Chicago Children’s Museum doesn’t list a discount for individual teachers. What its field trips and group visits page lists is a set of per-person rates for booked school and group visits, from $8 per person for Chicago school districts and local non-profits up to $12 for non-school groups. Regular admission, which the page gives as $21 per person for Illinois residents and $25 for non-Illinois residents, is what those rates are measured against.
If you’re planning a class trip, the group rate is the number to set against what you’d pay at the door, since children and adult chaperones pay the same rate per person. If you’re thinking of dropping in by yourself on a Saturday, there’s a rule on the hours, tickets and FAQ page worth knowing first: one adult (18+) and one child are required for museum entry.
How To Get The Chicago Children’s Museum Teacher Discount
There’s no individual teacher discount to claim, so the way to save is to book a field trip or group visit. The page says a visit includes up to 2 hours in exhibit spaces, orientation and play support from museum staff, and secure storage. Availability is Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, with start times at 10 am, 10:30 am, 11 am and 11:30 am.
Admission is per person, and the page sorts groups into tiers. Local school districts and local non-profits, with Chicago Public Schools and Chicago charters named, pay $8 per person, which the page lists as a 62% discount. Non-city school groups in Chicagoland and private schools pay $10, listed as 52% off. Non-school groups such as libraries, park districts and scouts pay $12, listed as 43% off. If your group doesn’t fit a tier or you’re unsure which one applies, the page says to email CCMReservations@ChicagoChildrensMuseum.org. It also says a group may be eligible for an additional discount if it’s visiting from one of ten listed Chicago zip codes.
The same page says educators and group leaders receive complimentary admission. Picture 25 students and 3 chaperones at the $8 rate: that’s 28 paying people and $224 in admission, with the teacher admitted free.
What A Group Visit Includes
The page says all field trips are 2 hours long and include admission to all exhibit spaces, among them the Climbing Schooner, Kids Town, Dinosaur Expedition and Water City. Staff give your group an orientation in the Group Center, and Play & Learning Facilitators help keep everyone safe and engaged. There’s also secure storage for clothing items and unrefrigerated lunches.
Two things the page says aren’t guaranteed: the Art Studio and the Tinkering Lab. Both run ticketed hourly workshops that start on the half hour, and Art Studio tickets are free at the entrance one hour before each session. The page says there won’t be availability for an entire class at the same time, though some small groups may get in. The Pritzker Playspace is an exhibit designed for babies and toddlers ages 0-5, and the page says it may not be appropriate for your group.
Lunch needs a plan too. The museum has no space to eat meals inside, and the page points to seating in the Navy Pier Family Pavilion and food court just outside, which doesn’t require a reservation. If you’d like boxed lunches, museum partner Reunion has special discount orders for group visits at $15 plus tax per meal.
Visiting On Your Own
For a regular visit there’s no teacher rate. Admission is $21 per person for Illinois residents with proof of residency and $25 for non-Illinois residents, and children under 1 year old are free. The list of accepted proof of Illinois residency includes an Illinois city or institution-issued employee ID card and an Illinois academic ID card, and the page says forms of ID without a photo must be shown with another form of photo ID. That decides which of the two prices you pay. It isn’t a teacher rate.
The page’s Play for Less section says to check in with an Explore More Illinois pass, Military I.D., EBT card or WIC card in the general admission line, with no reservation required. Veterans receive one free admission for themselves every day with valid military status identification. Through Museums for All, families with an EBT card or WIC card pay $5 admission per person for up to 6 people, and the page notes that Chicago Public School-issued EBT cards and Pandemic-EBT cards aren’t eligible. Afterward, showing your museum ticket purchase at Reunion on Navy Pier gets 20% off food and non-alcoholic beverages.
Professional Development Visits
The FAQ answers a teacher-shaped question directly: it says CCM hosts museum professionals, teachers, researchers and others every year who want to see playful learning in action. It asks you to review the Professional Guest Guidelines and email CustomerSupport@ChicagoChildrensMuseum.org to schedule your visit.
What We Couldn’t Confirm
The group visits page says educators and group leaders receive complimentary admission, but it doesn’t define who counts or say how many are admitted free for a group, so confirm that when you book. We couldn’t read the Professional Guest Guidelines the FAQ links to, so we don’t know what a professional development visit costs or whether entry is free. The page also gives no amount for the extra discount tied to the listed zip codes. The museum’s phone number is listed as (312) 527-1000.
Q&A
Does Chicago Children’s Museum give teachers a discount?
We couldn’t find one for individual teachers. The museum lists group visit rates from $8 to $12 per person and says educators and group leaders receive complimentary admission on those visits.
How much is a school field trip?
$8 per person for local school districts and local non-profits, $10 for non-city school groups and private schools, and $12 for non-school groups. Children and adult chaperones pay the same rate.
How long is a group visit?
2 hours, with start times at 10 am, 10:30 am, 11 am and 11:30 am on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Can my class eat inside the museum?
No. The page says there’s no space to eat meals inside, and points to the Navy Pier Family Pavilion and food court just outside.
Can a teacher visit alone?
The hours, tickets and FAQ page says one adult (18+) and one child are required for museum entry.
Can I visit the museum for professional development?
The FAQ says yes: it hosts teachers and others every year, and asks you to email to schedule a visit after reviewing its Professional Guest Guidelines.
More Information:
The details above come from Chicago Children’s Museum’s own field trips and group visits and hours, tickets and FAQ pages as they loaded when we checked, and rates change without notice. See more entertainment discounts for teachers.
