Denver has amazing museums for the whole family and to give back to the community, many of them offer free days throughout the year. Most require reserving your tickets online ahead of your visit, so pick some days and sign up for some free fun!
2026 Free Days at Denver Museums
Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus
Joy Park is open for free from 4:30 – 8 p.m. (or dusk) the third Friday of the month, May – September. Aside from the restrooms, the inside of the Museum is closed.
Clyfford Still Museum
The Museum offers pay-what-you-wish admission on select days throughout the year.
- Friday, February 6
- Friday, March 6
- Friday, April 3
- Friday, May 1
- Friday, June 5
- Friday, July 3
- Friday, August 7
- Friday, September 4
- Friday, October 2
- Friday, November 6
- Friday, December 4
Pay-What-You-Wish Days is an initiative to increase community access at the Clyfford Still Museum on select days throughout the year. Admission on designated Pay-What-You-Wish days can be as little as one penny. Online registration will be open one week before each Pay-What-You-Wish Day.
Colorado Railroad Museum
The museum offers free days on several Thursdays throughout the year. Capacity is limited so are sure to reserve your ticket online.
2026 Dates Include:
- Thursday, March 12
- Thursday, May 7
- Friday, May 22
- Friday, August 7
- Thursday, October 1
- Friday, October 16
Denver Art Museum
Teens and children under 18 get in for free but everyone is free in 2024 on the following dates:
- Tuesday, January 13
- Tuesday, February 10
- Tuesday, March 10
- Sunday, April 26 (Día del Niño)
- Tuesday, May 12
- Tuesday, June 9
- Tuesday, July 14
- Saturday, August 1
- Saturday, September 12
- Tuesday, October 13
- Saturday, November 7
- Tuesday, December 8
Please be aware general admission does not include entry to ticketed exhibitions.
Denver Botanic Gardens (York Street and Chatfield Farms locations)
Tickets will be available three months at a time (on a rolling basis) and the tickets will be released on the 1st of the month. They do sell out so make sure to reserve yours online.
Monday, Jan. 19 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)
Thursday, Feb. 12
Monday, March 9
Wednesday, April 22 (Earth Day)
Tuesday, June 9
Wednesday, July 1
Tuesday, Aug. 25
Friday, Nov. 27 (day after Thanksgiving)
Denver Museum of Nature and Science
No need to reserve your Free Day or Free Night ticket ahead of time online. Walk up anytime during Free Days or Free Nights and gain access to the Wildlife Halls or the permanent exhibitions. A separate ticket is required if you’d like to visit the planetarium or our brand-new Infinity Theater.
- Sunday, January 11
- Sunday, February 1
- Monday, February 9
- Friday evening, March 6 (Girls & Science, 4-9 p.m.)
- Monday, April 13
- Sunday, April 26 (Día del Niño, in collaboration with the Mexican Cultural Center)
- Friday, June 19 (Juneteenth)
- Monday, August 24
- Tuesday evening, September 1 (4-9 p.m.)
- Sunday, October 11 (OUT! at the Museum)
- Saturday evening, November 7 (Night at the Museums for Denver Arts Week, 5-10 p.m.)
- Monday, November 16
Denver Zoo
Free Day tickets are only available online. Walk-ups will not be accepted on Free Days.
- Friday, January 9 (tickets released on January 2)
- Sunday, January 25 (tickets released on January 11)
- Sunday, February 22 (tickets released on February 8)
- Sunday, April 19 (tickets released on April 5)
- Wednesday, November 11 (tickets released on October 28)
- Saturday, November 14 (tickets released on October 31)
- Sunday, November 22 (tickets released on November 8)
History Colorado Center
Admission to History Colorado Center is free on El Día del Niño (April 26), Colorado Day (August 1), and Night at the Museums (November 7).
Plains Conservation Center
Join the Center for wagon rides on the prairie to see resident wildlife, tours of the 1880’s tipi camp and homestead village, and presentations by HawkQuest with live eagles, owls, falcons, and more during free days. Free days this year are on the following dates:
- Thursday, Jan. 15, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. (wildlife tracking)
- Thursday, Feb. 19, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.(backyard birds)
- Saturday, March 21, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. (pioneers)
- Thursday, June 11, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. (pollinators)
- Saturday, July 11, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. (summer celebration)
- Thursday, Aug. 20, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.(agriculture)
- Saturday, Nov. 14, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. (Indigenous Peoples)
- Thursday, Dec. 17, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. (holiday)
