On Sept. 18, in recognition of Smithsonian magazine’s 17th annual Museum Day, the public will receive free admission into museums across the country, including right here in New York. Participating museums in our area include:
- The Noble Maritime Collection, Staten Island
- Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum, Bronx
- New York City Fire Museum, Manhattan
- Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, Manhattan
- AKC Museum of the Dog, Manhattan
- Long Island Maritime Museum, West Sayville, Long Island
- East Hampton Historical Society, East Hampton, Long Island
- Hofstra University Museum of Art, Hempstead, Long Island
- North Shore Historical Museum, Glen Cove, Long Island
- Katonah Museum of Art, Katonah, Westchester County
This year’s Museum Day is themed “Experience America” and celebrates the reopening of museums after long closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Amy Wilkins, chief revenue officer at Smithsonian Media.
“As we begin to feel a sense of normalcy in our day-to-day lives, we are honored to welcome the public back to Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C. and New York and museums around the country this Museum Day,” Wilkins said. “In a year that has challenged us in unprecedented ways it is our hope that this year’s event serves as a reminder of the people, places and cultural experiences that have the power to unite us all.”
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While current events are at the forefront of everyone’s minds, museums give a look into the past in a way that can help educate future generations.
“Museums preserve history for future generations, so the past is never truly lost,” Wilkins said. “Museum Day allows people to visit great museums and cultural institutions throughout our country that they may not usually lean towards or even know about—some of them right in your own backyard—and provides an impetus to visit without ticket costs posing a barrier.”
For more information about Museum Day 2021, visit Smithsonianmag.com/museumday, where you can also download a Museum Day ticket beginning Aug. 18. Each ticket grants the ticket holder and one guest free access to any participating museum on Sept. 18. A full list of participating museums, which will be continually updated, can be found at Smithsonianmag.com/museumday/search.
As an additional part of Smithsonian magazine’s Museum Day this year, Quaker Oats Company is sponsoring a back-to-school instant win giveaway program in which participants will have the chance to win 1 of 100 Smithsonian Science kits per day. Plus, Quaker will host a grand-prize instant win giveaway in which 5 adults will each win a virtual Smithsonian Museum tour and a private Q-and-A with a museum educator for up to 35 participants.
The program runs through Sept. 15. More information is available at QuakerBacktoSchool.com.
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