If you're reading this, rest assured you've found one of the best kept secrets in Chicago! This was one of the most fun museums I've ever been to. Don't be duped by the size as it's also one of the smallest museums, but each area is highly interactive and educational. As someone who believes that money management is one of the most important life skills oftentimes not taught thoroughly enough in schools, I feel the money museum does a great job of educating the public on the various aspects of banking and money system in the US. This is a great place for a range of learners whether you're auditory, visual, or interactive. They've got some great simulation games that were really entertaining to put all the pieces of knowledge you've learned as you walk through the museum! There were also some great gifts to take with you at the end like a bag of shredded money and also a photo booth towards the back. Overall, I had a great time here and would not hesitate to recommend others to come no matter the age! Also another plus is that security was super nice. You do have to walk through a scanner before entering the museum and they do not allow pepper sprays inside. Unlike other places, they actually held my pepper spray for me and I got it back at the end! Boy am I thankful for that as I appreciate how they acknowledge its importance to some individuals whereas other places would make you toss it away. Nothing but praise to the security guards and this museum as a whole! read more

If I were a rich man.... This is the first Federal reserve bank I have visited that includes a free museum. Yes photography is permitted. Once you clear security you enter the main room where you will see tons of coins mostly old in a glass case beneath your feet. The museum has many interactive exhibits for the family and tells the history of the Federal Reserve notes and the emergence of money from colonial times up to the present day. Part of the fun is determining whether your money is real or counterfeit. They have an interactive test for that. Want to make sure your paper money is real? Just slide it into a machine push a few buttons and you'll know. Ever wanted to see yourself in a bill? On one side you can become the face of Thomas Jefferson on the $2.00 bill and on the other side you can be the face of Ben Franklin on the $100.00 bill. They have a cube filled with a million dollars worth of $1.00 bills. Also on hand was a $10.00 silver certificate-no it had Jackson's face on it not Hamilton's. They also showed money no longer in circulation such as a $10,000 bill or $100,000 bill. I found it interesting since I never knew which person they had placed on these bills. Short of my going to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington D.C. They had a machine that shows the path that money takes from initial circulation to its final destruction. I learned what types of bills meet their demise including those ones that are "handwritten marked." So often banks tell me that money is okay. Well if you happen to get one then just give it back to the bank. Money is not allowed to be defaced in anyway. So what do they do with old and defaced currency? Shred it of course. Then they give bags away as souvenirs. First time I ever got a gift from the Federal Reserve! We also learned about financing for a business project and how the Federal Reserve loans to banks. There is a theater which we didn't have time to watch the movie to learn more. Our visit ended with an auto photo shoot next to a case of 1 million dollars. The picture is printed out for you but I took a picture of the exhibit. The money museum is centrally located inside the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and very close to Revival Food Hall and not that far from Willis Tower. Parking however, will run you a small fortune if driving so I would suggest using public transportation. This is a great little hidden gem in the downtown area. read more

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Probably the best bang for your buck here! This is a free museum inside the Federal Reserve Bank. You do need to go through a scanner and place your bag inside one too. Don't forget to bring an ID with you. The museum is filled with lots of interactive displays. You can check out bills and decide if they are counterfeit or not. There are displays of what a million dollars would look like in different denominations. There is a free tour at 1PM if you want to do that. We just walked around and checked it out ourselves. You can also make a reservation for a tour with groups of (I think) 10 or more. I have to say it would have been really awesome if the woman at the help desk inside the museum acknowledged your presence. She basically sat there and ignored everyone. I guess if you had a question, you could ask her, but she wasn't the most inviting of personalities. I did not see her say hello to anyone. She needs a different job. Things to know before going: 1) They are only open M-F. Closed on weekends and holidays. 2) Bring an ID. 3) No pictures in the lobby of the bank. You can take all the pictures you want when you are inside the museum. 4) Take a photo with a briefcase of $$. It prints out a phot for you. 5) Don't forget to grab your souvenir bag of $364 in shredded money. You need tape; lots of tape. read more

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Best part about this museum it's free. Be prepared to go through the TSA and your ID be checked. The museum has many interactive exhibits for the family and tells the history of the Federal Reserve notes and the emergence of money from colonial times up to the present day. It's a small museum but one of the great places to bring kids. The money museum is centrally located inside the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and very close to Revival Food Hall and not that far from Willis Tower. The hop on and off bus tour guide mentioned they give old shredded money on certain days. We missed it. read more

