The Smithsonian’s headquarters may be in Washington, D.C., but every year it puts out a call to museums nationwide to open their doors on one special day and welcome everyone for free.
That’s Museum Day Live!, taking place on Saturday, Sept. 23 this year. A staggering 1,095 museums, art galleries, historic homes and farmhouses have signed on to participate, including 25 within the five boroughs. You’re not just getting free admission, either — many museums are holding special activities to celebrate.
The free tickets must be downloaded in advance, with registration now open. Each reservation allows entry for two people to one participating site.
“Museum Day Live! represents a nationwide commitment to boundless curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge wherever you are,” said Vice Mayor David Mann of Cincinnati in his proclamation kicking off the event.
Within the five boroughs, your options range from the Bartow-Pell Mansion in the Bronx where you can play 19th-century lawn games after touring the historic home, to the Rubin Museum of Art, where much of the space has been turned into a soundscape that complements its artworks.
Or you can use the occasion as a great reason to take a late-season road trip. Eat inside a recreation of the Tropicana Room at the Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz Museum & Center for Comedy in Jamestown, or trace America’s cultural history at the Rockwell Museum in Corning.
Check out the interactive map of all the Museum Day Live! participants, and go learn something!
Leslie Knope, waffle lover and museum advocate #NationalWaffleDay pic.twitter.com/notHMHHqRK
— Museum Day Live! (@MuseumDay) August 24, 2017
