Colorado is home to an abundance of museums, cultural institutions, and popular outdoor attractions. Thanks to Colorado Free Days, residents and visitors alike are able to experience many of these spaces, places, and things without paying admission. Enjoy free access to top Denver attractions, such as the Museum of Nature & Science, the Botanic Gardens, and even the Rocky Mountain National Park!
What Are Colorado Free Days?
Organizations from across the Denver metro area work together to provide hundreds of free days and free programs to the community each year. Free Days are also funded, in part, by the residents of Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, and Jefferson counties via the Scientific & Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) 0.1% sales and use tax. This is a voter-approved regional tax district that helps to provide funding to support organizations across these seven metro-area counties. One penny of every $10 in sales and use tax goes towards SCFD.
Other attractions may have pay-what-you-can options and discounted days throughout the year to encourage the community to visit and engage with museum exhibits, cultural experiences, and more.
Colorado Free Days by Attraction
The city of Denver and the surrounding region spearhead the initiative that provides residents with abundant opportunities to visit museums, centers, galleries, and more for free on select days throughout the year. Use this helpful compilation of free days to mark your calendar for the dates you don’t want to miss!
Denver Art Museum
Where? 100 West 14th Avenue Parkway
- Tuesday, April 8th
- Sunday, April 27th
- Tuesday, May 13th
- Tuesday, June 10th
- Tuesday, July 8th
- Sunday, July 27th
- Tuesday, August 12th
- Saturday, September 6th
- Tuesday, September 9th
- Tuesday, October 14th
- Saturday, November 8th
- Tuesday, December 9th
General admission to the Denver Art Museum is free for visitors 18 and younger every day. Entry is free for everyone on the above dates thanks to the support of the SCFD and Front Range Toyota Stores. Attendees are encouraged to reserve a complimentary ticket online.
Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Where? 2001 Colorado Boulevard
- Monday, April 7th
- Sunday, April 27th
- Monday, May 12th
- Tuesday, June 19th
- Monday, August 25th
- Monday, September 15th
- Sunday, October 12th
- Saturday evening, November 8th (Night at the Museums)
- Monday, December 8th
On March 7th and November 8th, the museum is free only from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. No ticket is necessary to visit the museum on select free days. Visitors are welcome to walk up any time to access the permanent exhibition and wildlife halls. Free days don’t include admission to paid activities and exhibits.
Denver Botanic Gardens
Where? 1007 York Street & 8500 West Deer Creek Canyon Road
- Monday, March 17th (Rescheduled for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)
- Tuesday, April 22nd
- Tuesday, June 10th
- Thursday, July 3rd
- Wednesday, August 27th
- Friday, November 28th
Free Days at the Denver Botanic Gardens are funded by SCFD and occur at multiple locations throughout the year. Visitors must first register for tickets online for the York Street and Chatfield Farms locations. Tickets typically run out and are available three months at a time on a rolling basis. Aside from the above free days, the first floor of the York Street’s location houses the Freyer Newman Center. The center is always open to the general public without any reservation.
Denver Botanic Gardens at Plains Conservation Center
Where? 21901 East Hampden Avenue
- Saturday, March 15th
- Thursday, June 12th
- Saturday, July 12th
- Thursday, August 14th
- Saturday, November 15th
- Thursday, December 11th
Clyfford Still Museum
Where? 1250 Bannock Street
- Sunday, April 27th (Día del Niño Celebration Program)
- Sunday, June 29th (Denver PrideFest Weekend)
- Sunday, July 27th (Disability Pride Celebration Program)
- Saturday, November 8th (Night at the Museums)
The Clyfford Still Museum encourages visitors to reserve their free tickets online in advance, with registration opening one week before each free day. The museum also hosts Pay-What-You-Wish Days, allowing visitors to be admitted to the museum for as little as one penny. This initiative was designed to further increase the community’s access to the museum. The Pay-What-You-Wish Days are scheduled for the following dates.