This Federal Reserve propaganda museum has some interesting depictions of cash, and you can learn a bit about the history of currency. The Federal Reserve isn't really a branch of government, it's a private group of bankers from across the country that operate behind the scenes to make the money flow. It's as "federal" as Federal Express is. You don't elect anyone at the Fed, the bankers pick whom they want, but the chairman of the Fed is approved by Congress. The museum didn't have much about their actual functions as a central bank. They had a small piece on inflation, but didn't really explain what the root cause of it is, and how the Fed is responsible for the value of your paycheck's value declining on a regular basis, like clockwork. There was no counter view to their position that they're putting forward. Overall, I felt that the museum did a poor job of explaining the history and workings of the Fed. I guess it's a Money Museum, and not a Federal Reserve Museum. They had a giant, literal money pit you could walk over. It's full of change. They show you what a million dollars in singles looks like. It's a pretty impressive chunk of change! You gotta go through a security screening process here, which includes x-rays, and a metal detector. I got wanded down by the security guard, who seemed strict but friendly. Admission is free! I enjoyed the bit about picking out which bills are counterfeit and which ones are real. They give you a free photo of your trip and a bag of shredded cash as souvenirs! If you're a numismatist, this is a cool place to get your nerd on. They've got a bunch of old dollar bills in various denominations. It's cool how they have special American currency issues, like stuff from the Vietnam War or WWII. Overall, it's a cool museum, and a good place to spend a short time. I wouldn't call it a serious museum, but it's a fun free activity, and getting free souvenirs! They don't have a gift shop. There's nobody around to ask questions of regarding the displays. read more

This i s a great little museum right next to the Board of Trade Building on LaSalle. You do need to go through security beforehand. Be sure not to take pictures of the building outside due to security concerns. They have interactive exhibits to see how money works and you can even take some shredded money home. read more

This is a museum that is very informative. The amount of information is large and it is also pretty nifty information. In other words this is not a boring museum. They will give you the history of money and money in the United States and how the government has instituted the US dollar into our system. There is also a really cool display of $1 million in Single dollar bills. But I also love about this place is that it is located in the heart of downtown Chicago. If you are with your family and you are in millennium Park this is just a short walk to get there. Probably the best feature of this museum is that it is 100% free that should make it a no brainer to come and check out. You will have to go through the security check before entering but other than that this place is a great experience. read more

Money Museum - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Absolutely amazing place to take the kids. Mine enjoyed it very much they're 12,11 and 8 years old. We took about an hour an a half that's including the presentation kids loved the million dollar case, cube and stacks lol. The free pic and bag of shredded cash is a nice perk. It's a free activity you can enjoy at any age, and educational! read more

Money Museum - Presentation at 1pm - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

If you like to nerd out on money, including US currency and coins, then this is your place! It's cool! The whole thing was great! For starters, they had a trough of shredded money, free. Specifically, you're allowed to take a bag of $364 in shredded up bucks. I mean it's worthless now, obviously, but still super cool. It's a sack of 'Fed Shreds,' which are defunct US notes that, for various reasons, needed to be destroyed. At Philadelphia's Liberty Bell gift shop, for example, they wanted $30 for the same thing! In Chicago, it was free! At the Chicago Money Museum, you'll see what a million dollars looks like--one million, one dollar bills--in cash! They also have a dome of $20s, perfectly stacked, compiling a million dollars on display! You get to walk on a glass floor loaded with coins, you get to see cash from 150+ years ago, Native American green rag from the US government, Civil War bills, confederacy cash, muddled money from the colonial, pre-US centralization days, as well as precious coins, certificates and stamps. Gold and silver dinero! The museum displays history, clearly, but it also has interactive exhibits with trivia on how to spot counterfeit money, along with other interesting facts. Pictures are allowed throughout the entire area, which pulled the whole experience together. Any dorky collector, visitor to Chicago or kid at heart would love this place! We really enjoyed out little visit! read more

