Exploring art, history, science, and culture doesn’t always come with a hefty price tag. Many museums across the United States offer free admission, making it easier to enjoy educational and enriching experiences without breaking the bank.
Contents
- Free Museums in Every State
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Washington D.C.
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- Conclusion
Free Museums in Every State
Here’s a guide to free museums by state, highlighting a variety of institutions from art galleries to science centers and historical museums.
Alabama
- Birmingham Museum of Art – Features extensive collections of American, Asian, and European art.
- Alabama Museum of Natural History (Tuscaloosa) – Showcasing fossils, geology, and natural history of Alabama.
Alaska
- Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center (First Fridays) – Offers free admission on the first Friday of each month.
- Alaska State Museum (Juneau) – Free on certain days, showcasing Alaska’s natural and cultural history.
Arizona
- Phoenix Art Museum – Free on Wednesdays (3-9 pm) and First Fridays.
- Tucson Museum of Art – Offers free admission on the first Thursday of each month.
Arkansas
- Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (Bentonville) – Always free to explore its vast collection of American art.
- Mosaic Templars Cultural Center (Little Rock) – Highlights African American history in Arkansas.
California
- The Getty Center (Los Angeles) – A must-visit for art lovers, always free.
- California Science Center (Los Angeles) – Enjoy interactive exhibits on science and technology, free general admission.
Colorado
- Denver Art Museum – Free on the first Saturday of each month.
- Colorado State Capitol (Denver) – Free tours available to learn about Colorado’s history and government.
Connecticut
- Yale University Art Gallery (New Haven) – Free entry, featuring a diverse collection of world art.
- Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art (Hartford) – Free on the second Saturday of every month.
Delaware
- Delaware Art Museum (Wilmington) – Free on Sundays.
- Hagley Museum and Library (Wilmington) – Offers occasional free days.
Florida
- Perez Art Museum Miami – Free on the second Saturday of each month.
- Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens (Jacksonville) – Free on Tuesdays from 4-9 pm.
Georgia
- High Museum of Art (Atlanta) – Free on the second Sunday of every month.
- Atlanta Contemporary Art Center – Always free to the public.
Hawaii
- Hawaii State Art Museum (Honolulu) – Free admission to view contemporary art by Hawaiian artists.
- U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii (Honolulu) – Explore military history, free for all visitors.
Idaho
- Boise Art Museum – Free on the first Thursday of each month.
- Idaho State Historical Museum (Boise) – Occasionally offers free admission days.
Illinois
- The Art Institute of Chicago – Free for Illinois residents on certain days.
- Museum of Contemporary Art (Chicago) – Free on Tuesdays for Illinois residents.
Indiana
- Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields – Free the first Thursday of the month.
- Indiana State Police Museum (Indianapolis) – Free admission, focusing on state police history.
Iowa
- Des Moines Art Center – Always free admission.
- University of Iowa Museum of Art (Iowa City) – Offers a variety of exhibits, free to the public.
Kansas
- Spencer Museum of Art (Lawrence) – Free admission, featuring diverse art collections.
- Kansas Museum of History (Topeka) – Free on certain days.
Kentucky
- Kentucky Military History Museum (Frankfort) – Free admission to explore military history.
- Speed Art Museum (Louisville) – Free on Sundays.
Louisiana
- New Orleans Museum of Art – Free on Wednesdays for Louisiana residents.
- Ogden Museum of Southern Art (New Orleans) – Free on Thursdays for Louisiana residents.
Maine
- Colby College Museum of Art (Waterville) – Always free, featuring American and contemporary art.
- Bowdoin College Museum of Art (Brunswick) – Free and open to the public.
Maryland
- Baltimore Museum of Art – Always free to explore its extensive art collections.
- Walters Art Museum (Baltimore) – Free for all visitors, offering a variety of art from different periods.
Massachusetts
- Museum of Fine Arts (Boston) – Free on Wednesdays after 4 pm.
- Harvard Art Museums (Cambridge) – Free for Massachusetts residents on Saturdays from 10 am to noon.
Michigan
- Detroit Institute of Arts – Free for residents of Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties.
- Grand Rapids Art Museum – Free on Tuesdays from 12-6 pm and on Thursdays from 5-9 pm.
Minnesota
- Minneapolis Institute of Art – Always free to view its diverse collection.
- Weisman Art Museum (Minneapolis) – Free entry, showcasing modern and contemporary art.
Mississippi
- Mississippi Museum of Art (Jackson) – Free on Sundays.
- Old Capitol Museum (Jackson) – Free to explore the state’s history.
Missouri
- St. Louis Art Museum – Always free to the public.
- Missouri History Museum (St. Louis) – Free admission year-round.
Montana
- Missoula Art Museum – Always free, showcasing contemporary art.
- Montana Historical Society Museum (Helena) – Offers free admission on certain days.
Nebraska
- Sheldon Museum of Art (Lincoln) – Free admission, featuring collections of American art.
- Joslyn Art Museum (Omaha) – Always free to the public.
Nevada
- Nevada State Museum (Carson City) – Free on Nevada Day.
- Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art (Las Vegas) – Free admission, focusing on contemporary art.
