Looking for some family-friendly entertainment? Or even (gasp) education?
The annual free-days calendar offered by the Scientific & Cultural Facilities District has been released for 2023, covering the metro area’s biggest nonprofit institutions, from the Denver Art Museum and Denver Botanic Gardens to the Denver Zoo.
The aforementioned are considered Tier 1 organizations in SCFD’s sales tax-enabled funding, and with another great haul this year — $70.5 million, or a 13.2% year-to-date increase over 2022 — they’re poised to support even more nonprofits.
Here are the highlights for Tier 1 organizations. Some organizations are free every day, such as Broomfield Veterans Museum, Foothills Art Center, Colorado Music Hall of Fame, and the Aurora History Museum, according to SCFD.
Check scfd.org/find-culture/free-days for the full, updated list, and a printable bookmark for the institutions listed below. Most require online reservations, and all events are subject to change or cancellation.
Visit denvergov.org/government/covid-19-information for the latest from the city.
Denver Art Museum free days
- Jan. 10 and 28
- Feb. 14
- March 14
- April 11 and 30
- May 9 and 14
- June 13
- July 11 and 30
- Sept. 9 and 12
- Oct. 10
- Nov. 4 and 14
- Dec. 12
Note: General museum admission is free every day for kids 18 and younger. 720-865-5000 or denverartmuseum.org
Denver Zoo free days
Due to demand, tickets will not be available at the gate. Instead, Denver Zoo runs an online lottery system that will randomly select winners. Potential attendees must register online during a seven-day open lottery period — about two weeks before each date you’d like to select — for a chance to obtain up to five vouchers. 720-337-1400 or denverzoo.org/free-days
- Jan. 6 and 21
- Feb. 5
- April 9
- Oct. 7
- Nov. 7 and 12
Denver Botanic Gardens at York Street and Chatfield Farms free days
- Jan. 16
- Feb. 16
- March 15
- April 22
- June 6
- July 5
- Aug. 15
- Nov. 24
Denver Botanic Gardens at Plains Conservation Center free days
- Jan. 19
- Feb. 23
- March 11
- June 15
- Aug. 17
- Nov. 18
- Dec. 7
For more information, go to botanicgardens.org. Call 720-865-3500 for York Street, Chatfield and Plains Conservation Center.
Denver Center for the Performing Arts free days
There will be $10 DCPAccess tickets for “Laughs in Spanish” and “Hotter Than Egypt” (on sale Jan. 17) and “The Color Purple” and “The 39 Steps” (on sale March 13). Also available are $10 students tickets to Denver Center Theatre Company shows, with ID, and 20% to 50% off tickets for military members (with online code BLUESTAR). 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org
Denver Museum of Nature & Science free days
- Jan. 9 and 29
- Feb. 6 and 26
- April 30
- June 28* (free only from 5 to 10 p.m.)
- Aug. 16*
- Sept. 6* and 18
- Oct. 15
- Dec. 4
*Free only from 5 to 10 p.m. Free admission does not include IMAX or the Planetarium. 303-370-6000 or dmns.org
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