28 museums will be offering FREE or half price admission on Saturday, February 4th for the 14th Annual Sacramento Museum Day!
This event is presented by the Sacramento Association of Museums (SAM), and proudly supported by Umpqua Bank. Sacramento Museum Day takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All participating museums close at 5 p.m. with the last guests admitted at 4 p.m.
NEW for 2012:
Museum Day welcomes two new museums – The Center for Contemporary Art, located at 1519 19th Street in Sacramento; and Sacramento Children’s Museum located at 2701 Prospect Park Drive in Rancho Cordova. Both locations will be open free to the public during Museum Day.
Two regular destinations, Sacramento Zoo and Fairytale Town, located in William Land Park will offer half-priced admission during Museum Day.
Shuttle busses will not be operating this year. However, several museums are in walking distance of each other. Pick up a Museum Day Guide at any participating Museum for a map to help you plan your day.
Museum Day is a Sacramento cultural tradition and we invite all members of the community to experience the region’s incredible wealth of art, history, science and wildlife at numerous participating museums.
PARTICIPATING MUSEUMS for SACRAMENTO MUSEUM DAY 2012:
Aerospace Museum of California
California Automobile Museum
California Foundry History Museum
The California Museum
California State Capitol Museum
California State Indian Museum
California State Military Museum
California State Railroad Museum
Center for Contemporary Art
Crocker Art Museum
Discovery Museum Science and Space Center
The Don and June Salvatori California Pharmacy Museum
Fairytale Town*
Folsom History Museum
Governor’s Mansion State Historic Park
Heidrick Ag History Center (Woodland)
Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park
Museum of Medical History
Old Sacramento Schoolhouse Museum
Old Sacramento State Historic Park
Sacramento Children’s Museum
Sacramento Zoo*
Sacramento Historic City Cemetery
Sacramento History Museum
Sojourner Truth Multicultural Arts Museum
Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park
Wells Fargo History Museum (Old Sacramento and Downtown locations).
*All listed Museums will offer free admission on Museum Day except for the Sacramento Zoo and Fairytale Town which will offer half-priced admission.
Click here to see the Parking Suggestions.
Here are the Frequently Asked Questions from the Sacramento Museum Day site:
Q: Will I need a special ticket to get in to Sacramento Museum Day?
A: No, simply show up at participating museums between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and you will be admitted. Please be advised that some museums may experience overcrowding this day, and there may be a wait. See Event Hours and Helpful Tips or additional information and suggestions regarding how to avoid the crowds.
Q: What are the event hours?
A: Participating museums will admit guests from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. during Sacramento Museum Day, with all museums closing at 5 p.m.
Q: Are all museums free?
A: Only those members of the Sacramento Association of Museums participate in Museum Day. Of those 28 museums, all are free except for the Sacramento Zoo and Fairytale Town which will offer half-priced admissions. Click on Participating Museums for a list of Museum Day museums.
Q: Where should I park my car?
A: See Parking Suggestions for some ideas. In general we suggest that you NOT try to park anywhere in the vicinity of the Sacramento Zoo and Fairytale Town this day (the Land Park area gets very, very crowded if the weather is nice), and the same thing applies for parking in Old Sacramento, which will be packed with automobiles, rain or shine. Two parking lots in the vicinity of The California Museum will be open free of charge this day. Finally, consider not driving at all—but rather, taking Light Rail (regular RT fares apply) to the Archives Plaza station, located at The California Museum and within walking distance of some museums. Or, continue on light rail to the Sacramento Valley Station, just a short walk from Old Sacramento and its many museums!
Q: How long does it take to visit each museum?
A: Because of the high number of guests on Museum Day, some popular locations such as the Sacramento Zoo, California State Railroad Museum and Fairytale Town may have long lines and delays to get in, as well as crowded exhibits. We suggest you plan to visit only one or two museums that day and for a richer experience, choose museums that are less well known.
Q: What museums do you recommend for children?
A: We recommend that you think about the ages and interests of your children, then take a look through the Participating Museums section to see what strikes a familiar chord.There are so many museums and activities to choose from that we suggest you put together a list that suits your family’s specific interests.
This post is sponsored by:
Affordable movers in Sacramento, CA
Written by Keilah Woodard
My love for exploring and creating experiences with my three kids led to the founding of SacramentoSidetracks.com in 2009. I realized that Sacramento has so much to offer and I was excited to share my findings with other parents. Besides simply having fun, these are the other positive side effects of taking my kids on outings that I’ve discovered: we have quality time together away from the distractions at home, we cultivate our curiosity, learn new things, conversations are triggered by what we see and do, we connect and bond as a family, and we create new memories. Ready to get sidetracked, too? Let me be your guide!
