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Visit your favorite museum for free on Saturday

Choose from more than 1,250 art museums, science centers and cultural institutions.
The National Building Museum in Washington, DC is one of the museums you can visit for free on Saturday

You can get into to some of your favorite museums for free this Saturday as a part of Smithsonian Magazine’s Museum Day Live.

More than 1,250 art museums, science centers and cultural institutions around the country are opening their doors for no charge on Sept. 23.

Just download a ticket from the Museum Day Live website and you’re good to go. Important note: you can only download ONE ticket, which means you can only get into one museum. Choose wisely!

The ticket grants admission for the ticket holder and one guest. If you want to visit more than one museum, just find a friend to download a ticket under their name and go together.

Some of the participating museums are ALWAYS free, so you might want to visit a museum that normally requires an admission fee.

Find out if any museums near you are participating by visiting this link.

Here are our recommendations for museums you can visit in cities around the country:

Atlanta: Museum of Contemporary Art Georgia

MOCA GA presents ground-breaking, contemporary work from artists living and working in Georgia. If you visit, you’ll have the chance to see a new exhibit that opens on Saturday – a major exhibition by Chip Simone, a founding member of Atlanta’s photography community. It includes photos from the past 45 years.

Austin: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

This botanic garden and arboretum features more than 800 species of plants native to Texas, a butterfly garden and beautiful landscaping. It’s the perfect time to enjoy nature’s fall colors, so visit when you don’t have to pay the $10 admission fee.

Charlotte, NC: Carolinas Aviation Museum

The Carolinas Aviation Museum tells the stories of famous aviators and their discoveries every day. But on museum day, visitors will have the chance to participate in a hypothermia challenge and mock rescue mission. The museum will also feature special guest passengers from the Miracle on the Hudson: Flight 1549.

Carolinas Aviation Museum.

Denver: History Colorado Center

Take a deep dive into Colorado history at this institution. Current exhibitions include “El Movimiento” telling the story of Chicano activists fighting to end discrimination and “Back Story: Western American Art in Context” telling the stories behind famous art works.

Houston: Diverse Works

A space for new and daring art in all forms, Diverse Works is perfect for art enthusiasts. Visit on Saturday, and you’ll get to see a new exhibition, “Lines Drawn,” before any other Houstonians. The exhibition includes work from 10 unique artists.

Minneapolis: Mill City Museum

Built in the ruins of what was once the world’s largest flour mill, the Mill City Museum is an adventure waiting to be explored. Take a tour of the building and learn about the histories of Minneapolis’ flour industry and development. Skip the usual $12 admission fee for adults and visit on museum day.

Mill City Museum.

Phoenix: Desert Botanical Garden

Phoenix is home to the Southwest’s largest botanical garden. Explore the many trails weaving through cacti and enjoy the beauty of the desert – all for free. Admission normally costs $24.95 for adults.

Is this real life? Yes, yes it is 🌵#Repost from @lmgauch

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Seattle: Seattle Art Museum

The Seattle Art Museum is another great art space. Its collections are quite diverse with Asian, African, Ancient American, European and Islamic art. Colorful painted canvases by artist Sam Gilliam and a life-size sculpture of a hemlock tree are currently on display, among many other exhibitions.

Tampa: Henry B. Plant Museum

A visit to the Henry B. Plant Museum will transport you back in time to the Gilded Age. The building itself is a national historic landmark, and the museum houses many of its original furnishings. Learn about the beginning of Florida’s tourism industry and Tampa’s early history.

Washington, DC: Newseum

Many D.C. museums are free, but the Newseum is one of the exceptions. Want to learn more about the news, journalism and the First Amendment? The Newseum features seven floors of interactive exhibits and theaters for visitors to explore. It also houses a 9/11 memorial gallery with the broadcast antennae from the top of the World Trade Center and eight sections of the Berlin Wall.

Kids pretend to be television reporters at the Newseum.

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