Enjoy art, culture, and fun on a budget during the free museum days in Seattle this June!
Kelly Dougher - Staff Writer•
Don’t miss out on Seattle museums’ free admission days!
Seattle is a beautiful city to explore, but it can also get expensive fast. If you’re a student, a parent with young children, or just on a tight budget, there are ways to immerse yourself in the city’s art and culture without spending any money. Most of Seattle museums’ free admission days reoccur on the same date every month. Some even offer daily free admission!
We also included a few non-museum options that observe Free First Thursday below, such as the Volunteer Park Conservatory!
Important note: Be sure to check each museum’s website before you go, as the hours for free admission can vary and sometimes you need to reserve your ticket in advance.
Check out upcoming Seattle museums free admission days below:
Summary of upcoming free admission days (June 2024):
June 6th (first Thursday of every month):
- Seattle Art Museum (tickets available online and onsite)
- Seattle Asian Art Museum (note that this used to be on the last Friday of the month, but will now be on the first Thursday of every month starting in January 2024!)
- National Nordic Museum (must be reserved in advance online)
- Museum of History and Industry (from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. only)
- Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
- Henry Art Gallery (free admission every Sunday as well!)
- Museum of Flight (from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. only; no reservation required)
- Volunteer Park Conservatory (also on the first Saturday of every month; 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. both days)
- Washington Park Arboretum Walking Tour (11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. starting at the Graham Visitors Center; no preregistration necessary)
- Seattle Japanese Garden (open from noon to 5:00 p.m.)
Daily free admission:
- Frye Art Museum
- Olympic Sculpture Park
- Center for Wooden Boats
- The Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center
- Klondike Gold Rush Museum
- Center on Contemporary Art
Additional free admission tips:
- Make sure to check each museum’s free admission hours before you go, as they can vary from normal hours.
- Some museums require you to reserve your ticket in advance for free admission days—another reason to check their website first.
- You can use your Seattle library card or King County library card for free admission to many Seattle museums such as Museum of Pop Culture (as well as the zoo and the aquarium).
- Smithsonian Magazine hosts a free museum day every year on September 17.
- Many Seattle museums offer free admission for children; see details below.
Now, in no particular order, here’s all the museum details:
1. Seattle Art Museum
Seattle Art Museum (SAM), located downtown a block away from Pike Place Market, offers free admission on the first Thursday of every month as well as other discount access programs. Admission is always free for children age 14 and younger.
In the summer months, be sure to check out Summer at SAM. The museum hosts free outdoor events in Olympic Sculpture Park during July and August. Get more information on their website here.
2. National Nordic Museum
National Nordic Museum in Ballard offers free admission on the first Thursday of every month. It also participates in the Seattle Library Museum Pass program; use your library card for a free visit! You can visit to learn all about Nordic culture, heritage, history, and art. Get more information on their website here.
3. Museum of Flight
The Museum of Flight offers free admission from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month. Children age four and younger are always admitted for free. Get more information on their website here.
4. Northwest African American Museum
Northwest African American Museum in the Central District just reopened their doors in January 2023 with a Martin Luther King Day celebration. Adult admission is $10 but ages 18 and under are $5, and ages 3 and under are admitted for free. Other than extended hours on that day, there’s nothing currently on their website about free first Thursdays. Follow their Instagram page for updates. Get more information on their website here.
5. Museum of History and Industry
The Museum of History and Industry in Lake Union Park offers free admission from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month but you must reserve your ticket in advance. Children age 14 and younger always have free admission. Visiting this museum is a great way to learn about the history of Seattle and the surrounding region! Get more information on their website here.
6. Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture—located on the University of Washington campus—offers free admission on the first Thursday of every month. It also participates in the Museum for All program. Children age 3 and younger as well as UW students, staff and faculty always have free admission. Get more information on their website here.
7. Henry Art Gallery
Henry Art Gallery operates on a suggested admission donation of $0 to $20. It also offers free admission on the first Thursday of every month as well as on every Sunday. Children, students, military personnel, and members of the University of Washington community always enjoy free admission. This contemporary art museum is located on the University of Washington campus. It also often has offsite exhibitions such as the free outdoors exhibition Chloë Bass: Soft Services currently located in Volunteer Park. Get more information on their website here.
8. Frye Art Museum
Frye Art Museum is always free! This contemporary art museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and is located in First Hill. Donations are welcome. They also have a variety of ongoing programs at the museum that are free to participate in. Get more information on their website here.
9. Olympic Sculpture Park
Olympic Sculpture Park is an outdoor sculpture museum located downtown that is always free. It is open daily 30 minutes after sunrise and closes 30 minutes before sunset. Get more information on their website here.
10. Center for Wooden Boats
This maritime museum is always free. It is open Wednesday through Sunday. Keep in mind that it is closed on Thanksgiving Day this month. You can also check out their free rowboat rental program. Get more information on their website here.
11. Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center
This cultural center in West Seattle is open in a limited capacity with daily free admission. They are closed Sundays and Mondays. Get more information on their website here.
12. Klondike Gold Rush Museum
Located at 319 2nd Ave S, this museum has a lot of interesting information about the 1890s Klondike gold rush in Seattle. It offers daily free admission for its self-guided exhibits. Get more information on their website here.
13. Center on Contemporary Art
This downtown art gallery is open to the public free of charge Thursdays through Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Get more information on their website here.
14. Seattle Asian Art Museum
Seattle Asian Art Museum offers free admission for all on the first Thursday of every month and children age 14 and under are always admitted for free. This used to take place on the last Friday of every month but they changed it starting in January 2024. The museum is located in Volunteer Park in Capitol Hill. The hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Get more information on their website here.
15. Museum of Pop Culture
Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) does not have any free admission days but participates in Museums for All, which allows free admission anytime if you present an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card from any state. MoPOP also participates in the free library pass program with the Seattle Public Library and the King County Library System, so that’s another great reason to get a library card! Children age 4 and younger always have free admission to MoPOP. Get more information on their website here.
16. Seattle Japanese Garden
Although not technically a museum, the Seattle Japanese Garden is another attraction that waives its admission fees on the first Thursday of every month. Note that the garden is closed for winter maintenance from December through February. It is located inside the Washington Park Arboretum. Get more information on their website here.
17. Volunteer Park Conservatory
This historic greenhouse in Capitol Hill’s Volunteer Park offers free admission twice a month: on the first Thursday and first Saturday of every month. The hours are 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Afterwards, you can walk to the nearby Volunteer Park water tower and climb the stairs for a 360-degree view (this is always free). Get more information on their website here.
18. Washington Park Arboretum Walking Tour
The Washington Park Arboretum offers a free walking tour on the first Thursday of every month (except December!). No need to pre-register. The tour departs from the Graham Visitors Center at 11:30 a.m. and runs to about 1:00 p.m. You’ll get to learn all about the history and plant collections of the arboretum. Note that this educational walking tour is geared towards adults. Get more information on their website here.
Also check out: The 10 Most Exciting Exhibitions in Seattle To See This Summer
