Shedd Aquarium is announcing new Illinois resident free days in January and February, giving guests an opportunity to escape the cold and dive into aquatic environments from coral reefs to freshwater rivers. A full list of free days and hours and closure days is included below:

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

Closed
January 21-22, 2026

2026 IL Resident Free Evenings (5 p.m. to 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

Advance reservations for free days and free evenings are highly recommended due to high demand. Guests can secure tickets ahead of a visit using Shedd’s website. Please note that there is a $5 convenience fee per order for free day/evening reservations made online. However, you can reserve tickets by phone at no extra cost by calling 312-939-2438. For more information, visit www.sheddaquarium.org

Photo Credit: Shedd Aquarium