The annual free days offered by the Scientific & Cultural Facilities District cover the metro area’s biggest nonprofit institutions, from the Denver Art Museum and Denver Botanic Gardens to the Denver Zoo, and they’re always family-friendly hits.
The aforementioned are considered Tier 1 organizations in SCFD’s sales tax-enabled funding, and with a surprisingly great haul this year — $62.2 million, or an 18% year-to-date increase over 2021 — they’re poised to roar back for 2022.
Here are the highlights for Tier 1 organizations. Some organizations are free every day, such as Broomfield Veterans Museum, Foothills Art Center and Aurora History Museum, according to SCFD.
Check scfd.org/find-culture/free-days soon for a full, updated list, and a printable bookmark for the below institutions. Most require online reservations, and all events are subject to change or cancellation due to changing COVID-19 mandates. Visit denvergov.org/government/covid-19-information for the latest from the city.
Denver Art Museum
- Jan. 11 and 22
- Feb. 28
- March 8
Note: General museum admission is free for kids 18 and younger every day. 720-865-5000 or denverartmuseum.org
Denver Zoo
Due to demand, Denver Zoo has instituted an online lottery system that will randomly select winners. Potential attendees must register online during a five-day open lottery period for a chance to obtain up to five vouchers for the relevant free day. The first Free Day is on Friday, Jan. 7, with the lottery period open now through Thursday, Dec. 30. No tickets will be available at the gate. More free days: Feb. 6, April 10, Oct. 8 and Nov. 1. 720-337-1400 or denverzoo.org
Denver Botanic Gardens at York Street
- Jan. 17
- Feb. 17
- March 16
- April 21
- June 7
- July 6
- Aug. 16
- Nov. 25.
Call 720-865-3500 or visit botanicgardens.org/events/free-days for this and the two locations listed below.
Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms
- Jan. 17
- Feb. 17
- March 16
- April 21
- June 7
- July 6,
- Aug. 6
- Nov. 25.
Denver Botanic Gardens at Plains Conservation Center
- Jan. 20
- Feb. 17
- March 19
- June 16
- July 23
- Aug. 23
- Nov. 19
- Dec. 15
Denver Center for the Performing Arts
$10 DCPAccess tickets on sale for Jan. 25’s “Rattlesnake Kate”; Jan. 25’s “In the Upper Room”; April 12’s “Choir Boy”; and May 3’s “Quixote Nuevo.” 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org
Denver Museum of Nature & Science
- Jan. 3, 23 and 29*
- Feb. 7 and 27
- May 1 and 23
- Aug. 17*
- Sept. 7*
- Sept. 19
- Oct. 9
- Dec. 5
*Free only from 5 to 9 p.m. 303-370-6000 or dmns.org
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