For a quick thing to do within walking distance of Willis Tower, the Money Museum is a free informative fun place to check out! Just as their name suggests, the museum deals with money: how it has been stored, made, and used in the past and present. While much of the content is probably stuff we have picked up from most of our adult lives (currency, banking, inflation), the Money Museum breaks down these concepts into simple and fun activities that make this a child friendly museum as well. If you had any questions, there is also someone on staff who is available to answer anything. Not only is admission is free, but inside the museum are some neat freebies/photo opportunities. At the end of the exhibit hidden in the corner, there is a camera that will take a picture of you with a million dollars worth of cash in $100. The TV screen doesn't always do the best job of showing you what the picture will look like, but you can see the camera located above the screen so that's where you want to look. After the picture is taken, a photo is actually printed out within a few seconds! There is not just this one chance to take a photo with a million dollars though but three chances! The other two chances are with $1 and the other with $20. Another photo op is so you can put your face into the US $100 bill. If that is not enough, they give out packets of shredded money as a take home as well! It took about 45 minutes to go through the entire museum with my family. Please be aware that because it is in a government building with money so there are security precautions that are similar to boarding a plane. When you enter the Federal Reserve Building, let the security guard in the front know you are interested in the Money Museum. You do need a copy of a government ID. The security guard will ask you to put any carry ons through a machine and you will have to empty your pockets before going through a metal detector. You may bring water, but you will need to seal it up and carry it with you through the metal detector and not leave it in your bag. The Money Museum is a great informative thing to do with enough free stuff to make it worth the trip especially if you have an hour to kill between activities in Chicago. read more

Though small at first glance, the Money Museum has loads of educational information about the history of the monetary system in the United States. I can't ruin it for you, but my friend and I particularly liked the inflation calculator and the cube of a million dollars. I'm gonna earn that much one day. Seeing it is so much better than just reading two paragraphs about it on Yelp. Go through the security checkpoint, take your time, and enjoy the Money Museum. read more

The Chicago fed museum is a fun place to go, it's free. It's a great place to get away from the weather if it's not nice outside and it's also educational, and you get to take away shards of money. read more

Really interesting and interactive museum! They have guided tours in case you don't want to read every little bit of information. There's a free photo op in one of the corners of the museum, prints out a free photo! read more

Money Museum - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I learned so much about money at the Money Museum. We went on the 1PM tour (duration:15 min) which was a short film followed by a quick intro and Q&A section with someone who actually worked in one of the departments in the building. Even though the museum is small, I spent a good hour + there reading all the signs and playing the interactive machines to detect counterfeits and deciding which bill to shred. They also offer free bags of shredded money valued at $300+! What a deal! :) I also saw one of the few 10,000 bills printed in the museum and learned about what money is made of (it NOT made of paper, it is linen and cotton!) Overall such a lovely and informative small museum. Best part is that it is also FREE! read more

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Something I didn't even know existed: a museum about the history of money in the USA inside the Federal Bank! Stumbled across this jewel during Open House Chicago 2014. It was insanely crowded for that event but we were able to see the main displays: an interesting history of the Federal Reserve (I knew next to nothing about this), displays of money from all eras of US history, $1 million in a cube (of 1 dollar bills!) rotating about, a see through floor filled with coins, a money shredder (they gave us baggies of shredded cash at the door) and a few fun touches like a photo booth. Who knew money could be so entertaining, I would come back here on a more quiet afternoon. read more

Money Museum - Fed Shred - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This little museum is in the lobby of the federal reserve building and I'd HIGHLY recommend it for anyone trying to visit Chicago on a budget or a rainy day. Entry is free and there are many interactive and interesting exhibits. We visited with our fourteen year old son and were kept entertained for almost two hours. We also saw smaller children having fun. Every guest gets a small bag of shredded money and there's a photo booth to snap a shot of yourself with a cool million and the photo prints out for you. While you're there, after you take the crash course in counterfeit bills, pull out your own and run them through the backlight to see if you're carrying around high quality fakes! This is a fun stop on the "Chicago on a budget" tour! read more

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We visited the Money Museum on September 1, 2016 which is located in the Federal Reserve Building of Chicago. How can you not like this place??? This museum is free and it offers a wealth of knowledge and so much information and fun activities. It took us 1 hour to get through a majority of the museum. We probably could have spent 90 minutes; however, it was closing for the evening. The infographics and exhibits provided so much fun information about money and the process of the federal reserve and our money including history. They even offer free things like the ability to pose on a bill and have it sent to your email, the ability to print out real film pictures of you posing besides 1 million dollars and even free bags of real shredded money from the reserve. Seriously....an awesome souvenir --- absolutely free! I believe that you should definitely visit this museum when you come to Chicago. The only thing they don't give you is legal tender real money. Wouldn't that be nice!! read more

