It seems like every day is new National Day, so we can understand the eye roll that comes with reading this post. However, April 4, 2020 is Museum Day, when the doors of many houses of art and culture swing open to welcome those seasoned art lovers and newbies looking to be awed and inspired by a new favorite piece of art.
Hosted by Smithsonian magazine, Smithsonian Museum Day provides free admission for two people at participating museums and today tickets become available. We highly recommend that you visit a museum (for free!) on April 4th. Here are some thought-starters:
The Getty Museum courtesy of LACVB
Los Angeles
LA’s J. Paul Getty Museum is free for the day to wander around both campuses and peruse the exhibits. Just bring your camera, since the view are snap-worthy.
Washington D.C.
In Washington D.C., we recommend to hit up The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum to view some fashion and how it plays an important role in society.
Chicago
Chicago gives a few more options with the Museum of Contemporary Art in the Gold Coast neighborhood and the Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago both welcoming guests for free.
New Orleans
If you can pull yourself from your hurricane, visit New Orleans Museum of Art for the “big” and “easy” fix for some art and culture. It’ll make for a better story than a night out at Bourbon Pub.
Fort Lauderdale
The NSU in Fort Lauderdale will host an all-day program in which visitors can make a collaborative mural in the outside breezeway area of the museum. It’s always fun to be part of something bigger!
Philadelphia
Philly has a few offerings to get your art on with University of Penn’s Institute of Contemporary Art, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art are all free to the public and will round out a perfect long weekend to the city.
Providence
RISD Museum in Providence is a great place to see some of the greatest creative minds from the School and beyond with complimentary admission.
New York City
If you’re looking for queer art, waste no time in getting to New York City’s Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art for photography and drawing by queers.