193 museums, zoos and aquariums, every one verified on its own official page. Free days come in four flavors — always-free institutions, weekly free evenings, monthly free days, and published resident free days — and each page below shows the schedule, who qualifies, whether you need a reservation, and the source we checked. City guides collect everything free in one town.
| Institution | City | Free day | Who qualifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Zoo | Apple Valley, MN | No regular free day | Minnesota residents currently receiving qualifying public-assistance benefits |
| High Museum of Art | Atlanta, GA | 2nd Sunday monthly | Open to everyone on Second Sundays/Third Wednesdays |
| Zoo Atlanta | Atlanta, GA | Announced in batches | Restricted to verified City of Atlanta/Fulton County residents |
| Baltimore Museum of Art | Baltimore, MD | Always free | Everyone |
| ICA Boston (Institute of Contemporary Art) | Boston, MA | Thursdays 5pm–9pm | Everyone |
| Museum of Fine Arts Boston | Boston, MA | Published dates | Massachusetts residents |
| Brookfield Zoo Chicago | Brookfield, IL | Announced in batches | Open to all guests, no residency requirement stated for Free Days. |
| Adler Planetarium | Chicago, IL | Wednesdays 4pm–10pm | Illinois residents. Accepted proof: valid Illinois driver's license/photo ID, an Illinois student photo ID, or a photo ID plus a document |
| Art Institute of Chicago | Chicago, IL | 3rd Thursday monthly 5pm–8pm | Illinois residents |
| Chicago Children's Museum | Chicago, IL | No regular free day | N/A — no ongoing free-admission program found on the museum's own page. |
| Chicago History Museum | Chicago, IL | Published dates | Illinois residents |
| DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center | Chicago, IL | Wednesdays | General public on Wednesdays |
| Field Museum | Chicago, IL | Wednesdays | Illinois residents, proof of residency required. |
| Griffin Museum of Science and Industry | Chicago, IL | Published dates | Illinois residents |
| Lincoln Park Zoo | Chicago, IL | Always free | Open to all, no restriction. |
| Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago | Chicago, IL | Tuesdays 5pm–9pm | Illinois residents on Tuesday evenings |
| National Museum of Mexican Art | Chicago, IL | Always free | Open to all visitors, no restriction. |
| National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture | Chicago, IL | Always free | Open to all, no restriction. |
| Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum | Chicago, IL | Published dates | Illinois residents only |
| Shedd Aquarium | Chicago, IL | Tuesdays 5pm–9pm | Illinois residents. All adults |
| Cincinnati Art Museum | Cincinnati, OH | Always free | Open to everyone |
| Cleveland Museum of Art | Cleveland, OH | Always free | Open to everyone |
| Dallas Museum of Art | Dallas, TX | Always free | Open to everyone |
| Perot Museum of Nature and Science | Dallas, TX | No regular free day | Restricted-group discounts only |
| Children's Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus | Denver, CO | Published dates | Open to everyone |
| Denver Art Museum | Denver, CO | Published dates | Open to everyone, no proof/ID required |
| Denver Botanic Gardens | Denver, CO | Published dates | Open to everyone |
| Denver Museum of Nature & Science | Denver, CO | Published dates | Open to everyone |
| Denver Zoo | Denver, CO | Published dates | Open to everyone |
| Detroit Historical Museum | Detroit, MI | No regular free day | General free-day eligibility unspecified |
| Detroit Institute of Arts | Detroit, MI | Always free (residents) | Residents of Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties |
| Amon Carter Museum of American Art | Fort Worth, TX | Always free | Open to everyone |
| Fort Worth Zoo | Fort Worth, TX | No regular free day | Open to everyone |
| Kimbell Art Museum | Fort Worth, TX | Always free | Open to everyone |
| Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth | Fort Worth, TX | Fridays | Open to everyone |
| Chicago Botanic Garden | Glencoe, IL | Published dates | Illinois residents. |
| Children's Museum Houston | Houston, TX | Thursdays 5pm–8pm | Must bring a child; no other ID/income proof required |
