Looking for things to do in Chicago this weekend with your children? The Chicago Children’s Museum , one of the best Chicago attractions, has free admission for kids 15 and under on Target Free First Sundays (August 1 this month) from 10am to 8pm so grab the kids and head down for some great family interactive fun! The Museum’s mission is to create a community where play and learning connect, and the primary audience is children up through the fifth grade including their families, along with the school and community groups that support and influence children’s growth and development. 
Chicago Children’s Museum , a “Top 10″ Chicago attraction, is proud to partner with Target for these free first Sundays when there is free admission all day for ages 15 and under, and they can enjoy the entire museum free of charge. Each year, more than 55,000 participants are enriched by the cultural, interactive, and family-oriented programs offered during Target Free Family Days.
Fifteen permanent exhibits and programming spaces provide innovative learning experiences for children and their caregivers. The museum serves more than 500,000 visitors annually. CCM also reaches out beyond its walls by making a significant investment of resources in neighborhoods across Chicago, particularly to children who might not otherwise have access to the museum’s rich array of resources.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION:
The CTA provides seven bus lines with more than 200 buses serving Navy Pier daily. These are #29 State St, #65 Grand Ave, #66 Chicago Ave. and the #124 Navy Pier Express (serving METRA lines, Millenium Park/Randolph St., Ogilvie and Union Stations). During weekday rush hours, the #2 Hyde Park Express (stops running at 9:10pm), #120 Northwestern/Wacker Express (serving the Ogilvie Transportation Center), and the #121 Union/Wacker Express (serving Union Station) run every fifteen minutes from 9 am to 12am throughout the summer and 9am to 10pm the rest of the year. All buses are equipped with bike racks and are ADA accessible. For more information, call the CTA at (312) 836-7000 or visit www.transitchicago.com.
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History: Chicago Children’s Museum was founded in 1982 by a coalition led by The Junior League of Chicago in response to program cutbacks in the Chicago Public Schools. The museum opened in two hallways of the Chicago Public Library. In response to capacity crowds on-site, CCM developed trunk shows and exhibits which traveled to schools, branch libraries, and neighborhood centers.
The growing demand for CCM services led to its relocation in 1986 to a 7,000 s.f. Chicago Park District facility in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. In 1989, as part of a five-year plan, CCM moved to another interim site—a 21,000 square foot building as part of a mixed-use renovated warehouse. In that site, CCM built its audience, exhibits, programs, partnerships, and funding base while searching for a site for a permanent home.
In October 1995, CCM opened as anchor tenant of Chicago’s redeveloped Navy Pier on Lake Michigan. The 57,000 square foot facility has served as a springboard to propel CCM to make an important difference in the learning lives of kids. With three floors of engaging and educational exhibits, a full array of public programs and special events, CCM strives to effectively meet the needs of its diverse audience.
