Need Saturday plans? More than 1,200 museums will offer free entrance this weekend

Need weekend plans for the family? More than 1,200 museums across the U.S. will offer free admission on Saturday, Sept. 23, as part of the national event Museum Day Live. 

Museum Day Live, organized by Smithsonian Magazine and the Smithsonian Institute, is designed to celebrate museums and galleries and their patrons. 

If you want to play tourist in your own state or just beat the heat this weekend, you can go to the Museum Day Live website to narrow down which museum you’d like to visit.

From art galleries to battle ships to children’s theater, there are a range of options and topics to interest every family member. For example, in Tonawanda, New York, museum goers can explore a carrousel and amusement ride factory museum.

In Amherst, Massachusetts, the youngest museum patrons can enjoy a picture book art museum, which celebrates children’s art, theater and story times. 

Aviation enthusiasts have more than ten institutions to choose from, including the International Women’s Air and Space Museum in Cleveland, Ohio, and the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

Once you’ve picked a museum, fill out the online form with your name and email address to claim your ticket voucher, good for two people. You can either immediately download the ticket or have it sent to your email inbox. 

Some museums will accept mobile tickets, but others require you to print them out, so be sure to read the fine print before heading out on Saturday.