| Houston Museum of Natural Science | Houston, TX | Tuesdays 5pm–8pm | Everyone |
| Houston Zoo | Houston, TX | 1st Tuesday monthly | Open to everyone |
| Menil Collection | Houston, TX | Always free | Open to everyone |
| Museum of Fine Arts, Houston | Houston, TX | Thursdays | Open to everyone |
| Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art | Kansas City, MO | Always free | Open to everyone |
| California Science Center | Los Angeles, CA | Always free | Everyone |
| Griffith Observatory | Los Angeles, CA | Always free | Everyone |
| Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) | Los Angeles, CA | 2nd Tuesday monthly | L.A. County residents |
| Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens | Los Angeles, CA | No regular free day | L.A. Public Library cardholders |
| Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHM) | Los Angeles, CA | Weekdays 3pm–5pm | L.A. County residents |
| The Broad | Los Angeles, CA | Always free | Everyone |
| The Getty Center | Los Angeles, CA | Always free | Everyone |
| Minneapolis Institute of Art | Minneapolis, MN | Always free | Everyone |
| Walker Art Center | Minneapolis, MN | Thursdays | Open to everyone on Thursday nights and First Saturdays |
| American Museum of Natural History | New York, NY | Pay-what-you-wish daily (residents) | New York State residents (with ID) |
| Bronx Zoo | New York, NY | No regular free day | Wednesday reduced-admission tickets: anyone who books in time |
| MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) | New York, NY | Fridays 5:30pm–8:30pm | New York State residents (with ID) |
| The Metropolitan Museum of Art | New York, NY | Pay-what-you-wish daily (residents) | New York State residents; NY, NJ and CT students (with ID) |
| Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) | Oakland, CA | 1st Sunday monthly | Everyone |
| Philadelphia Museum of Art | Philadelphia, PA | Fridays (PWYW) | Everyone — pay what you wish on Friday nights |
| Heard Museum | Phoenix, AZ | 1st Friday monthly | Everyone |
| Phoenix Art Museum | Phoenix, AZ | Wednesdays 3pm–8pm | Everyone — voluntary donation (pay what you wish) |
| OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) | Portland, OR | No regular free day | Everyone |
| Oregon Zoo | Portland, OR | No regular free day | Discounts: Oregon/Washington income-assistance participants |
| Portland Art Museum | Portland, OR | 1st Thursday monthly 10am–7pm | Everyone |
| Balboa Park Residents Free Days (multiple museums) | San Diego, CA | Tuesdays | City and County of San Diego residents, plus active-duty military and their dependents — photo ID showing address required |
| Fleet Science Center | San Diego, CA | 1st Tuesday monthly | San Diego County residents |
| San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat) | San Diego, CA | 1st Tuesday monthly | San Diego City & County residents, active military + dependents |
| Asian Art Museum (San Francisco) | San Francisco, CA | 1st Sunday monthly | Everyone |
| California Academy of Sciences | San Francisco, CA | No regular free day | EBT cardholders |
| de Young Museum | San Francisco, CA | Saturdays | Bay Area residents |
| Legion of Honor | San Francisco, CA | Saturdays | Bay Area residents |
| San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) | San Francisco, CA | Published dates | Ages 18 and under |
| Burke Museum | Seattle, WA | 1st Thursday monthly 10am–8pm | Everyone |
| Seattle Art Museum (SAM) | Seattle, WA | 1st Thursday monthly | Everyone |
| The Museum of Flight | Seattle, WA | 1st Thursday monthly 5pm–9pm | Everyone |
| Woodland Park Zoo | Seattle, WA | No regular free day | Varies by program — see freeText |
| Saint Louis Art Museum | St. Louis, MO | Always free | Open to everyone |
| Saint Louis Science Center | St. Louis, MO | Always free | Open to everyone |
| Saint Louis Zoo | St. Louis, MO | Always free | Open to everyone |
| National Gallery of Art | Washington, DC | Always free | Everyone |
| Smithsonian Museums & National Zoo | Washington, DC | Always free | Everyone |
| Milwaukee Art Museum | Milwaukee, WI | Thursdays 4pm–8pm (PWYW) | Everyone |
| Milwaukee County Zoo | Milwaukee, WI | Published dates | Everyone |
