Smithsonian Magazine's Museum Day Returns With Free Admission

Image: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. (photo via SeanPavonePhoto/iStock Editorial/Getty Images Plus)
Image: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. (photo via SeanPavonePhoto/iStock Editorial/Getty Images Plus)
Patrick Clarke
by Patrick Clarke
Last updated: 4:32 PM ET, Wed July 7, 2021

Smithsonian Magazine's popular Museum Day will return for 2021 after a lost year amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

On September 18, travelers can take advantage of free admission at hundreds of participating museums and institutions across the country. Visitors can download one free ticket per email address. Each ticket provides free general admission for two people on September 18. Tickets will be available for download starting August 18.

The Quaker Oats Company will sponsor the event and is launching a back-to-school giveaway this summer. Now through September 15, you can enter to win prizes like a Smithsonian Science kit and the grand prize of a virtual museum tour and Q&A with a museum educator.

"As we begin to feel a sense of normalcy in our day-to-day lives, we are honored to welcome the public back to Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C. and New York and museums around the country this Museum Day," Smithsonian Media's Chief Revenue Officer Amy Wilkins told NBC Los Angeles. "In a year that has challenged us in unprecedented ways, it is our hope that this year's event serves as a reminder of the people, places and cultural experiences that have the power to unite us all."

Admission to all Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C. is free year-round.


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Patrick Clarke

Patrick Clarke

Senior Editor

A Maryland native and wanderer who has lived across the U.S. from North Carolina to SoCal, Patrick Clarke graduated from Towson University with a B.S. in journalism. He previously worked for Bleacher

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