SoCal Museums Announces the Annual MUSEUMS FREE-FOR-ALL
Los Angeles, CA (January 2026)—SoCal Museums announced today that this year’s Museums Free-for-All, which celebrates free arts and culture in Southern California, will take place on Sunday, February 22, 2026. From Santa Barbara to Orange County, cultural institutions welcome audiences for this region-wide tradition presenting art, design, cultural heritage, film, natural history, science, political history and more.
“For more than twenty years, SoCal Museums members have come together annually to collectively open our doors and welcome the public,” says Cristian Hamilton, President of SoCal Museums and Vice President of Advancement, Autry Museum of the American West. “We believe arts and culture should be accessible to everyone, and Museums Free-for-All has become a community touchstone. The day encourages visitors to try something new, return to an old favorite, and experience the extraordinary diversity of free cultural experiences unique to Southern California.
A calendar of free days can be found at socalmuseums.net/free.
*Please note the new website address
This offer is for general museum admission only and does not apply to specially ticketed exhibitions. Regular parking fees apply at each museum. Consult individual museum websites for hours, directions, and other visitor information.
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
(Tickets will be first come first serve all day)
American Museum of Ceramic Art
(Advanced reservations are required. Visit amoca.org to make a reservation)
Autry Museum of the American West
(Advanced reservations are required. Visit theautry.org to make a reservation)
Benton Museum of Art at Pomona College
(Advanced reservations are recommended. Visit broad.org to make a reservation)
California African American Museum
(Advanced reservations are recommended. Visit calbg.org to make a reservation)
(Timed tickets are required for The Getty Center. Visit getty.edu to make a reservation)
The Getty Villa
(Timed tickets are required for The Getty Villa. Visit getty.edu to make a reservation)
Hammer Museum
(Show a L.A. Metro TAP card at the Hammer Museum Store for 10% off your purchase, including membership)
Institute Contemporary Art, LA
(Advance tickets required. Visit tarpits.org to make a reservation)
(Advance tickets are recommended. Visit lbma.org to make a reservation)
Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
(Advance tickets are required. Visit lacma.org to make a reservation)
MOCA Grand Avenue and The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA
(Advance tickets are recommended. Visit moca.org to make a reservation)
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
(Advanced reservations recommended. Visit sbnature.org; Sea Center not included)
(Advance tickets recommended for both Noah’s Ark and general admission. Visit skirball.org to make a reservation)
