Free Museum Day will be back in Wichita again this year, compliments of Smithsonian magazine. Although we had to skip it last year, Free Museum Day is planned for this September!
Whether you’re at home or traveling, you can enjoy FREE admission to hundreds of museums and cultural institutions across the U.S., as part the 17th annual Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day on Sept. 18.
You and one other person in your family can get your FREE admission voucher to use at participating museums in Wichita or elsewhere when you request your free tickets at the Smithsonian website.
Related: Discounted and Free Museum Days in Wichita
This is one of my favorite events of the year and – fun fact – my first post ever here at Wichita on the Cheap was about Smithsonian Magazine’s Free Museum Day back in September 2009. (That’s more than a decade ago. Sheesh. #thingsthatmakeyoufeelold)
Smithsonian Magazine has continued this annual event, and every year I try to use my free tickets to visit a museum I haven’t been to before or haven’t visited for a long time. My first-ever visit to Cowtown was on Free Museum Day one year.
Kansas has quite a few participating museums each year, and some of them are not cheap if you’re buying tickets for a large family. Others are already pretty affordable, but with two free tickets for your family it’s even better!
Although admission is FREE, you DO need a ticket. There’s a limit of one ticket per email address – each ticket is valid for up to two people.
Related: Free Museum Days and Museum Discounts in Wichita
Your biggest problem will be choosing which museum to visit, since so many of them in our area participate each year.
And if you’re going out of town – or even out of the state – that weekend, find a museum to visit for FREE during your trip.
Museum Day is a national promotion, so there are participating museums throughout the United States.
To get started, visit the Museum Day site, search for participating museums in your area. Participants are allowed to download one ticket per e-mail address. Each ticket provides complimentary general admission for two people. Tickets are available starting Aug. 18.
Limit one ticket per email. If you’re planning a group excursion, each pair will need to download their own admit-two pass.
Participating museums near Wichita
These are the Wichita-area museums that have participated in recent years; more may be added as we get closer to the event. They’re all great. Please note: you must have tickets to get free admission on Museum Day.
- Kansas Cosmosphere in Hutchinson
- Museum of World Treasures in Wichita
- Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum in Wichita
- The Wichita Art Museum (always free on Saturdays)
Print your Free Museum Ticket For Two
Kansas museums that may participate again this year
Other Kansas museums participate in Free Museum Day. Here are the ones that have participated in the past, although again – more may be added as we approach Free Museum Day or some may choose not to participate this year.
The only way to know is to go to the Free Museum Day website and see which tickets are available.
Abilene
- Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum, and Boyhood Home (It’s temporarily closed.)
Baldwin City
- Quayle Bible Collection (always free)
Bonner Springs
- National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame (suggested donation of $5)
Emporia
Fort Riley
Gardner
Hanover
Hays
Kansas City
Lincoln
LeCompton
Manhattan
- Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art (confirmed for 2021, but also free every day)
Marysville
McPherson
Overland Park
- Museum at Prairiefire (confirmed for 2021)
Pleasanton
Republic
Topeka
Tickets are usually available about a month before the event.
Related:
Free Museum Days in Wichita
Free admission to Wichita Art Museum on Saturdays
Free admission to Old Cowtown Museum on Sundays
Various Locations
Wichita, KS
Theres no where does it say that i can find that its one ticket per household, it does say however that it’s one ticket per email. Please direct me to where it syates this? My husband and I have each gotten one ticket each and taken our children with our ticket every year and I’ve not had a problem doing that. So I’m wondering if they changed something this year.
At one time it said one ticket per household, because I remember reading that and being a bit disappointed about having to add that wording here. But if they don’t say that anymore then yay! Even better!
are masks required for the museums?
Each museum likely has its own policy on masks, unless a city/county/state mandate is issued. Some museums are city-owned and will follow guidelines for city-owned properties. I don’t think any are federal, so that mandate won’t apply.
The best way to know for sure is to call or visit the website of your chosen museum before you go. We don’t know what it will be like in September.
Greetings Carolyn!
I appreciate you and all you do all of the information with this email every week!!!!
Thank you bunches and take care!
Holly. 😉
Holly, thanks so much for taking the time to say this! I appreciate you too!!