What’s open and closed for MLK Day – NBC Chicago

With Martin Luther King Jr. Day falling on Monday, what will be open and closed on the federal holiday?

This year’s observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday honoring the civil rights icon on the third Monday of every January, also happens to be the inauguration day of President-elect Donald Trump.

It marks only the second time that Inauguration Day and MLK Day have been held on the same day, the other being President Bill Clinton’s second inauguration in January 1997.

Here’s a rundown of what’s open and closed on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in and across Chicago.

Public libraries

Many public libraries across the state, including branches of the Chicago Public Library, are closed.

Postal delivery

Illinois post offices will be closed Monday. Because of that, there will be no mail delivery or retail service on January 20th. All services will resume on January 21, according to the United States Postal Service.

“Customers in need of postal services can use the Self Service Kiosk (SSK) available at selected post offices. The ATM-like kiosk, which accepts only debit and credit cards, can handle 80 percent of the transactions conducted at the retail counter, such as purchasing stamps, mailing a package, or sending an urgent letter or package by Express or Priority Mail,” the USPS said in a release.

Although post offices will be closed, FedEx will continue to make deliveries, although some have “changed hours.”

UPS locations may be closed for the holiday and there will be no pickup or delivery service, the company said.

“The UPS Store locations may be closed. Ask your local store for specific hours of operation,” UPS stated.

Museums

Many museums and cultural centers throughout the state remain open, and some even have days off.

The Art Institute of Chicago offers free days for residents every Monday from January 6th through March 14th. To receive free admission tickets, Illinois residents must must book online in advancenotes the museum.

The Chicago History Museum will also offer free admission to Illinois residents for the holiday. The museum offers free admission on selected holidays throughout the year, with this month’s including the 20th-24th. January and 28-31 January. The museum is always free to active military and veterans, Chicago police and firefighters, Illinois teachers, Illinois residents under 18 and all children under 12.

Shedd Aquarium will have free admission for Illinois residents January 14-21 and January 28-30

Facilities for drivers

All Illinois Secretary of State offices, including driver service facilities, will be closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Banks

According to the Federal Reserve Bank, the federal holiday means closings.

Retail, restaurants, convenience stores

While most public functions will not be operating on Monday, most convenience stores, big box stores and restaurants will remain open.

Major chain stores such as Target, Costco, Walmart, The Home Depot, Jewel-Osco and Mariano’s will remain open for the holiday.

Schools

According to Illinois State Board of EducationMartin Luther King Jr. Day is not considered a “legal school holiday”. However, the board states that the districts can choose to celebrate it. In these cases, the district considers it a “Not Present” day, meaning “no students are engaged in learning as determined by the local school board.

For students in Illinois districts that have school on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a new law may apply that allows them an excused absence in exchange for participating in a civic activity.

House Bill 5488, which took effect on January 1, 2023, states that every public middle or high school student will be allowed at least one “day-long excused absence from school to participate in a civic event.”

According to the bill’s text, a “civic event” is defined as an “event sponsored by a non-profit organization or governmental entity that is open to the public” and may include “an artistic or cultural performance or educational gathering that supports the mission of the sponsoring non-profit organization.”