| Milwaukee Public Museum | Milwaukee, WI | 1st Thursday monthly | Everyone |
| COSI | Columbus, OH | No regular free day | No general-public free day |
| San Antonio Museum of Art | San Antonio, TX | Tuesdays 4pm–7pm | Bexar County residents with proof of residency |
| McNay Art Museum | San Antonio, TX | Thursdays 4pm–9pm | Everyone — no residency restriction |
| Witte Museum | San Antonio, TX | Tuesdays 3pm–6pm | Bexar County residents with proof of residency |
| San Antonio Zoo | San Antonio, TX | No regular free day | No general-public free day |
| Blanton Museum of Art | Austin, TX | Thursdays | Everyone |
| Bullock Texas State History Museum | Austin, TX | 1st Sunday monthly | Everyone |
| The Contemporary Austin | Austin, TX | Thursdays | Everyone; ages 18 and under and military always free |
| Thinkery | Austin, TX | Published dates | Everyone; members free |
| Brooklyn Museum | Brooklyn, NY | Pay-what-you-wish daily | Everyone |
| Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum | New York, NY | Sun/Tue 4pm–5:30pm (PWYW) | Everyone |
| Whitney Museum of American Art | New York, NY | Fridays 5pm–10pm | Everyone |
| Museum of the Moving Image | Queens, NY | Thursdays 2pm–6pm | Everyone |
| 9/11 Memorial & Museum | New York, NY | Mondays 5:30pm–7pm | Everyone |
| New York Botanical Garden | Bronx, NY | Wednesdays 10am–11am | NYC residents all day Wednesday |
| Queens Museum | Queens, NY | Pay-what-you-wish daily | Everyone |
| Harvard Art Museums | Cambridge, MA | Always free | Everyone |
| Franklin Park Zoo | Boston, MA | 1st & 2nd Sunday monthly | Students living in Boston enrolled in Boston Pre-K or grades K-12, plus two family members |
| Barnes Foundation | Philadelphia, PA | 1st Sunday monthly 10am–5pm | Everyone (registration required) |
| Please Touch Museum | Philadelphia, PA | Published dates | Everyone on Community Days (registration required) |
| Penn Museum | Philadelphia, PA | No regular free day | Free daily: ACCESS/EBT holders, active US military and veterans, K-12 teachers, Tribal Card holders |
| The Franklin Institute | Philadelphia, PA | No regular free day | Everyone |
| Walters Art Museum | Baltimore, MD | Always free | Everyone |
| National Aquarium | Baltimore, MD | No regular free day | Everyone (paid); kids 4 and under always free |
| Maryland Science Center | Baltimore, MD | No regular free day | Everyone (paid); MD SNAP/WIC holders $5 via Access Science |
| Pérez Art Museum Miami | Miami, FL | Thursdays 5pm–9pm | Everyone on Thursday evenings and Second Saturdays |
| Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science | Miami, FL | No regular free day | Free only for active military, veterans, first responders |
| New Orleans Museum of Art | New Orleans, LA | Wednesdays | Louisiana residents |
| Ogden Museum of Southern Art | New Orleans, LA | Thursdays 10am–5pm | Louisiana residents |
| Louisiana State Museum (Cabildo & Presbytère) | New Orleans, LA | No regular free day | Children 6 and under free |
| Frist Art Museum | Nashville, TN | No regular free day | Ages 18 and under free daily |
| Tennessee State Museum | Nashville, TN | Always free | Everyone |
| Cheekwood Estate & Gardens | Nashville, TN | No regular free day | Ages 2 and under free |
| Adventure Science Center | Nashville, TN | No regular free day | Under 2 free |
| Orlando Museum of Art | Orlando, FL | 3rd Thursday monthly 10am–8pm | Everyone |
| Mennello Museum of American Art | Orlando, FL | 2nd Sunday monthly | Everyone |
| Orange County Regional History Center | Orlando, FL | Published dates | Everyone on Free Access Days |
| Harry P. Leu Gardens | Orlando, FL | 1st Monday monthly | Everyone |
| Georgia Aquarium | Atlanta, GA | No regular free day | Children 2 and under free (no ticket required) |
| Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture | Washington, DC | Always free | Everyone |
| Monterey Bay Aquarium | Monterey, CA | Published dates | Monterey County residents only |
| The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens | San Marino, CA | 1st Thursday monthly | Everyone, but reservation-gated |
