On this year’s Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day (September 24, 2016), you can get in free to hundreds of participating museums across the United States. 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 valid for two people. 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 Live free museum admission. From that page you can select the museum you’re interested in visiting free. Then download a free general admission ticket valid for two people. Limit one per household.
WHEN: Every year in September.
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.
Participating Smithsonian Museums with free days in 2016
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
ANGELS CAMP
- Angels Camp Museum
BERKELEY
- Lacis Museum of Lace and Textiles
CHICO
- Chico Creek Nature Center
- Valene L. Smith Museum of Anthropology (Free everyday)
DANVILLE
- Blackhawk Museums
EUREKA
- Clarke Historical Museum
FORT BRAGG
- Guest House Museum
LOS GATOS
- NUMU | New Museum Los Gatos
MOUNTAIN VIEW
- Moffett Field Historical Society Museum
NAPA
- di Rosa
NOVATO
- Museum of the American Indian
MCCLELLAN
- Aerospace Museum of California
MOFFETT FIELD
- NASA Ames Visitor Center (Free everyday)
PARADISE
- Gold Nugget Museum (Free everyday)
PALO ALTO
- Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo (Free everyday)
SACRAMENTO
- California Museum
SAN CARLOS
- Hiller Aviation Museum
SAN FRANCISCO
- California Historical Society
- Haas-Lilienthal House
- International Art Museum of America (Free everyday)
- Museo Italo Americano (Free everyday)
SAN JOSE
- San Jose Museum of Art
RICHMOND
- Richmond Museum of History
RIO VISTA
- Rio Vista Museum (Free everyday)
ROSEVILLE
- Maidu Museum & Historic Site
SAUSALITO
- Bay Area Discovery Museum
ST. HELENA
- Robert Louis Stevenson Museum (Free everyday)
STOCKTON
- The Haggin Museum
SUNNYVALE
- The Lace Museum (Free everyday)
VALLEJO
- Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
AVALON
- Catalina Island Museum
BAKERSFIELD
- Kern County Museum
CARSON
- The International Printing Museum
CATHEDRAL CITY
- S.C.R.A.P. Gallery (Free everyday)
ESCONDIDO
- San Diego Archaeological Center
GLENDALE
- Forest Lawn Museum (Free everyday)
LA JOLLA
- Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (La Jolla location)
LAGUNA BEACH
- Laguna Art Museum
LOS ANGELES
- Autry Museum of the American West
- Fowler Museum at UCLA (Free everyday)
- GRAMMY Museum at L.A. LIVE
- Japanese American National Museum
- LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes (Free everyday)
- Zimmer Children’s Museum
MALIBU
- Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art (Free everyday)
PERRIS
- Orange Empire Railway Museum (Free everyday)
POMONA
- Latino Art Museum (Free everyday)
RIVERSIDE
- Riverside Art Museum
SAN DIEGO
- Mingei International Museum
- Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (Downtown)
- San Diego Air & Space Museum
- San Diego Automotive Museum
- San Diego Chinese Historical Museum
- San Diego History Center
SAN PEDRO
- Los Angeles Maritime Museum
SANTA ANA
- Dr. Willella Howe Waffle House and Medical Museum
- Heritage Museum of Orange County
- The Santa Ana Fire Museum
SANTA MONICA
- Santa Monica History Museum
TEMECULA
- Temecula Valley Museum
TORRANCE
- Western Museum of Flight
CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
PORTERVILLE
- Porterville Historical Museum
SAN LUIS OBISPO
- History Center of San Luis Obispo (Free everyday)
SANTA BARBARA
- Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
- Santa Barbara Maritime Museum
SHOSHONE
- Shoshone Museum Association (Free everyday)
