Smithsonian Magazine Museum Free Day
Every year, on Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day in September, you can get in free to hundreds of participating museums across the United States, nearly a hundred here in California alone.
Don’t just show up at a museum, though. You need to fill out a form on the Smithsonian website and then download your free ticket.
Savvy tip: Get there early, because the museums may limit the number of guests allowed in at one time. Follow the link below to see which of your local museums partner with Smithsonian Magazine for this free admission day.
Savvy tip: As a gift for participating in Museum Day Live, they’ll give you Smithsonian magazine (digital edition) free for one year.
Know Before You Go:
WHAT: Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day free museum admission to any of hundreds of museums around the U.S. The previous link is for the California museum’s search page. From that page you can select the museum you’re interested in visiting free.
WHEN: Every year in September.
HOW: You can download one ticket per email address. The ticket is valid for general admission for two people.
WARNING: You can only download one ticket per email address. Which means you can only visit one museum free per email address. You can’t change your selection later, so be savvy. Note: some museums on the list may always be free, or cheap, while others cost more to visit on other days. Visit the museums’ websites (linked to on the Smithsonian page) to check prices. Or check out my museum discounts and free days page for for possible deals.
WHERE: Participating museums nationwide. Follow the link above for the list of participating museums in your city. Note: The official list on the Smithsonian website may change, and many cities don’t get listed until closer to the event date.
Smithsonian museums participating in previous free days
I listed these alphabetically to give you an idea of how many museums you have to choose from. To search/sort by your area, follow the link above to the official Smithsonian page for California museums.
- Aerospace Museum of California, McClellan
- American Bookbinders Museum, San Francisco
- Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum, Vista
- Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles
- Bakersfield Museum of Art, Bakersfield
- Barona Cultural Center & Museum, Lakeside
- Bay Area Discovery Museum, Sausalito
- Blackhawk Museum, Danville
- Buena Vista Museum of Natural History and Science, Bakersfield
- California African American Museum, Los Angeles
- California Automobile Museum, Sacramento
- California Museum, SacramentoCalifornia State Railroad Museum, Sacramento
- California Surf Museum, Oceanside
- Cartoon Art Museum, San Francisco, Santa Barbara
- Catalina Island Museum, Avalon
- Chico Creek Nature Center, Chico
- Clarke Historical Museum, Eureka
- Creation & Earth History Museum, Santee
- Descanso Gardens, La Canada Flintridge
- Dr. Willella Howe Waffle House and Medical Museum, Santa Ana
- EcoVivarium, Escondido
- El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park, Santa Barbara
- Fillmore Historical Museum, Fillmore
- Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum, San Diego
- Haggin Museum, Stockton
- Hanford Carnegie Museum, Hanford
- Heritage Museum of Orange County, Santa Ana
- Heritage of the Americas Museum, El Cajon
- Hiller Aviation Museum, San Carlos
- History Center of San Luis Obispo County, San Luis Obispo
- Janet Turner Print Museum, CSU, Chico
- Japanese American National Museum, Los Angeles
- Kern County Museum, Bakersfield
- LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, Los Angeles
- Lacis Museum of Lace and Textiles, Berkeley
- Laguna Art Museum, Laguna Beach
- Latino Art Museum, Pomona
- Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley
- Los Angeles Maritime Museum, San Pedro
- MACLA/Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana, San Jose
- Maidu Museum & Historic Site, Roseville
- March Field Air Museum, Riverside
- Mariposa Museum & History Center, Mariposa
- Mission Inn Museum, Riverside
- Moffett Field Historical Society Museum, Mountain View
- Morris Graves Museum of Art, Eureka
- Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, San Diego,
- Museum of Craft and Design, San Francisco
- Museum of Latin American Art, Long Beach
- Museum of Making Music, Carlsbad
- Museum of Photographic Arts, San Diego
- Museum of Ventura County, Ventura
- Museum of Ventura County Agriculture Museum, Santa Paula
- Museum of the American Indian, Novato
- Museums of Sonoma County, Santa Rosa
- NASA Ames Visitor Center, Moffett Field
- National Steinbeck Center, Salinas
- New Museum Los Gatos, Los Gatos
- Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, Pacific Grove
- Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo, Palo Alto
- Point Fermin Lighthouse Historic Site and Museum, San Pedro
- Porterville Historical Museum, >Porterville
- Rio Vista Museum, Rio Vista
- Riverside Art Museum, Riverside
- Robert Louis Stevenson Museum, St. Helena
- S.C.R.A.P. Gallery, Cathedral City
- San Diego Air & Space Museum, San Diego
- San Diego Archaeological Center, Escondido
- San Diego Automotive Museum, San Diego
- San Diego Chinese Historical Museum, San Diego
- San Diego History Center, San Diego
- San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose
- San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, San Jose
- Santa Barbara Historical Museum, Santa Barbara
- Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, Santa Barbara
- Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Santa Barbara
- Shoshone Museum Association, Shoshone
- The Gaslamp Museum at the Davis-Horton House, San Diego
- The International Printing Museum, Carson
- The Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies, San Jose
- The Santa Ana Fire Museum, Santa Ana
- The Space Station Museum, Novato
- The Tech Museum of Innovation, San Jose
- The Wende Museum, Culver City
- Timken Museum Of Art, San Diego
- Tulare County Museum, Visalia
- USC Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena
- USS Hornet Sea, Air & Space Museum, Alameda
- United States Navy Seabee Museum, Port Hueneme
- Valene L. Smith Museum of Anthropology, Chico
- Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum, Vallejo
- Wildling Museum of Art and Nature, Solvang
- Yanks Air Museum, CHINO
- Zalud House Museum, Porterville
- di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art, Napa
