Museum Free First Thursday

Description

On Free First Thursday, most museums in the Puget Sound area offer free admission on the first Thursday of the month. This is a great way to explore museums on a budget if you don’t mind things being more crowded than usual. Consider exploring all the museums in our region with your child over several months.

All participating museums have exhibits that are designed with kids in mind or have obvious appeal to children with certain interests.  (If your daughter dreams of being an astronaut, the Museum of Flight is a great place to take her.)

Take it slowly, don’t try to do too much at a time, and let the kids take the lead. If you are visiting an art museum, ask your kids about what they see and what it makes them think about. Pick an object and discuss its story if you are looking at historical exhibits.

Find Museums Offering Free Admission

For a complete list of participating museums and to learn about museums offering other options for free admission, see Seattle's Child Guide to Seattle-area Museums to Explore for Free on First Thursday.

Many of these museums are open on the 4th of July and free- please check the article for the latest updates.

Museums offering Free First Thursday include Burke Museum (University of Washington campus), MOHAI (south Lake Union), Seattle Art Museum, (near the Pike Place Market),  and the National Nordic Museum (Ballard). The National Nordic Museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays starting on August 1, 2024.

Note the museum hours for free admission carefully - some museums offer free evenings only.

While it's not a typical museum,  on Free First Thursday, keep in mind the Seattle Japanese Garden.  It is a unique and lovely place to visit at any time of year (closed for winter maintenance December - February). This 3.5-acre urban sanctuary within Lake Washington Arboretum offers winding paths that invite kids to explore and discover birds, koi, water, and abundant greenery.