Colorado residents can enjoy free days at some of our area's most popular destinations, thanks to SCFD funding and state and corporate sponsorship. Free Days are for general admission; special events may still require the purchase of a ticket.
Venues may be operating under limited capacity for all guests, and reservations may be required. We encourage you to check back before every free day for the latest recommendations. Dates are subject to change without notice.
Through the Explorer Pass program, families who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits can visit select venues anytime throughout the year and pay just $1-$2 per person (up to 10 family members) when they show their EBT card. Admission cannot be paid with an EBT card; it is simply proof of program participation.
Venues offering reduced admission for SNAP recipients include the Children's Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus, Denver Art Museum, Denver Botanic Gardens: York Street and Chatfield Farms, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Denver Zoo, History Colorado Center, and more.
FREE PRINTABLES!
2024 Free Days by Venue
2024 Free Days by Month
Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave
987½ Lookout Mountain Rd., Golden | (720) 865-2160
Visit the Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave and enjoy free admission on the first Wednesday of the month from November through April.
- Wednesday, January 3
- Wednesday, February 7
- Wednesday, March 6
- Wednesday, April 3
- Wednesday, November 6
- Wednesday, December 4
Children's Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus
2121 Children's Museum Dr., Denver | (303) 433-7444
Joy Park Free Nights return on the third Friday of each month, May through September, from 4:30 PM until dusk. The interior of the Museum is closed except for the restrooms.
- Friday, May 17
- Friday, June 21
- Friday, July 19
- Friday, August 16
- Friday, September 20
Colorado Railroad Museum
17155 W. 44th Ave., Golden | (303) 279-4591
- Thursday, March 14
- Thursday, May 9
- Thursday, October 3
Denver Art Museum
100 W. 14th Ave. Pkwy., Denver | (720) 913-0130
Engage with art, explore onsite activities, and experience exhibitions on view, all while enjoying free general admission! Remember, children 18 years and younger are free EVERY day of the year!
- Tuesday, January 9
- Saturday, January 27
- Tuesday, February 13
- Tuesday, March 12
- Sunday, March 24
- Tuesday, April 9
- Sunday, April 28 (Día del Niño)
- Tuesday, May 14
- Tuesday, June 11
- Tuesday, July 9
- Sunday, July 21
- Tuesday, August 13
- Saturday, September 7 (Friendship Powwow)
- Tuesday, September 10
- Tuesday, October 8
- Saturday, November 2 (Night at the Museum for Denver Arts Week)
- Tuesday, November 12
- Tuesday, December 10
Denver Botanic Gardens
Chatfield Farms, 8500 Deer Creek Canyon Rd., Littleton | (720) 865-4346
York Street, 1007 York St., Denver | (720) 865-3500
Advanced online registration is required. Free Days are for regular Gardens hours only and do not include ticketed events. Tickets are available three months at a time (on a rolling basis), and the tickets are released on the 1st of the month. Reserve your tickets in advance; no onsite tickets will be available for sold-out days.
- Monday, January 15 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)
- Thursday, February 15
- Saturday, March 9
- Monday, April 22 (Earth Day)
- Wednesday, June 5
- Wednesday, July 3
- Wednesday, August 28
- Friday, November 29 (Thanksgiving Friday)
Denver Firefighters Museum
1326 Tremont Pl., Denver | (303) 892-1436
Denver First Responders Day Free Day is Saturday, August 31. Also, seniors (65 years and older) can visit on the second Saturday of every month for free!
- Saturday, February 10 (Burn Awareness Week Family Free Day)
- Saturday, June 8 (Firework Safety Free Day)
- Saturday, September 7 (Grandparents Day: Free for Adults 65+ and their Grandchildren)
- Saturday, October 26 (Halloween Children's Day: Free for Children in Costumes)
Denver Museum of Nature & Science
2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver | (303) 370-6000
Satisfy your scientific curiosity! No reservations are needed to gain access to the Wildlife Halls or our permanent exhibitions. A separate ticket is required if you'd like to visit the planetarium or the new Infinity Theater.
- Monday, January 8
- Sunday, January 28
- Sunday, February 25
- Sunday, April 28 (Día del Niño)
- Tuesday, June 4 (5:00–9:00 PM)
- Wednesday, June 19
- Wednesday, August 21 (5:00–9:00 PM)
- Tuesday, September 10 (5:00–9:00 PM)
- Monday, September 30
- Sunday, October 20
- Saturday, November 2 (Denver Arts Week: Night at the Museums)
- Monday, November 18
- Sunday, December 8
Denver Zoo
2300 Steele St., Denver | (720) 337-1400
Tickets for Denver Zoo's Community Free Days are required and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are posted 11 days before each Free Day, and registration opens at noon.