- Friday, April 4th
- Friday, May 2nd
- Friday, June 6th
- Thursday, July 3rd
- Friday, August 1st
- Friday, September 5th
- Friday, October 3rd
- Friday, November 7th
- Friday, December 5th
Museum of Contemporary Art Denver
Where? 1485 Delgany Street
The Museum of Contemporary Art is always free for those 18 years old and younger. General admission for adults is priced at $14, with discounts available ranging from basically free to $5. On the first Saturday of each month, Coloradans can visit the museum for just a penny. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays after 5:00 PM — general admission is $5. This gives visitors two hours to explore the museum before it closes at 7:00 PM.
Colorado Railroad Museum
Where? 17155 West 44th Avenue
SCFD Free Days are scheduled for March 13th, May 8th, and October 2nd — all Thursdays.
The museum also partners with the city of Boulder to provide Boulder County residents with free admission to the museum on May 23rd, August 8th, and October 17th — all Fridays. Proof of residency is required.
Free days at the Colorado Railroad Museum don’t include the train ride that’s typically included with general admission. Visitors can always add the ride for $4.
Denver Zoo
Where? 2300 Steele Street
- Sunday, April 6th (Tickets released on March 26th)
- Friday, November 7th (Tickets released on October 27th)
- Saturday, November 15th (Tickets released on November 4th)
- Sunday, November 23rd (Tickets released on November 12th)
Free days at the Denver Zoo are understandably very popular, especially amongst families with little ones in tow. There are limited amounts of tickets that are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets must be reserved in advance and walk-ups aren’t accepted on free days. Tickets are released in advance of the free date.
Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum
Where? 7711 East Academy Boulevard
Admission is free for everyone at the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum on four select dates in 2025, in part thanks to SCFD. Ticket reservations can be made for free online.
- Wednesday, June 18th
- Friday, September 12th
- Saturday, November 8th
Museo de las Americas
Where? 861 Santa Fe Drive
General admission to the Museo de las Americas is typically free for children ages 13 years old and younger and $8 for adults. Students, seniors, artists, teachers, and military members get a discounted rate of $5. On the first Friday of every month, the museum offers free admission to everyone from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM. No ticket is necessary.
Night at the Museums
When? November 8th, 2025
Night at the Museums is a collaborative effort between 17 museums, centers, and parks to provide the public with a unique opportunity to visit these core community establishments between 5:00 PM and 10:00 PM for free. Participating museums include the Clyfford Still Museum, the Denver Firefighters Museum, The Museum for Black Girls, Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum, and many more. In 2024, Night at the Museums hosted approximately 17,000 visitors!
Free Days at Colorado’s National Parks & NPS Sites
While not just limited to the Centennial State’s most majestic outdoor spaces, the National Park Systems offers six days where admission is waived. These free days include national parks, monuments, recreation areas, historical sites, and any NPS site that usually charges an entry.
Despite the fees being waived, keep in mind that charges for other things such as timed entry or reservation fees may apply to specific parks and sites.
- Saturday, April 19th (First Day of National Park Week)
- Thursday, June 19th (Juneteenth)
- Monday, August 4th (Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act)
- Saturday, September 27th (National Public Lands Day)
- Tuesday, November 11th (Veterans Day)
Free Admission at Colorado State Parks
Every year on the first Monday in August, Coloradans celebrate Colorado Day. This date commemorates Colorado becoming the 38th state in the country. In 2025, Colorado Day falls on Monday, August 4th. One of the perks of the holiday is free admission to all Colorado State Parks!
Check Out these Organizations, Museums, and Centers that are Free Daily!
Instead of waiting for a free day to arrive, check out these spots that are free every day.
- Broomfield Veterans Museum
- Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park
- Foothills Art Center
- Aurora History Museum
- Depot Art Gallery
- Louisville History Museum
Take Advantage of Free Days Across Denver & the Centennial State!
Whether you’re interested in gaining free admission to the Denver Zoo and spending the afternoon meeting new animals or you want to check out Rocky Mountain National Park with a waived fee — this is your one-stop-shop for all things free days & pay-what-you-wish deals.