2018’S FREE DAYS AT CULTURAL HOT SPOTS, MUSEUMS
Your 2018 guide to free days at Denver Zoo, museums and other cultural hot spots
As Denver’s size and cost of living continue to grow, free days at area cultural institutions have become more important for budgetstrapped residents, especially parents.
And, as with recent years, the Scientific & Cultural Facilities District — the sevencounty metro area’s tax district that funds hundreds of arts and culture nonprofits — offers a handy interactive calendar at scfd.org that lists the free days by month.
But we figured we’d save you some clicking and tapping with this curated list of the most notable free days of 2018.
On a weekly basis, organizations such as Hudson Gardens (6115 S. Santa Fe Drive in Littleton) offer outdoor fun for those whose idea of a good time includes picnics, walks and birdwatching.
For art lovers, the Arvada Center Galleries (6901 Wadsworth Blvd.) offer free admission Monday through Sunday, while each
Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. is free at downtown Denver’s prestigious
Clyfford Still Museum (1250 Bannock St.).
Others offer slightly more limited hours, such as the free Tuesday-Friday admission at the Museum of Outdoor Arts (1000 Englewood Parkway) and the Tuesday-Sunday free admission at the Aurora History
Museum (15051 E. Alameda Parkway). The second Saturday of each month is also free at the
Longmont Museum (400 Quail Road).
And finally, one-off performances — such as Aurora Symphony Orchestra’s 2018 Family & Children’s Concert on Feb. 8 at Stanley Marketplace (this year titled “It’s a Fiesta!”) — will pop up from time to time on the SCFD calendar.
But for the bigger institutions, we recommend showing up early and exercising patience, as most have proven wildly popular yearround. Hours vary by institution. Denver Zoo, 2300 Steele St., 720-337-1400 Free days: Jan. 11, 19 and 20, Feb. 4-5, Nov. 9 and 12. Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave Parkway, 720-865-5000
Free days: Feb. 3, March 4, April 7, April 29, May 5, June 2, July 7, Aug. 4, Sept. 1, Sept. 8, Oct. 6, Nov. 3, Dec. 1.
Note: General museum admission is free for kids 18 and younger every day. Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St., 720-865-3501
Free days at York Street: Jan. 15, Feb. 19, March 22, April 8, June 5, July 19, Aug. 29, Nov. 3.
Chatfield Farms: Feb. 6, March 6, April 3, June 5, July 3, Aug. 7, Nov. 6, Dec. 14.
Plains Conservation Center: Feb. 18, March 19, June 13, July 14, Aug. 7, Nov. 8. Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus, 2121 Children’s Museum Dr., 303-4337444
Free nights 4-8 p.m. include March 6, April 3, May 1, June 5, July 3, Aug. 7, Sept. 4, Oct. 2, Nov. 6, Dec. 4. Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd., 303-370-6000
Free days: Jan. 28, Feb. 12, April 9, April 29, June 3, July 5, Aug. 13, Sept. 12, Sept. 30, Oct. 14, Dec. 9.
Museo de las Americas, 861 Santa Fe Drive, 303-571-4401
First Fridays free from 5-9 p.m. on Feb. 2, March 2, May 4, May 6 (general free day), June 1, July 4 (general), July 6, Aug. 3, Sept. 7, Sept. 15 (teen day), Oct. 5, Nov. 2, Nov. 10 (general), Dec. 7. Molly Brown House Museum, 1340 Pennsylvania St., 303832-4092 Free days: Jan. 27, May 1, Aug. 1, Nov. 9. Colorado Railroad Museum, 17155 W. 44th Ave. in Golden, 303-279-4591 Free days: March 8, April 12, Oct. 11. Denver Center for the Performing Arts, 1101 13th St., 303893-4100
Discounts: $10 tickets to all locally produced Theatre Company productions on select dates, plus occasional discounts to Broadway and Cabaret shows. Visit denvercenter.org/dcpaccess for details.