New Hampshire
- Currier Museum of Art (Manchester) – Free on the second Saturday of each month.
- New Hampshire Historical Society Museum (Concord) – Free on certain days.
New Jersey
- Princeton University Art Museum – Always free, featuring art from antiquity to contemporary.
- Newark Museum of Art – Free on the first Thursday of every month.
New Mexico
- New Mexico Museum of Art (Santa Fe) – Free admission on Sundays to New Mexico residents.
- National Hispanic Cultural Center (Albuquerque) – Free on the second Sunday of each month.
New York
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art (NYC) – Pay what you wish for New York residents.
- American Museum of Natural History (NYC) – Pay what you wish for New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut residents.
North Carolina
- North Carolina Museum of Art (Raleigh) – Free general admission.
- Mint Museum (Charlotte) – Free on Wednesday evenings.
North Dakota
- North Dakota Museum of Art (Grand Forks) – Always free to explore contemporary art.
- State Historical Society of North Dakota (Bismarck) – Free to visit.
Ohio
- Cleveland Museum of Art – Always free, featuring an impressive array of global art.
- Toledo Museum of Art – Free admission to view their extensive collections.
Oklahoma
- Philbrook Museum of Art (Tulsa) – Free on the second Saturday of each month.
- Oklahoma City Museum of Art – Free on certain days.
Oregon
- Portland Art Museum – Free on the first Thursday of each month.
- Oregon Historical Society (Portland) – Free to Multnomah County residents.
Pennsylvania
- Philadelphia Museum of Art – Pay what you wish on the first Sunday of each month.
- The Barnes Foundation (Philadelphia) – Free on the first Sunday of each month.
Rhode Island
- RISD Museum (Providence) – Free on Sundays and Thursdays after 5 pm.
- Museum of Natural History and Planetarium (Providence) – Free on the first Saturday of each month.
South Carolina
- Columbia Museum of Art – Free on the first Thursday of each month.
- Greenville County Museum of Art – Always free to visit.
South Dakota
- South Dakota Art Museum (Brookings) – Free admission year-round.
- Museum of Geology (Rapid City) – Always free, showcasing fossils and minerals.
Tennessee
- Frist Art Museum (Nashville) – Free on Thursday evenings.
- Tennessee State Museum (Nashville) – Always free, featuring state history exhibits.
Texas
- The Menil Collection (Houston) – Always free, showcasing a variety of art forms.
- Dallas Museum of Art – Free general admission.
Utah
- Utah Museum of Fine Arts (Salt Lake City) – Free on the first Wednesday of each month.
- Springville Museum of Art – Always free to explore its collection of Utah artists.
Vermont
- Bennington Museum – Free on certain days throughout the year.
- Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium (St. Johnsbury) – Free general admission.
Virginia
- Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (Richmond) – Always free general admission.
- Chrysler Museum of Art (Norfolk) – Free admission, featuring a large collection of glass art.
Washington
- Seattle Art Museum – Free on the first Thursday of each month.
- Olympic Sculpture Park (Seattle) – Always free, featuring large outdoor sculptures against the backdrop of the Puget Sound.
Washington D.C.
- Smithsonian Museums – Nearly all of the Smithsonian museums in Washington D.C. are free, including:
- National Museum of American History – Discover artifacts and exhibits related to the history and culture of the United States.
- National Museum of Natural History – Explore natural wonders, from dinosaur fossils to gems and minerals.
- National Air and Space Museum – Features iconic aircraft and spacecraft from aviation and space exploration history.
- National Museum of African American History and Culture – Showcases the richness and diversity of the African American experience.
- Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden – A leading voice in contemporary art, with a beautiful outdoor sculpture garden.
- National Gallery of Art – Includes two buildings featuring European and American art, and the National Gallery Sculpture Garden.
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum – Offers moving exhibits on the history of the Holocaust (free timed-entry passes are recommended).
- National Portrait Gallery – Features portraits of notable American figures, from historical leaders to modern celebrities.
- Smithsonian American Art Museum – A diverse collection of American art from the colonial period to the present.
- Library of Congress – Offers free tours and access to its stunning architecture and exhibits.
- United States Botanic Garden – Always free to explore, this living plant museum offers visitors a chance to learn about the plant world.
West Virginia
- West Virginia State Museum (Charleston) – Always free, showcasing the state’s cultural and natural history.
- Huntington Museum of Art – Offers free admission on Tuesdays.
Wisconsin
- Milwaukee Art Museum – Free on the first Thursday of each month.
- Chazen Museum of Art (Madison) – Always free, featuring collections of European, American, and contemporary art.
Wyoming
- National Museum of Wildlife Art (Jackson) – Free on certain days throughout the year.
- Wyoming State Museum (Cheyenne) – Always free to the public, featuring exhibits on Wyoming’s history and heritage.
Conclusion
This guide highlights the many free museum options available across the U.S., from art museums and historical centers to science and natural history institutions. Visiting these museums not only allows you to experience rich cultural and educational content but also supports the preservation of art and history in your community. Keep an eye out for special free admission days if a museum you’re interested in isn’t free year-round!
If you receive SNAP benefits, you can get free museum tickets with your EBT card. Click here for details.
Featured Image Credit: Flickr
