Museum
Charles Gates Dawes House
Evanston
Thursday – Sunday: 1-4 p.m.
Checked October 1, 2026
View →7 attractions
Things to do in Evanston with kids
Museums and family fun — 7 places to go with kids in Evanston, Illinois. 4 of them publish a price.
Indoor things to do in Evanston →
Museums in Evanston3
Family fun in Evanston2
Historic sites in Evanston1
Trampoline parks in Evanston1
What’s on in Evanston
Within 25 miles of Evanston. Dates and wording are each venue’s own.
Sat only8 miTrunk or TreatIceLand Ice ArenaNiles, ILSat, Oct 17See details
Sat & Sun8 miLeft at Home: Spooky EditionThe Quandary Escape RoomsChicago, ILSep 16 – Nov 9Check tickets
Sat & Sun9 miSeasonNature Play GardenHighland Park, ILOct 5 – Nov 15See details
Sun only9 miFall FestLincoln Park ZooChicago, ILSun, Oct 18 · 10:00 amSee details
Sat only10 miFloating Pumpkin PatchMystic Waters Family Aquatic CenterDes Plaines, ILSat, Oct 17 · 1:00 pmSee details- Sat only10 miHowl-O-WeenMystic Waters Family Aquatic CenterDes Plaines, ILSat, Oct 17See details
Sat & Sun10 miID Show: Oakton Annual Art Faculty Exhibition – ViewingsKoehnline Museum of ArtDes Plaines, ILOct 8 – Nov 20See details- Sat & Sun10 miID Show: Oakton Annual Art Faculty ExhibitionKoehnline Museum of ArtDes Plaines, ILOct 15 – Nov 20See details
Sat & Sun11 miSoul of the StoneGarfield Park ConservatoryChicago, ILSep 5 – Nov 30Check tickets
Sat & Sun12 miSlightly Spooky OctoberNavy PierChicago, ILOct 17 – Nov 1See details- Sat only12 miSlightly Spooky October – October 17Navy PierChicago, ILSat, Oct 17See details
Sun only12 mi"Tale of the Tombstones" Cemetery WalkOak Park River Forest MuseumOak Park, ILSun, Oct 18See details
Sat & Sun13 miFright at the FieldField MuseumChicago, ILSep 26 – Nov 1Check tickets
Sat & Sun17 miBoo! at the ZooBrookfield Zoo ChicagoRiverside, ILOct 3 – 25Check tickets
Sat & Sun24 miWalking With GiantsCleve Carney Museum of ArtGlen Ellyn, ILJun 3 – Oct 18See details
Sat & Sun25 miFall FestivalGoebbert's Farm - South BarringtonSouth Barrington, ILSep 11 – Nov 1Check tickets- See what’s on in Illinois this weekend
Free in Evanston
One attraction in Evanston gets you in for nothing, in the venue’s own words.
The venue says: “ALL GALLERIES ARE FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC”
What this list covers
Evanston has 7 places to go, mostly museums (3), family fun (2).
4 of them publish an admission price, 5 publish opening hours.
Every figure here was read on the attraction’s own website, most recently on October 6, 2026.
Common questions
- Is there anything free to do in Evanston?
- 1 attraction in Evanston says on its own website that admission is free. We only say free when the venue does, unqualified — a child rate priced at nothing is not a free attraction. Examples include Evanston Art Center.
- What kinds of attractions are included?
- museums (3), family fun (2), historic sites (1), trampoline parks (1).