Shedd Aquarium Illinois Resident Free Admission Nights

Our Illinois Resident Free Hours include access to all exhibits and seasonal Stingray Touch. Take a deeper look at our current available exhibits here.We offer several reservation options for Free Hours. For those who prefer to plan ahead, online ticket reservations are available with a $5 convenience fee per order. Alternatively, you can reserve tickets by phone with no convenience fee by calling 312-939-2438 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Central Time (CT). We also provide free walk-up reservations; however, these are subject to availability and typically sell out quickly. Advance reservations are highly recommended due to the high demand for tickets.​

2026 Free Days January 6-8, 13-20, 27-29 February 3-5, 10-12, 17-19, 24-26

2026 Free Nights (5 p.m. - 9 p.m.) March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 April 7, 14, 21, 28 May 5, 12, 19, 26 June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 

For information on more events like this, check out our roundup of Museum Free Days.