| San Francisco Zoo & Gardens | San Francisco, CA | 1st Wednesday monthly 10am–4pm | San Francisco residents with a government-issued ID showing an SF address — one free admission per qualifying ID |
| Exploratorium | San Francisco, CA | No regular free day | Everyone |
| Pacific Science Center | Seattle, WA | No regular free day | Everyone |
| Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art | Las Vegas, NV | Always free | Everyone |
| Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas | Las Vegas, NV | Published dates | Nevada residents with valid ID |
| Springs Preserve | Las Vegas, NV | Published dates | Nevada residents with valid ID |
| Smithsonian's National Zoo | Washington, DC | Always free | Everyone |
| National Air and Space Museum | Washington, DC | Always free | Everyone |
| Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (National Air and Space Museum) | Chantilly, VA | Always free | Everyone |
| Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History | Washington, DC | Always free | Everyone |
| National Museum of American History | Washington, DC | Always free | Everyone |
| National Portrait Gallery | Washington, DC | Always free | Everyone |
| Smithsonian American Art Museum | Washington, DC | Always free | Everyone |
| Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden | Washington, DC | Always free | Everyone |
| National Museum of the American Indian | Washington, DC | Always free | Everyone |
| National Museum of the American Indian — George Gustav Heye Center | New York, NY | Always free | Everyone |
| National Museum of Asian Art (Freer Gallery and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery) | Washington, DC | Always free | Everyone |
| Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum | Washington, DC | Always free | Everyone |
| Smithsonian National Postal Museum | Washington, DC | Always free | Everyone |
| Anacostia Community Museum | Washington, DC | Always free | Everyone |
| Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum | New York, NY | Sun/Mon/Tue/Wed/Thu/Fri/Sat 5pm–6pm (PWYW) | Everyone during the pay-what-you-wish hour. Free year-round for ages 18 and under. Also free for: SNAP/EBT cardholders plus 3 guests |
| Library of Congress (Thomas Jefferson Building) | Washington, DC | Always free | Everyone |
| United States Holocaust Memorial Museum | Washington, DC | Always free | Everyone |
| United States Botanic Garden | Washington, DC | Always free | Everyone |
| National Archives Museum | Washington, DC | Always free | Everyone |
| United States National Arboretum | Washington, DC | Always free | Everyone |
| The Mint Museum (Uptown & Randolph) | Charlotte, NC | Wednesdays 5pm–9pm | Everyone |
| Bechtler Museum of Modern Art | Charlotte, NC | Wednesdays 5pm–9pm | Everyone |
| Levine Museum of the New South | Charlotte, NC | No regular free day | N/A |
| Discovery Place Science | Charlotte, NC | No regular free day | Welcome Program: people currently receiving WIC or EBT benefits in North or South Carolina |
| Cleveland Museum of Natural History | Cleveland, OH | Sun/Sat 10am–5pm | Residents of the City of Cleveland, East Cleveland, Brooklyn, Euclid, Garfield Heights, Maple Heights, or Warrensville Heights |
| Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland | Cleveland, OH | Always free (residents) | Anyone living in Ohio, and all youth 18 and under |
| Cleveland Botanical Garden | Cleveland, OH | Announced in batches | Everyone (on the free summer evenings) |
| Cleveland Metroparks Zoo | Cleveland, OH | Mondays | Residents of Cuyahoga County or Hinckley Township |
| Great Lakes Science Center | Cleveland, OH | No regular free day | Bank of America/Merrill cardholders |
| Taft Museum of Art | Cincinnati, OH | Sun/Mon 10am–5pm | Everyone |
| Contemporary Arts Center | Cincinnati, OH | No regular free day | Free for visitors 18 and under, CAC members, and SNAP/EBT recipients |
| Cincinnati Museum Center | Cincinnati, OH | No regular free day | Museums for All: SNAP, Medicaid, WIC or MARCC cardholders with photo ID |
| Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden | Cincinnati, OH | No regular free day | Military-only free days |
| Crocker Art Museum | Sacramento, CA | 3rd Sunday monthly 10am–5pm (PWYW) | Everyone |
