The Morton Arboretum gives current teachers free admission on Tuesdays through its Teacher Tuesdays program, and the page doesn’t name a state, county or district limit. It’s a summer program, though: the passes exist only while that summer’s Tuesdays are running, and each teacher can register for two visits.
The Arboretum describes Teacher Tuesdays as a chance for current teachers to explore the grounds, consider options for student field trips and learn about educational resources for classroom use. If you’re weighing a class trip, or you’d like a free Tuesday among the trees to see what the place offers before you plan one, this is the way to scout it. The part to plan around is timing, since the form only opens a few days before each Tuesday.
How To Get The Morton Arboretum Teacher Discount
You can’t pick up a Teacher Tuesday pass at the gatehouse. The page says free passes must be requested in advance through an online interest form, the week before the Tuesday you want. The form opens each Wednesday at 8:00 a.m. and closes at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, unless capacity is reached first, and the page says that if the link doesn’t work, that week is full.
To verify that you teach, you use your school or district email on the form. Homeschool teachers and anyone without a school or district email complete the form and then contact the program contact listed on the page. The page also says no credentials, IDs or pay stubs are accepted at the gatehouse, so the email on the form is your proof, not something you carry in. Your e-ticket arrives by email on Monday, and on your Tuesday you show it at the gatehouse.
Each teacher may register for two visits during the summer. Passes are first-come, first-served, and the page says capacity may vary each week, so it’s worth setting a reminder for Wednesday morning.
Who Counts As A Teacher
The page lists current classroom teachers, homeschool teachers, preschool teachers, college professors and pre-service teachers, meaning people currently in school to become a teacher. Retired and substitute teachers aren’t eligible. If you teach at home, the Arboretum also says it works with several homeschool groups and homeschool teachers on Acorn Adventures and other opportunities for homeschool educators.
What The Free Visit Covers
The free admission is for you alone. The page says it doesn’t include additional guests or children, so anyone you bring needs their own ticket. On where those tickets come from, the page says two different things: one line has guests buying general admission at the gatehouse when they arrive, while the ticket step says to buy their tickets in advance because tickets aren’t available at the gatehouse. If you’re bringing someone, buying ahead is the safer reading.
Once you’re through the gate, the page says teachers can sample self-guided tours along the routes students of various ages might take, or wander anywhere in the Arboretum’s 1,700 acres, which it describes as including 16 miles of trails and nine miles of roads through natural habitats and tree collections from several continents. It also mentions backpack tours with maps, activities and educational materials, and says to arrange a backpack in advance if you want to try one on a free visit.
When Teacher Tuesdays Isn’t Running
Outside the summer run, the Arboretum’s Discounted Admission page doesn’t list a teacher rate. It lists a DuPage County resident discount, military admission, Museums for All, Museums on Us and reciprocal admission programs, plus a nonprofit membership program, and none of them mention teachers. The page says DuPage County residents get 33% off general admission on Wednesdays.
The visit page says members receive free year-round daily admission, and that you always save $2 per ticket when you buy general admission online.
What We Couldn’t Confirm
The Teacher Tuesdays page doesn’t say how many passes are released each week, only that capacity may vary. It also doesn’t say whether the next summer will use the same form and the same Wednesday-to-Friday window, so check the page for the current run before you plan around it. And as noted above, its own wording on whether guests can buy at the gatehouse conflicts. We didn’t find a year-round teacher rate on the Discounted Admission page, so the summer Tuesdays are the only teacher benefit we could confirm.
Q&A
Is the Morton Arboretum teacher pass only for Illinois teachers?
The page doesn’t name a state, county or district limit. It asks you to verify with a school or district email address.
Do I need to bring my school ID?
No. The page says no credentials, IDs or pay stubs are accepted at the gatehouse. Your school or district email on the interest form is the verification.
Can I get a Teacher Tuesday pass at the gate?
No. The page says teacher passes aren’t available at the gatehouse, and the e-ticket comes by email on Monday.
Can my kids come in free with me?
No. The page says free admission is valid for current teachers only and doesn’t include additional guests or children.
Can a substitute or retired teacher use it?
No. The page says retired or substitute teachers aren’t eligible.
How many times can I go?
Each teacher may register for two visits during the summer.
More Information:
The details above come from the Morton Arboretum’s own pages as they loaded when we checked, and programs change without notice. See more entertainment discounts for teachers.