- Friday, January 5 ~ Tickets released on December 25
- Sunday, January 21 ~ Tickets released on January 10
- Sunday, February 11 ~ Tickets released on January 31
- Sunday, April 7 ~ Tickets released on April 2
- Sunday, November 3 ~ Tickets released on October 23
- Saturday, November 9 ~ Tickets released on October 30
- Sunday, November 17 ~ Tickets released on November 6
Dinosaur Ridge
16831 W. Alameda Pkwy., Morrison | (303) 697-3466
Admission to the exhibit hall Trek Through Time is free; guided bus tours are available at a $4 discount.
- Friday, March 15
- Friday, April 12
- Friday, September 13
- Friday, November 15
Four Mile Historic Park
715 S. Forest St., Denver | (720) 865-0800
- Friday, January 26
- Friday, February 23
- Friday, March 22
- Friday, April 26
- Friday, May 24
- Friday, June 28
- Friday, July 26
- Friday, August 23
- Friday, September 27
- Friday, October 25
- Friday, November 22
- December TBD
History Colorado Center
1200 Broadway, Denver | (303) 447-8679
In addition to offering annual free days for Día del Niño and Colorado Day, History Colorado Center participates in Smithsonian Magazine's Museum Day Live! (usually in September) and Denver Arts Week's Night at the Museum (November).
As of May 28, 2022, History Colorado offers free general admission to kids ages 18 and younger at all museums every day! Learn more HERE.
- Sunday, April 28 (Día del Niño)
- Thursday, August 1 (Colorado Day)
MCA Denver
1485 Delgany St., Denver | (303) 298-7554
While not quite free, the Museum of Contemporary Art offers admission for 1¢ on the first Saturday of the month to Colorado residents. Children 18 years and younger are free EVERY day of the year!
- Saturday, January 6
- Saturday, February 3
- Saturday, March 2
- Saturday, April 6
- Saturday, May 4
- Saturday, June 1
- Saturday, July 6
- Saturday, August 3
- Saturday, September 7
- Saturday, October 5
- Saturday, November 2
- Saturday, December 7
Museo de las Americas
861 Santa Fe Dr., Denver | (303) 571-4401
See the current exhibition, shop among local artist vendors, enjoy the cultural programming, and grab a bite to eat and drink on the first Friday of the month. Remember, children 13 years and younger are free EVERY day of the year.
- Friday, January 5
Friday, February 2(closed for an installation)- Friday, March 1
- Friday, April 5
- Friday, May 3
- Friday, June 7
- Friday, July 5
- Friday, August 2
- Friday, September 6
- Friday, October 4
- Friday, November 1
- Friday, December 6
Plains Conservation Center
21901 E. Hampden Ave., Aurora | (303) 326-8380
Enjoy free admission and special activities such as wagon rides on the prairie to see resident wildlife, tours of the 1880s tipi camp and homestead village, and presentations by HawkQuest with live eagles, owls, and falcons.
- Thursday, January 18, 10:00 AM–3:00 PM
- Thursday, February 22, 10:00 AM–3:00 PM
- Saturday, March 16, 10:00 AM–3:00 PM
- Thursday, June 13, 9:00 AM–2:00 PM
- Saturday, July 13, 9:00 AM–2:00 PM
- Thursday, August 15, 9:00 AM–2:00 PM
- Saturday, November 16, 10:00 AM–3:00 PM
- Thursday, December 12, 10:00 AM–3:00 PM
Wings Over the Rockies
Air & Space Museum, 7711 E. Academy Blvd., Denver | (303) 360-5360
Exploration of Flight, 13005 Wings Way Englewood, | (303) 360-5360 ext. 160
Bring your friends and family to share in the wonders of aviation and space exploration with free admission. Explore interactive exhibits and see rare artifacts and iconic aircraft up close! Advance registration is encouraged.
- Sunday, February 11
- Saturday, May 4
- Monday, September 23
- Sunday, November 10
Always Free: Aurora History Museum, Littleton Museum and Living History Farm, Hudson Gardens, and Museum of Outdoor Arts.
Additionally, you can request free passes for various area museums through the Adventure Pass Program offered by our Douglas County Libraries. Passes are for general admission for a specific day and are very limited in quantity.
Participating venues include the Butterfly Pavilion, Colorado Railroad Museum, Denver Firefighters Museum, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Dinosaur Ridge, History Colorado Center, Molly Brown House Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, Vehicle Vault, and Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum.
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