Table of Contents
This post was most recently updated on November 15th, 2019
Smithsonian Museum Day is an annual event hosted by Smithsonian Magazine. This year’s date is September 21, 2019. On this day, participating museums throughout the US open their doors for free admission to anyone presenting a Museum Day ticket. And every one can afford a ticket, because the tickets are FREE through the Museum Day web site. Each ticket is good for two people, so if you have a family of 3 or more, I suggest getting 2 tickets per email address.
I love museums. And because of our travel I have visited all sorts from the Smithsonian Air and Space and National Museum of Natural History (had to see the Hope Diamond!) to the Arkansas Railroad Museum (to see the Big Boy engine) in the US. Also the British Museum, Lourve and the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City. So I think of Museum Day as a love fest between the me and wonderful museums in the Bay area. The other wonderful thing about Museum Day is that the date is always on a Saturday making it easier for families to enjoy the free admission.
A number of the museums on the list offer free admission every day but they get more exposure during the Smithsonian Museum event. Enjoy the day, visit again and bring your friends. Also, feel free to drop a few bucks when you visit either in donation or at the gift shops.
Other Ways to to get Free Admission to Museums:
- Museum free days generally offered by the specific museum once a month. Visit the museum’s web site/event calendar for contact the museum directly.
- Discover & Go which is through local Bay area libraries. Log on using your library card at the Discover and Go web site.
- Open Access offered by the Tech Interactive (San Jose) and Bay Area Children’s Museum (Sausalito). Just ask for this courtesy admission.
- Museums on Us by Bank of America offered the first full weekend of each month to Bank of America and Merril Lynch customers. More details here.
- CelebrateFamily.us free and discounted museum admissions. Click on this link for more family friendly events.
SF Bay Area Museums Participating in Smithsonian Museum Day 2019
| Hours | Museum Name | City |
|---|---|
| 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. | American Bookbinders Museum | SF |
| 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Bay Area Discovery Museum | Sausalito |
| 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. | California Historical Society | SF |
| 11 a.m. ‐ 5 p.m. | Cartoon Art Museum | SF |
| 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. | Chinese Historical Society of America | SF |
| 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | CuriOdyssey Science Playground & Zoo | San Mateo |
| 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. | di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art | Napa |
| 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Hanford Carnegie Museum | Hanford |
| 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Hiller Aviation Museum | San Carlos |
| 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. | Lacis Museum of Lace and Textiles** | Berkeley |
| 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. | Luther Burbank Home & Gardens** | Santa Rosa |
| 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. | MACLA/Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana** | San Jose |
| 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. | Maidu Museum & Historic Site | Roseville |
| 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Moffett Field Historical Society Museum | Mountain View |
| 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. | Museum of Craft and Design | SF |
| 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Museum of Sonoma County | Santa Rosa |
| 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | National Steinbeck Center | Salinas |
| 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. | New Museum Los Gatos (NUMU) | Los Gatos |
| 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History | Pacific Grove |
| 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. | San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles | San Jose |
| 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. | Sanchez Adobe Historic Site** | Pacifica |
| 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. | The Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies** | San Jose |
| 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | The Tech Interactive | San Jose |
| 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | USS Hornet Sea, Air & Space Museum | Alameda |
| 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. | Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum | Vallejo |
| ** Free Everyday | |
| Other Museums That You Might Like to Visit on Museum Day | |
| California State Railroad Museum | Sacramento | |
| Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum | San Diego | |
| GRAMMY Museum | Los Angeles | |
How to get Your Tickets for Smithsonian Free Museum Day
- Click on this link
- Enter the name of the museum or scroll down the list.
- Click on GET A TICKET.
- Follow the instructions.
Tickets are available while supplies last so don’t delay.
@MuseumDay #MuseumDay #SmithsonianMusic
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.