This museum is a no-brainer! With many of the Chicago museums charging a hefty admission charge, this one is small, but absolutely free, and even includes souvenirs. Visitors leave with "fed shreds" containing $300 in actual shredded currency! In addition, you can take a picture with a million dollars and it is printed while you wait again, for free! Many museums in Chicago are very large and can lose the attention of some, especially children. This one is a perfect size and has many interactive exhibits such as a game where you decide if money should be shredded or not and determining real money from counterfeit. They also offer a presentation at 1pm weekdays for free! read more

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The Money Museum is a nice distraction is you're already downtown & looking to blow some time. Just don't expect to spend all day here, moreover, it's a very small exhibit. As other reviews have referenced there are a lot of cool money displays to be seen, so I won't belabor that point. However, what I will note is something more time-sensitive. As of last week they were remodeling their theater, so they will actually take you inside the Fed for their tour so you can see the movie they normally show in the museum. It's a truly beautiful building on the inside. Your Federal tax dollars hard at work just like in DC! Ps: Ask the tour guide how they feel about Rand Paul's suggestion to audit the Fed! :) read more

This place was an awesome 20-30 minute experience. IT IS FREE. You cannot beat that and they had really interesting artifacts. They also display 3 million dollars for photos and they have a lot of things from early America and the civil war. Cool spot to give you something to do if you are in the area. read more

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It's free! Plenty of things to see and learn at the Money Museum for all ages. The museum is interactive: you can play games, take a picture with a million dollars, watch a video, etc. I learned a lot of interesting facts about how much things have cost over time or learned about the people on the dollar bills. As a souvenir you get to take home a bag of shredded money. read more

Money Museum - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is a must see!!! I enjoyed my free tour at the money museum. The guards are very friendly and you get to leave with a bag of money The building is downtown and filled with lots of history and money. Don't forget to bring your government issued ID and be prepared to walk through a screening device. Security is tight because after all there is millions of dollars just sitting there. read more

Money Museum - It's just a million bucks - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Very educational on money history! Would recommend for anyone especially with children. Plus it's free! read more

Money Museum - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The Money Museum is a great place for anyone, young to old. There's plenty of interactive components including taking your picture with a million dollars, a scavenger hunt throughout the museum and learning about how to spot fraudulent bills. The best part about the museum is that it is free! You also get to keep a bag of shredded money as a cool souvenir. read more

Money Museum - Free photo with a million dollars - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This was a fun stop on our 2017 Summer Activity List. Be prepared to show ID (18+ only) and have your bags go through xray machine and each person go through airport style metal detector. Just like the airport, only with a friendlier attitude. My 6 yr old son and I spent about 90 min there. First just checking out the exhibit--history of US currency, history of the Federal Reserves, How to spot a counterfeit (his favorite), How our paper money is made and when it's destroyed (another fun favorite). We also liked creating our own money (you get to send a copy to yourself via email) and the photo ops with One Million Dollars! We did stay for the "tour", it's held daily at 1pm and worth your time. It stars with a department employee introduction who shares some fun fact info and then opens it to Q&A. There is also a short 10 minute film. It was very informative and our host was very friendly. The museum visit is free and you get to walk away with about 300bux! All shredded and neatly bagged--one per visitor. Fun visit! read more

Yeah...its the Fed...whatever your opinions about that (as you probably guessed what mine are) there were lots of interesting displays about the history of money in the US. I randomly walked in looking for the museum and the guard was very nice but they require you to go through a metal detector and x ray your bags. Once you're in there's quite a bit to see with lots of interactive displays, it would be a good place for kids I think. They even have little souvenirs like a bag of shredded money. No doubt everyone in your party will want to take pictures with the Million dollars in different denominations as well! A good half hour stop or so I'd say. read more

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FREE, fun, small and interactive. I found this place on yelp and decided to stop in since my hotel was on the same street. I enjoyed the information and activities and I'm in my 20s. I think children would also love this little museum. Doesn't take much time to go through all the exhibits, maybe 1 to 1.5 hours total. And everyone leaves with a free gift! read more

Money Museum - Museums Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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What a cool thing thing to do in the city! Exceeded my expectations for a FREE museum especially with how expensive some of the entry fees of surrounding museums are. Not only was the information pretty interesting, especially to a millennial, but it had quite a few interactive displays including taking a photo (free print!) with a case full of a million dollars and putting your face on a bill and a free bag of shredded cash... which I plan using as a gag gift this Christmas. If you're bored and in the area, definitely check it out. read more

