Smithsonian Media Sponsors Museum Day 2010

This Saturday, September 25, you can go back in time to see dinosaurs, precious works or art,

or even learn about the solar system, all for free at more than 1,300 museums across the country as Smithsonian Media sponsors “Museum Day.”

Participating museums include Chicago’s Alder Planetarium and the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Hammond Museum in North Salem, and the Autry National Center in Los Angeles, just to name a few. All you have to do is go to Smithsonianmag.com and print out your tickets to get into your select museum for free. While Museum Day is good for two people per household (the rest have to pay), it is a great way to spend time with the kids, and learn about history and culture at the same time.

For example, one of the participating venues includes the Savannah, Georgia birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low. The home saw the birth of Low in 1860, and she later went on to start the Girl Scouts in 1912. It is one of Savannah’s most visited historic attractions, and visitors can get in for free this Saturday to see a little piece of American history.

Last year Museum Day saw more than 300,000 people visit the more the 1,300 participating venues, and with the economy being the way it is these days, and with people looking for inexpensive entertainment for the family, expect an even bigger turnout this year. Nothing says inexpensive like “free.”

Not only is Museum Day a good time to perhaps travel to different locations across your state, but it’s also a great way to learn about some of your local history as well.

“I have encountered many local residents that, for various reasons, have never visited the Ava Gardner Museum. With the free admission on Museum Day, our community will be given the opportunity to discover not only the history of a remarkable woman, but also realize the true asset Johnston County has in the Ava Gardner Museum,” said Jessica Meadows, Executive Director of the Ava Gardner Museum in Smithfield, North Carolina.

There’s less than a week left to plan for Museum Day, so start jotting down all the places you’re going to visit. Remember, to find a museum near you and to print out your free passes, visit Smithsonianmag.com for all the information you need to get started on Museum Day 2010.