Many museums in (and near Boston) have a designated day where they open their doors for free. We listed the ones we thought you'd love to know.
Museum | Free Days |
Arboretum (Boston) | Every day |
Boston Fire Museum (Boston) | Saturdays 10:00am - 4:00pm Mom Tip: Visit the Boston Children's Museum on the same day -- it's next door. Parking is metered and paid lots are available. |
BU Coit Observatory (Boston) | Wednesday nights -- 7:30pm October to March, and 8:30pm April to September. Tickets required and can be reserved online. Parking is metered. |
Discovery Museum (Acton) | Every Friday night through the summer, from 4:30 to 8:00pm, and the first Friday night of each month during the school year Reservations are required. |
Harvard Arts Museum (Cambridge) | Tuesday to Sunday Parking is metered. |
Harvard Museum of Natural History (Cambridge) | Sundays 9:00am - 12:00pm, and Wednesdays 3:00pm - 5:00pm (September to May) Mom Tip: The museum has life-size models of animals that can be scary to little ones; Parking is metered. |
Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) (Boston) | Thursday Nights from 5:00pm to 9:00pm (although a $5 or more donation is suggested). Tickets available at 10:00am the day of. The museum is also free the last Saturday of every month for families. Families are considered children under 12, with up to two adults. Parking is metered and paid parking lots are available. |
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston) |
Parking is metered |
Museum of Fine Arts (Boston) |
Mom Tip: Ask for a sketch pad at the front desk. |
Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology (Cambridge) | For Massachusetts residents every Sunday morning from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm (year-round) and on Wednesdays from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm (September through May). Proof of residency required. |
Please know free days can change at any time. For example, the Gardner Museum used to offer free nights on Thursday. We try our best to keep our list updated, but please refer to each institution for the most up-to-date information.
Last updated 10/9/24
Are Free Days Crowded?
It depends. Holidays are generally crowded because more people are out of work and/or school. If tickets or registration is required, there is probably a limited capacity, so it may not be as crowded. It also depends on how popular the museum is. For example, the Discovery Museum is frequently packed with families, but the Boston Fire Museum is often empty.
If you love free stuff, we think you'll enjoy our calendar. It features free and close to free things to do in and near Boston. You can check it out here.
Until next time...
Love The Journey,
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