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Free Days at NHMU
The Museum is pleased to offer four Free Days each year in appreciation for the important Zoo, Arts and Parks funding we receive from Salt Lake County.
Free Days 2016
Free Days 2017
Getting Tickets for Museum Free Days
Same day reservations not permitted.
- Advance reservations for Free Day will be made available online at 10:00 a.m. Mountain Time on the Tuesday - Sunday at Midnight prior to each scheduled Free Day.
- A limited number of tickets will be set aside for visitors who arrive on Free Day without a ticket. We encourage you to come to the Museum on Free Day even if you don't have an advance reservation. If tickets are still available, you will be admitted. You may be asked to wait until later in the day and, unfortunately, you may be turned away.
Free Parking for NHMU Guests on Free Day!
Click on map below to enlarge or print.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Free Day really free?
Yes, on Museum Free Day there is no paid admission for entry into the Museum. However, tickets are still required!
How do I make a Museum Free Day reservation?
Advance reservations are recommended for Museum Free Day visitors! All tickets are for a specific half-hour arrival time during the day. There is a limit of six free tickets per reservation. Reservations that exceed the six-ticket limit will be canceled.
Museum Free Days are very popular and, for many time slots, the entire reservation capacity will be used up quickly. The total number of tickets for each times slot and for the full day are limited to ensure a safe and pleasant visit for everyone. A number of tickets are held for visitors who arrive without reservations, but reservations are encouraged if you don't want to run the risk of being turned away!
For what time of day do I make my reservation?
Free Day tickets will be offered for visits starting at 10:00 a.m. and every half hour after that through 3:30 p.m. The last admission to the Museum's galleries will be at 4:30 p.m. The galleries close at 5:00 p.m., and visitors must leave the Museum at that time. The total quantity of tickets will be limited to ensure a safe and pleasant visit for all attendees.
How can I get tickets for Free Day?
- Click on “GET YOUR FREE TICKETS NOW” on the home page of NHMU site.
- Select the Date and Time on which you would like to book a ticket. Please note: If it says “Sold out” it means that your desired time slot is not available.
- Please use the drop-down box to indicate the number of reservations you wish to make and then click on “Add to Cart."
- Next, Click on “Proceed to Checkout.”
- Then Click on “Create Account/Lookup Account."
- If you already have an account please skip to STEP 8 in this process. If you would like to create a new account Click on “Create Account”.
- Type in the necessary information to create a new account and click “Save”. If not successful, look out for any errors to the right hand side of each of the text box fields. Make the necessary changes and click “Save”. Then please go to place order, step 10.
- If you are an existing user, type in your first name and last name and then click “Search."
- Select your account and enter your password and click on “Verify.”
- Click on “Place Order.”
- Please make a note of the confirmation number. You will also receive a confirmation email.
How do I change my account password?
- Click on “I forgot/I don’t have my password”
- Click on “Reset my Password”
- Your password will be reset automatically and you will receive your new password in your email.
- Click on “Click here” and enter the new password to login to your account.
Can I make Free Day reservations by phone or via email?
Phone reservations are not available. We are not able to grant reservations through email, either. The only way to make advance reservations for Free Days is via the "Buy Ticket" link on our website starting at 10:00 a.m. MT on the Tuesday prior to each scheduled Free Day.
Can I bring school classrooms and other groups to Museum Free Day?
Due to the exceptional demand for Museum Free Day tickets, we are not able to take group reservations or school field trips on these days. Organized groups including school classes, youth groups, scout troops and aftercare programs arriving without reservations will be turned away. Please select an alternate date for these visits. You may click through to the Group Reservations and School Field Trips web pages for more information.
Where do I park for Museum Free Days?
Parking spaces at the Rio Tinto Center fill very quickly on Museum Free Days, however overflow parking will be available. When you arrive at the Museum, please look for directional signage and parking attendants to guide you to available parking. The Natural History Museum of Utah will also have parking at This is the Place Heritage Park with a shuttle available to bring guests up to the Museum's front doors. See map above for more details.
What if I make a reservation and am then unable to attend?
If you do not arrive by the end of your reserved half-hour time slot (for example, prior to 2:30 for a 2:00 reservation) your tickets will be released and may be issued to a visitor who arrived without a reservation. If you would like to notify the Museum in advance, please email us.
For additional questions, email the Museum.