Go! Much better than expected the entire family was engaged. It's small but contains a lot of well presented information. You also get a free souvenir of shredded cash and a picture with $1,000,000. AND it's FREE! read more

Great place to visit for free. They just expanded with a small section on Alexander Hamilton. I could stay and watch the kinetic sculpture for a while read more

Before my Chicago trip, someone told me about this place. It sounded really cool.... And it's free? Count me in. Located inside the Chicago Federal Reserve, this is definitely a cool spot to check out when you are in town. Lots of educational opportunities about American money. But seriously, who doesn't want to be in a building surrounded by the almighty dollar. They make you go through a security turnstile before you enter but the cops are super nice. Once inside, you can spend about half an hour poking around. Not very big, but a lot to see. Some highlights include a spinning cube of bills and free fed shreds to take home as a souvenir. #showmethemoney #everydayimhustling #dolladollabill #makeitrain #moneymoneymoneyyyyy read more

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What a great little museum! I had no idea this place existed in all my visits to Chicago. It was super interesting and free. I especially liked the counterfeit or fake exhibit. My kids were thrilled to receive a bag of shredded money. read more

Very cool museum and it's FREE! Definitely worth checking out if you're at all interested in finance or economics and how it all works. While the museum is small it is very interactive and interesting. You even get little keepsakes to take with you.. One is a picture of you with a million bucks and the other is bag of shredded money from the Feds. Not bad for a free museum. But before you enter you will have to go through a metal detector and have your bags checked prior to entering (similar to the airport). Happy learning! read more

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Very cool (and free!) little museum. Great for both kids and adults, I spent about a half hour there and that was enough time to check out most of the stuff. Make sure you have an ID on you, they check it out before scanning any bags you have read more

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What other attraction is FREE in downtown Chicago? A hidden gem that even locals don't know. I went with a couple of friends and had a great time. You enter through the Fed "lobby" which can be quite intimidating given the high security. There is literally minimal decor & furnishings there and people do not seem to hang around there, and so if you are there for any monkey business you will definitely stand out. As it were, we asked one of the security guard how to enter and were directed straight there and through a security check just like at the airport. How cool is that for kids? Once you enter it is not a large place and you can see most everything in less than an hour. Everything you wanted to know about money plus more---history, how to identify counterfeits, types of bills, a short movie, etc... Very hands-on exhibits. The highlight of our visit though was being able to take photos of ourselves with $1 MILLION in all kinds of denominations. This is a great place for tourists, a bunch of geeks or for a family with kids. It is a quick stop and if you are in the area will take less than an hour to see. Clean restrooms. Lots of restaurants nearby. The only negative though is that it doesn't open on weekends or holidays and the the hours are business day hours. read more

We were finding a place to visit right before our Rookery tour. We saw a lot of people going to this museum early in the morning. Well, we thought that exhibits were kinda dull and boring. My fiancée finished in 30 minutes and I stayed an extra 10 minutes to read up on things. There are a lot of hands-on exhibit which was nice. I think we kept some of our photos which we made at the hands-on exhibit. Also, remember that there is security enforced so plan on similar sort of screening at the airport here. read more

This is my favorite gold store they are my v Very fair better than any other gold place in Santa Barbara

Free money!!!! Honestly, you get a bag to go! Nice free museum where you will see lots of old money, large amounts of money & great exhibits. This is just minutes from the Willis Tower and worth a stop. Great photo opportunities. If you are reading other reviews, the coin machine is now gone. Evidently it ate too much money without giving the coins. read more

A free attraction that gives you something to take home with you! (picture and shredded money) It was very interesting way to spend an hour and a half!! read more

This is a hidden gem in the city of Chicago IL! A must see hidden deep inside the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank is the Money Museum. This is a very informative, interactive and fun place to learn about money and our banking system. I've always been interesting in monetary notes and gold. This place answered some questions of mine and kept me entertained for a good hour and a half. This museum has two million dollars on display for you to see with your own eyes. Not to mention interactive games were you must determine if a bill is fake or not. They even give out bags of shredded money that you may take for free as a souvenir. There are many choices for museums in this city, but only one of them had free admission. Check it out, you won't be disappointed!!! read more