21 institutions where general admission is free every open day — no free-day calendar to plan around. The only fine print is what's not included (special exhibits, parking) and the odd timed-entry reservation; each entry below links its official page.
| Institution | City | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| California Science Center | Los Angeles | Core exhibit galleries free; IMAX, special exhibits and parking are paid |
| Griffith Observatory | Los Angeles | Building, exhibit galleries, grounds, public telescopes. Excludes Samuel Oschin Planetarium shows, which are separately ticketed. |
| The Broad | Los Angeles | Third-floor permanent-collection galleries. Excludes some special exhibitions/events and Yayoi Kusama's Infinity Mirrored Room, which carry a separate charge. |
| The Getty Center | Los Angeles | General admission free; parking $25 per car ($15 after 3pm, $10 after 6pm, free Saturdays after 6pm) |
| Institution | City | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| National Gallery of Art | Washington | Galleries, special exhibitions and guided tours are all free |
| Smithsonian Museums & National Zoo | Washington | Free admission at all locations except Cooper Hewitt in NYC |
| Institution | City | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Park Zoo | Chicago | General zoo admission and grounds. |
| National Museum of Mexican Art | Chicago | Full museum admission. |
| National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture | Chicago | Full museum admission. |
| Institution | City | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Museum of Art | Baltimore | General admission free; special exhibitions ticketed separately |
| Institution | City | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis Institute of Art | Minneapolis | Permanent collection free; special exhibitions ticketed |
| Institution | City | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art | Kansas City | Museum galleries and Rozzelle Court Restaurant access (with check-in) |
| Saint Louis Art Museum | St. Louis | Permanent collection always; main special exhibitions on Fridays |
| Saint Louis Science Center | St. Louis | General exhibit halls/700+ interactive experiences across 10 galleries |
| Saint Louis Zoo | St. Louis | General zoo admission |
| Institution | City | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Art Museum | Cincinnati | General collection galleries |
| Cleveland Museum of Art | Cleveland | Permanent collection galleries |
| Institution | City | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Museum of Art | Dallas | Permanent collection (always) plus ticketed special exhibitions (First Sundays), Open Studio, docent tours, family guides, scavenger hunts |
| Amon Carter Museum of American Art | Fort Worth | Permanent collection and most special exhibitions |
| Kimbell Art Museum | Fort Worth | Permanent collection, always |
| Menil Collection | Houston | Entire campus: main building, Cy Twombly Gallery, Richmond Hall, Menil Drawing Institute |
↥ Check another museum → Browse all free museum & zoo days →
General admission is. Special/ticketed exhibitions, IMAX, parking and timed extras usually cost money, and several always-free institutions still ask you to book a free timed-entry ticket on busy days. Each entry here lists the catch.
Public funding, endowments and founding charters. The Smithsonian is federally funded; the Getty and the Menil are endowed; Cleveland Museum of Art's founders required free general admission in perpetuity.