| California State Railroad Museum | Sacramento, CA | No regular free day | Paid admission for ages 6+; children 5 and under free |
| California Museum | Sacramento, CA | Announced in batches | Free Museum Weekend is open to everyone. Other free routes are limited to Bank of America cardholders or state employees. |
| Sacramento History Museum | Sacramento, CA | No regular free day | Free only for the listed groups; everyone else pays |
| Sacramento Zoo | Sacramento, CA | No regular free day | Paid admission |
| Utah Museum of Fine Arts | Salt Lake City, UT | 1st Wednesday monthly 10am–8pm | Everyone |
| Natural History Museum of Utah | Salt Lake City, UT | Published dates | Offered as a thank-you to Salt Lake County taxpayers. The form asks for an address and a pledge of one request per household per year. No other residency proof is stated. |
| Red Butte Garden and Arboretum | Salt Lake City, UT | Published dates | Everyone |
| Utah's Hogle Zoo | Salt Lake City, UT | No regular free day | Paid admission (children 2 and under free) |
| Tampa Museum of Art | Tampa, FL | Thursdays 4pm–8pm (PWYW) | Everyone |
| Henry B. Plant Museum | Tampa, FL | Announced in batches | Everyone |
| Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI) | Tampa, FL | No regular free day | Paid admission (Florida K-12 teachers free) |
| ZooTampa at Lowry Park | Tampa, FL | No regular free day | Paid admission (children 2 and under free) |
| The Florida Aquarium | Tampa, FL | No regular free day | Paid admission; children 2 and under free |
| Carnegie Museum of Art | Pittsburgh, PA | No regular free day | Free every day: children 2 and under, members, students with ID from Pitt |
| Carnegie Museum of Natural History | Pittsburgh, PA | No regular free day | Free every day: children 2 and under, members, students with ID from Pitt |
| The Andy Warhol Museum | Pittsburgh, PA | No regular free day | Free every day: members, children 2 and under, personal care attendants, listed local-college students with ID, and Pennsylvania teens 13-18 with a Free Teen Membership. Blue Star free for active military in summer. |
| The Frick Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh, PA | Always free | Everyone |
| Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens | Pittsburgh, PA | No regular free day | Free: members, children under 2, and students of Pitt, CMU, Carlow and La Roche with ID |
| Mattress Factory | Pittsburgh, PA | No regular free day | Free: members and children under 6. Allegheny County library cardholders free via a reserved RAD Pass. |
| Newfields (Indianapolis Museum of Art) | Indianapolis, IN | 1st Thursday monthly 10am–5pm (PWYW) | Everyone |
| Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art | Indianapolis, IN | Published dates | Everyone on free days. Free every day: enrolled tribal members with tribal ID, Indiana college/university/trade-school students, Indiana K-12 teachers, members and children 4 and under. |
| Indiana State Museum | Indianapolis, IN | Published dates | Everyone on free days. Free every day: members, children under 3, Indiana K-12 educators with teacher ID, Indiana homeschool educators, and active and veteran military. |
| The Children's Museum of Indianapolis | Indianapolis, IN | Published dates | Everyone, with a free advance ticket |
| Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art | Kansas City, MO | Always free | Everyone |
| National WWI Museum and Memorial | Kansas City, MO | No regular free day | Free: children under 6 and members. Veterans and active-duty military free on Memorial Day and Veterans Day weekends. |
| Science City at Union Station | Kansas City, MO | No regular free day | Free: Union Station members and children 12 months and under |
| The Phillips Collection | Washington, DC | 3rd Thursday monthly 5pm–8pm | Everyone |
| Charlotte Museum of History | Charlotte, NC | Published dates | Everyone on free festival days. Children 0-3 and members are always free. The museum also takes part in Museums for All |
| Negro Leagues Baseball Museum | Kansas City, MO | No regular free day | Always free: children 0-4, NLBM members |
| Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University | Philadelphia, PA | No regular free day | Everyone |