Museum Ticket Discounts

Join us at the Obama Presidential Center Museum for Illinois Free Days! Every Tuesday, Illinois residents receive free admission to the Museum, subject to availability. 

• Please note that capacity limits remain the same on Free Days.  Reserve your tickets online (Opens in a new tab) and in advance of your trip.

• Be prepared to show proof of residency at the Museum. If you arrive and do not have a valid Illinois ID, you will have to pay full price for your ticket.

• We update availability on the second Wednesday of every month at 10 a.m. CT.

Subject to availability, all Illinois K-12 students and their teaching instructors are eligible for free tickets to the Museum through our School Group program. Learn more about Civics and Democracy Education.  

Schools based outside of Illinois and other student-based groups are welcome to look at Group Visits for more information about planning your trip.

All Pre-K through 12th grade Illinois state educators will receive free admission to the Obama Presidential Center Museum in appreciation of their service. 

• Illinois educators receive (1) free Museum admission ticket. To reserve your complimentary ticket, please email tickets@obama.org (Opens in a new tab) with your preferred visit date and time at least 72 hours in advance. You must present valid proof of your educator status through school ID upon arrival to the Museum.

Through the Museums for All program, the Obama Presidential Center provides free Museum tickets to individuals and families receiving food assistance, regardless of state of residency.

• Individuals and families receiving food assistance receive up to 4 free Museum admission tickets. To reserve your complimentary tickets, please email tickets@obama.org (Opens in a new tab) with your preferred visit date and time at least 72 hours in advance. You must present an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card or a Women, Infants and Children (WIC) card along with a photo ID when you arrive at the Museum. 

• Tickets may also be secured at the ticketing desk located in the Museum Lobby, subject to availability. Please note that complimentary tickets through Museums for All are subject to the same capacity limits as other tickets. We strongly recommend reaching out to reserve your ticket in advance. 

We offer our deepest gratitude to the public servants who tirelessly protect our communities every day. Active-duty military, veterans, and city of Chicago first responders are granted free admission to the Museum as a small token of our appreciation. 

• Active-duty military, U.S veterans, and active Chicago first responders receive (1) free Museum admission ticket. To reserve your complimentary ticket, please email tickets@obama.org (Opens in a new tab) with your preferred visit date and time and a copy of your ID at least 72 hours in advance.

The Obama Presidential Center is pleased to participate in Blue Star Museums, a nationwide program that offers free summer museum admissions to military personnel and their immediate families. 

• Active military and their immediate families (up to five (5) people) receive free Museum admission from Armed Forces Day (the third Saturday of May) to Labor Day (the first Monday in September). 

• To reserve your complimentary tickets, please email tickets@obama.org (Opens in a new tab) with your preferred visit date and time and a copy of your ID at least 72 hours in advance.

Map out your route to our campus before you visit.

Explore the remarkable story of President Obama and Michelle Obama and those who inspired their journey.

Head to the top of the Museum and take in stunning views of the West and South Sides of Chicago. 

Check out all of the accessibility options across our campus.

Nourish your soul (and stomach) with our dining options brought to you through a collaboration between Bon Appétit Management and Chicago’s own Chef Cliff Rome. 

Take home exclusive merchandise inspired by the city of Chicago, the Obamas’ legacy, and the Presidential Center campus.