Key takeaway: A Cubs ticket averaged $116.68 in 2026, the highest in baseball, and Chicago adds a 12% amusement tax at large venues, but Lincoln Park Zoo is free and Chicago residents pay $21 at the Field Museum, $20 at the Art Institute and $19.95 at Shedd.
Chicago has world-class museums, five major pro teams and a free lakefront. Here’s what going out costs, including the taxes that show up at checkout, and how to get the resident discounts.
Taxes that raise Chicago entertainment costs
| What you buy | Tax |
|---|---|
| Tickets at large venues | 12%: the city’s 9% amusement tax plus Cook County’s 3% |
| Restaurant meals | About 11%, or 12% in the downtown McCormick Place district |
| Streaming services | 10.25% |
Source: City of Chicago amusement tax; our Chicago consumer taxes guide; restaurant total is our calculation from the 10.5% sales tax, the city restaurant tax of 0.5% and the McCormick Place district tax of 1%.
What do Chicago sports games cost?
- Cubs: average ticket $116.68 in 2026, the highest in Major League Baseball; a family of four’s outing averaged $570.16 (Action Network).
- White Sox: a family of four’s outing averaged $255.01 (Action Network).
- Bears: 2026 season ticket prices rose an average of 13.5% (Shaw Local).
What do Chicago museums cost?
| Museum | Regular adult | Chicago residents | Free options |
|---|---|---|---|
| Field Museum | From $30 | $21 | Free for Illinois residents every Wednesday |
| Art Institute of Chicago | $32 | $20 ($27 for Illinois residents) | Children under 14 free; Illinois residents free on Third Thursdays, 5 to 8pm |
| Shedd Aquarium | Varies by date | $19.95 | Free days and nights for Illinois residents on set dates |
| Griffin Museum of Science and Industry | Varies | $9 off adult tickets | Illinois free days announced each year |
| Obama Presidential Center museum | $30 | $26 for Illinois residents | Free for Illinois residents on Tuesdays |
Source: Field Museum; Art Institute; Shedd Aquarium; Griffin MSI; Obama Foundation. Checked October 2026.
What is free to do in Chicago?
- Lincoln Park Zoo: admission is free; parking runs $35 to $45 a day (Lincoln Park Zoo).
- Garfield Park Conservatory: free for Chicago residents with ID; $10 for non-resident adults (Garfield Park Conservatory).
- Beaches: admission to Chicago’s beaches is free (Chicago Park District).
- Getting there: a Divvy day pass is $19.90 (Divvy), or use your $75 CTA pass.
Raising kids here? See our cost of raising a kid in Chicago guide for more free days and programs.
Free museum passes with a library card
The old Kids Museum Passport is gone. The Chicago Public Library replaced it in June 2023 with digital passes through Explore More Illinois, per WBEZ. The digital program covers up to 64 cultural institutions in the city and suburbs, 20 of them inside Chicago, and most passes work for adults without children. Days of the week are limited, so book ahead.
At the Art Institute, Chicago Public Library cardholders 18 and older can reserve free general admission at chipublib.org/digitalpasses, per the Art Institute’s free admission page. The same page lists other free entry you may qualify for:
- Chicago teens under 18.
- LINK and WIC cardholders and their households, including ticketed special exhibitions.
- Current Illinois educators, including homeschool parents, with a voucher.
- Illinois residents on weekdays from January 5 to February 27, with a reserved ticket.
Free outdoor concerts in summer
Two series at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park cost nothing to attend.
- Grant Park Music Festival: free outdoor classical concerts, June 10 to August 15, 2026. Bring a blanket or folding chair for the Great Lawn. Front seats in the bowl need a One Night Pass or a membership (Grant Park Music Festival).
- Millennium Park Summer Music Series: free shows on Monday and Thursday nights, June 15 to August 6, 2026, with nine dates on the lineup (Chicago Sun-Times).
Chicago CityPASS for visiting guests
| Ticket | CityPASS price | Regular price of the 5 attractions | Per attraction (our calculation) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult, 12 and up | $144 | $288.90 | $28.80 |
| Child, 3 to 11 | $114 | $239.15 | $22.80 |
Source: CityPASS: Chicago CityPASS, checked October 27, 2026. Per attraction is our calculation: CityPASS price divided by 5.
The pass covers Shedd Aquarium and Skydeck Chicago plus three picks from a list of six, including the Field Museum and the Art Institute. It is good for 9 days from your first visit. For Chicago residents, the resident prices and free days in the museum table above often cost less. CityPASS fits best when friends or family visit and want Skydeck too.
Related: every Chicago consumer tax, CTA fares and how much it costs to live in Chicago. Also see student prices and discounts in Chicago.
Sources
- City of Chicago: amusement tax
- City of Chicago: restaurant tax
- Illinois Department of Revenue: MPEA tax
- Action Network: MLB family costs 2026
- Shaw Local: Bears ticket prices
- Field Museum: tickets
- Art Institute: visit
- Shedd Aquarium: plan a visit
- Griffin MSI: pricing
- Obama Foundation: tickets
- Lincoln Park Zoo: visit
- Garfield Park Conservatory: visit
- Chicago Park District: beaches
- Divvy pricing
- WBEZ: Chicago Public Library changes museum passes program
- Art Institute of Chicago: Free admission
- Grant Park Music Festival: Plan your visit
- Chicago Sun-Times: Millennium Park 2026 Summer Music Series lineup
- CityPASS: Chicago CityPASS