Burke Museum Free Days

Updated 2026-10-02 · Free · No sign-up

Burke Museum is free 1st Thursday monthly 10am–8pm. Free admission on the first Thursday of every month, 10am-8pm (extended hours), with a behind-the-scenes look at visible collections storage, labs, and workrooms. Advance timed tickets are recommended but not required. Recommended, not required Verified on Burke Museum's own page, last checked 2026-09-04.

At a glance

Free day	1st Thursday monthly 10am–8pm
Who qualifies	Everyone
Reservation	Recommended, not required
What's included	Full museum, including public-facing collections/labs areas
Regular adult price	$24 adult general admission
Source	burkemuseum.org · checked 2026-09-04

The math

Regular adult admission at Burke Museum is $24, so timing the visit to the free window keeps $48 in a couple's pocket and up to $96 for a family of four — each month it comes around. And since this free day is open to everyone, it's the cheapest possible way through the door. The catch is capacity, not money: free slots are reserved in advance and the popular dates go first, so the reservation is the real currency here.

Upcoming free days

Thursday, Nov 5, 2026
Thursday, Dec 3, 2026
Thursday, Jan 7, 2027
Thursday, Feb 4, 2027
Thursday, Mar 4, 2027
Thursday, Apr 1, 2027

Dates computed from the published schedule rule as of 2026-10-02 — an institution can still cancel one for a private event or holiday. Confirm on the official page before you go.

Know before you go

Who qualifies: everyone — no residency requirement on this one.
Reservations: Recommended, not required.
What's covered: Full museum, including public-facing collections/labs areas.
Schedule detail: First Thursday of each month.
Worth knowing: Burke's First Thursday runs the full day (10am-8pm), not just an evening slot like some peer museums' First Thursday programs.

Other ways in, no calendar required

SNAP EBT cardholders should check Museums for All: at 1,700+ institutions nationwide, an EBT card plus photo ID admits up to four people for free-to-$5, on any regular day rather than a special one. The official list says whether Burke Museum takes part.
An art- or history-museum membership from another city may already cover Burke Museum: check the NARM roster with our reciprocity lookup — a qualifying membership travels to 1,400+ museums.

Dates don't line up?

Regular tickets ($24 adult general admission) are on burkemuseum.org — the official site is the place to buy; resellers only add fees. If you're hitting several Seattle attractions, CityPASS Seattle discounts a bundle of the big ones — confirm Burke Museum is in the current lineup first.

Also free in Seattle

Seattle Art Museum (SAM) (1st thursday monthly) · The Museum of Flight (1st thursday monthly 5pm–9pm) · Woodland Park Zoo (no regular free day) · Pacific Science Center (no regular free day) — or see the full free museum days in Seattle guide.

The monthly date drop

Each month we send Seattle's verified free days in one short email: dates, who qualifies, done.

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↥ Check another museum → Browse all free museum & zoo days →

FAQ

When is Burke Museum free?

Free admission on the first Thursday of every month, 10am-8pm (extended hours), with a behind-the-scenes look at visible collections storage, labs, and workrooms. Advance timed tickets are recommended but not required.

Do I need a reservation for Burke Museum's free days?

Recommended, not required

What does a free day at Burke Museum include?

Full museum, including public-facing collections/labs areas

How much is Burke Museum normally?

$24 adult general admission. Time the visit right and that's the amount you keep.

How much does a family save on a Burke Museum free day?

At $24 per adult, two adults keep $48 and a group of four paying adult prices keeps up to $96 per visit — before parking and extras.