Smithsonian magazine has designated Saturday, September 18, 2021 as the 17th annual Museum Day, an initiative in which participating museums across the United States open their doors for free to those who download a branded ticket. The annual event allows museums, zoos and cultural centers from all 50 states to emulate the spirit of the Smithsonian Institution’s Washington, D.C.-based facilities, which offer free admission every day. This year’s event is sponsored by The Quaker Oats Company.

Museum Day goes beyond getting visitors through museum doors—it acts as a springboard to empower and help advance the hopes and ambitions of the public, particularly school-aged children and those in underrepresented communities. It represents a national commitment to access, equity and inclusion.

With many public spaces being shut down for a year or more, Museum Day 2021 celebrates the reopening of museums after long closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s theme, Experience America, represents the return to, and resurgence of, our country’s diverse cultural experiences, in the safest possible way. While tickets will be free of charge, participating museums will have safety precautions in place for this year’s event so guests can safely and comfortably enjoy their experience.

Additionally, this year Quaker is sponsoring Museum Day to further enhance the event’s mission of making cultural and educational experiences accessible to all. Starting July 6 through September 15, 2021, Quaker will be running a back-to-school instant win giveaway program in which participants will have the chance to win one of one hundred Smithsonian Science kits per day. Quaker will also host a grand prize instant win giveaway in which five adults will each win a virtual Smithsonian museum tour and a private Q&A with a museum educator for up to 35 participants. For more information and Official Rules about the giveaways please visit QuakerBacktoSchool.com.

More than 1,000 museums are expected to participate in Smithsonian magazine’s 2021 Museum Day, the largest event of its kind. Those wishing to attend and participate in Museum Day 2021 can visit Smithsonianmag.com/museumday to learn more and download a Museum Day ticket beginning on August 18, 2021. Each ticket grants the ticket holder and one guest free access to any participating museum on September 18, 2021. One ticket is permitted per email address. A list of participating museums, which will be continually updated, can be found at Smithsonianmag.com/museumday/search.