What to Know
- Museums Free-for-All returns on Saturday, March 23, 2024
- Presented by SoCal Museums
- 30+ museums and cultural destinations will participate; reservations are required at several museums, so plan ahead; check your favorite museum's site for more information
Seeking money-saving experiences somewhere between the holiday season and tax time?
Having fun is something plenty of desire as the days grow brighter, but we're keeping a keener eye on our bank account between the early days of January and the heart of spring.
This puts Museums Free-for-All, a day-long delight that's all about pay-nothing cultural experiences, at the center of our just-in-time calendars.
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The oh-so-free occasion will return on Saturday, March 23, a gift to art lovers and history mavens across the region from SoCal Museums.
Over 30 museums will take part in 2024, including the Los Angeles Museum of Art and the Skirball Cultural Center. Great institutions that are a bit further afield, like the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, are also on the list.
"We are thrilled, once again, to invite visitors from across Southern California to see the remarkable range of art, cultural heritage, natural history, film, and science that our museums and cultural organizations have to offer," says Alexa Nishimoto, SoCal Museums President and Market Associate, Japanese American National Museum.
The Scene
Want to find new things to do in Los Angeles? The Scene's lifestyle stories have you covered. Here's your go-to source on where the fun is across SoCal and for the weekend.
"The Museums Free-for-All has always been an opportunity for people to see something new or to revisit a treasured spot."
"The Free-for-All also serves as a reminder that many museums here in Southern California are always free and others offer these types of opportunities year-round."
You can find the always-free museums, or those local museums that offer a monthly free day, on this SoCal Museums page.
As for the sublime spots participating in the Museums Free-for-All on March 23?
Many of them require reservations well in advance — the Autry Museum of the American West is one such spot — while other places recommend booking a ticket ahead of time.
Also?
The day is about free entry to the permanent exhibits; the special shows will still require a ticket.
If you've got something you'd like to enjoy in mind, your best bet is to visit the specific museum's site or the SoCal Museums site for more information and find out whether the exhibit will be viewable during the Museums Free-for-All.
