The best arts, culture and museum memberships in Chicago worth the cost

Guarded by an iconic pair of bronze lions, the Art Institute of Chicago houses a permanent collection of more than 300,000 artworks, displayed in a sprawling complex of galleries and halls. You’ll find everything from Japanese prints to ancient Greek sculptures among the pieces housed in the museum’s central galleries, where classic paintings such as Edward Hopper's Nighthawks and Grant Wood's American Gothic are also housed. For something a bit more contemporary, head for the Modern Wing—a Renzo Piano-designed addition that displays the museum’s architecture and design collection as well as 20th and 21st century art.

A membership to the Art Institute of Chicago starts at $115 per year, with benefits including free admission, access to special programs and museum hours, and parking discounts.

Set on 235 acres, Brookfield Zoo Chicago is home to more than 3,400 animals representing over 500 species. Stroll through Great Bear Wilderness, which is home to polar bears and brown bears, Mexican wolves, bison and bald eagles; visit Habitat Africa to view reticulated giraffes, Grevy’s zebras and addax; or meander past Big Cat Walkway to see African lions, Amur tigers, snow leopards and more. During the holiday season, the zoo transforms into a dazzling winter wonderland filled with more than two million LED lights.

An annual membership starts at $109 for individuals and $145 for families. Benefits include free admission, free parking at the North Gate entrance, admission to ticketed attractions, restaurant discounts and more.

Interactivity is the name of the game at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, which spreads its exhibitions throughout a building that was originally built for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Visitors can enter a confounding mirror maze in the "Numbers in Nature" exhibit, step into a simulated tornado in "Science Storms” or see a gigantic, restored U-505 German submarine. There’s also the five-story Giant Dome Theater, where you can kick back and immerse yourself in a handful of larger-than-life-movies.

An individual membership is $95 per year and includes free museum entry, discounted passes for special exhibits, and free Giant Dome Theater tickets.

The Chicago Architecture Center’s riverfront headquarters boasts views of skyline institutions like the Wrigley Building and Tribune Tower, and the stunning venue also serves as a museum with two floors of fascinating exhibits. Inside, you'll find an interactive scale model of Chicago that depicts more than 4,200 structures plus super-sized models of tall buildings from around the globe and a preview of what Chicago could look like in 2050. Of course, the center also acts as a starting point for the foundation's fan-favorite boat, walking and bus tours, which are led by CAC-certified volunteer docents.

An individual membership is $80 per year and includes free admission to the CAC, free essential walking tours and discounts on other tours, buy-one-get-one on CAC River Cruise tickets, priority access during Open House Chicago, and more.

For movie lovers who don't care for traditional Hollywood blockbusters, there's no better theater than the Music Box, a two-screen cinema that shows the latest art-house films and documentaries. It's gorgeous, and the main theater regularly hosts film series and festivals as well as weekly midnight screenings of cult classics. Also, the concession stand here tops its popcorn with real butter.

An individual membership is $60 per year and includes benefits like one complimentary ticket, discounted tickets for all virtual and regular screenings, free monthly member screenings, free refills on popcorn and soda, and more.

In 1922, salt company magnate Joy Morton established this tree haven on 175 acres in Lisle. Today it spans 1,700 acres of woodlands, gardens, wetlands and other natural areas. The Arboretum’s living collections include more than 100,000 specimens, representing more than 4,000 different kinds of plants, and guests can enjoy 16 miles of hiking trails, a Children’s Garden, educational programs and exhibits, and more.

An individual membership starts at $95 per year and benefits include free admission and parking, free entry to the Children’s Garden, discounts at the store and on educational programming, members-only invitations to events, and more.

Anchoring the aquatic offerings at this Chicago institution are enduring favorites such as piranhas, frogs and snakes of the Amazon; rays and turtles of the Caribbean; frightening predator sharks, mesmerizing jellies, adorable penguins and marine mammals like sea lions, otters and the beloved beluga whales. The aquarium boasts a number of permanent exhibits, including the new Wonder of Water, making it easy to spend an entire day wandering through the Shedd.

An individual membership starts at $85 per year, and benefits include free admission and discounts on experiences, programs and events.

Founded to house the biological and anthropological collections assembled for the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893, this massive natural history museum is still one of Chicago’s most beloved institutions. With more than 350,000 square feet of permanent exhibitions to explore, you could spend several days immersed in the thousands of artifacts on display. Visitors can take a peek at ancient Egyptian mummies, get a closer look at a towering dinosaur skeleton or marvel at rare jewels in the Grainger Hall of Gems.

A membership is $90 per year for individuals and starts at $140 per year for families. Benefits include free admission and entry to all ticketed exhibits, discounts at the museum stores and restaurants, invitations to members-only viewings, and more.