Updated! See Denver Free Days 2023.
Denver has some of the best museums and cultural facilities in the country – and thanks to the SCFD (Scientific Cultural and Facilities District) a small portion of the taxes you pay each year is given to these great institutions. And because of that, they offer free access to Denver’s museums and attractions several times of a year. We have worked with the team to gather several dates that are free. With COVID restrictions, always double-check with the venue to see what restrictions are in place and if reservations are required.
Love Denver? Keep exploring with the Essential Denver: Discovery and Exploration Guide (many attractions are free!) Also, scroll down to see our top picks for Denver’s best playgrounds, how to rent a Go-Pro and Colorado State Parks Pass for free and Denver’s best museums for kids.
Denver Free Days 2022
January
- Monday, January 3 – Denver Museum of Nature & Science
- Wednesday, January 5 – Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave
- Tuesday, January 11 – Denver Art Museum
- Friday, January 15 – Four Mile Historic Park
- Monday, January 17 – Denver Botanic Gardens (both York Street and Chatfield Farms locations)
- Monday, January 17 – National Park Admission is free for Martin Luther King Jr’s Birthday
- Thursday, January 20 – Denver Botanic Gardens Plains Conservation Center
- Thursday, January 20 – Clyfford Still Museum
- Saturday, January 22 – Denver Zoo*
- Saturday, January 22 – Denver Art Museum
- Sunday, January 23 – Denver Museum of Nature & Science
- Tuesday, January 25 – Tickets will go on sale for Rattlesnake Kate and In the Upper Room at the Denver Center for Performing Arts (DCPA) for as low as $10 each.
- Saturday, January 29 – Denver Museum of Nature & Science
February
- Wednesday, February 2 – Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave
- Sunday, February 6 – Denver Zoo*
- Monday, February 7 – Denver Museum of Nature & Science
- Tuesday, February 8 – Denver Art Museum
- Friday, February 11 – Four Mile Historic Park
- Saturday. February 12 – Denver Firefighters Museum (in honor of Burn Awareness Week)
- Tuesday, February 15 – Clyfford Still Museum
- Thursday, February 17 – Denver Botanic Gardens (at all three York St., Chatfield Farms and Plains Conservation Center locations)
- Monday, February 21 – National Parks entrance is free because of President’s Day
- Sunday, February 27 – Denver Museum of Nature & Science
March
- Monday, March 5 – Denver Firefighters Museum
- Wednesday, March 7 – Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave
- Tuesday, March 8 – Denver Art Museum
- Friday, March 11 – Four Mile Historic Park
- Wednesday, March 16 – Denver Botanic Gardens (York Street and Chatfield Farms)
- Saturday, March 19 – Denver Botanic Gardens Plains Conservation Center
- Saturday, March 19 – Clyfford Still Museum
April
- Wednesday, April 6 – Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave
- Friday, April 8 – Four Mile Historic Park
- Sunday, April 10 – Denver Zoo*
- Tuesday, April 12 – DCPA tickets for Choir Boy go on sale for as low as $10 each
- April 16-24 is National Park Week, free entrance
- Thursday, April 21 – Denver Botanic Gardens (York St. and Chatfield Farms)
- Sunday, April 24 – Clyfford Still Museum (Día del Niño)
- Sunday, April 24 – History Colorado Center (Día del Niño)
May
- Sunday, May 1 – Denver Museum of Nature & Science
- Tuesday, May 3 – DCPA tickets to Quixote Nuevo on sale for as low as $10 each.
- Friday, May 13 – Four Mile Historic Park
- Wednesday, May 18 – Clyfford Still Museum
- Monday, May 23 – Denver Museum of Nature & Science
June
- Tuesday, June 7 – Denver Botanic Gardens (York Street & Chatfield Farms)
- Friday, June 10 – Clyfford Still Museum
- Friday, June 10 – Four Mile Historic Park
- Saturday, June 11 – National Parks entrances are free for National Get Outdoors Day
- Thursday, June 16 – Denver Botanic Gardens Plains Conservation Center
July
- Saturday, July 2 – Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA)
- Tuesday, July 5 – Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum
- Wednesday, July 6 – Denver Botanic Gardens (York St. & Chatfield Farms)
- Friday, July 8 – Four Mile Historic Park
- Saturday, July 23 – Denver Botanic Gardens (Plains Conservation Center)
- Sunday, July 24 – Clyfford Still Museum
August
- Monday, August 1 – Colorado Day at History Colorado Center
- Friday, August 5 – Clyfford Still Museum
- Saturday, August 6 – Museum of Contemporary Art ( MCA)
- Friday, August 12 – Four Mile Historic Park
- Tuesday, August 16 – Denver Botanic Gardens (York St & Chatfield Farms)
- Wednesday, August 17 – Denver Museum of Nature & Science (free 5-10 P.M.)
September
- Saturday, September 3 – Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA)
- September 10 – Denver Firefighter’s Museum Grandparent’s Day (Grandparents are free)
- Wednesday, September 7 – Denver Museum of Nature & Science (free 5-10 P.M.)
- Friday, September 9 – Four Mile Historic Park
- Saturday, September 10 – Clyfford Still Museum
- Monday, September 19 – Denver Museum of Nature & Science
- September 24 – Smithsonian Day includes Free Admission at several area venues!
October
- Saturday, October 1 – Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA)
- Saturday, October 8 – Denver Zoo
- Sunday, October 9 – Denver Museum of Nature & Science
- Friday, October 14- Four Mile Historic Park
- Saturday, October 14 – Denver Firefighter’s Museum
- Tuesday, October 18 – Clyfford Still Museum
November
- Tuesday, November 1 – Denver Zoo
- Saturday, November 5 – Denver Night at the Museums includes several museums: Clyfford Still Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), Colorado History Center & Center for Colorado Women’s History
- Friday, November 11 – Four Mile Historic Park
- Sunday, November 13 – Denver Zoo
- Friday, November 25 – Denver Botanic Gardens (York St & Chatfield Farms)
December
- Saturday, December 3 – Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA)
- Monday, December 5 – Denver Museum of Nature & Science
- Wednesday, December 7 – Clyfford Still Museum
- Friday, December 9 – Four Mile Historic Park
The Denver Art Museums offers free general admission to all youth age 18 and under every day. Plus, there are a few venues that are always free all the time including Aurora History Museum, Hudson Gardens, and the Museum of the Outdoor Arts.
FREE Library Adventure Pass. Use your Jefferson County, Douglas County, Denver County or Araphoe County library card to reserve a FREE Adventure Pass to one of our local participating cultural institutions. Reserve free passes up to 14 days in advance. Participating cultural institutions include the Butterfly Pavilion, the Denver Trolley, Denver Zoo, History Colorado Center, the Colorado Railroad Museum, DMNS and more.
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Other Denver Museums and Attractions
Denver’s best museums for kids.
‘Snow Days’ debuts at the Denver Children’s Museum: 8 must-see attractions.
Check out a sewing machine, Colorado State Park pass, Go-Pro and more for FREE from the Denver Public Library.
Denver’s best new playgrounds and this guide to Denver Playgrounds & Parks.
15 Quirky Roadside Attractions in Colorado and Secret Denver: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful and Obscure.
Photo credit: Denver Children’s Museum at Marsico Campus. Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. While clicking these links won’t cost you extra money, they help us keep this site up and running. See our disclosure policy.
Author: Gretchen
Gretchen loves to be outdoors! She is addicted to coupons and finding the best deals or entering sweepstakes (one day she will win something really great!)
