the way to go!
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Featured photo courtesy Pixabay/Day_Photo
Colleen Ford is a South African who now lives on Oahu in Hawai'i. She loves to travel, camp, spearfish and hike. She's also part of a super cool canoe club and is pretty decent at it. Colleen enjoys Star Wars and also not being cold ever.
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