The Kid-Friendly Guide to SoCal Museums' Free-for-All Day

The Kid-Friendly Guide to SoCal Museums’ Free-for-All Day

Over 30 museums and attractions in Southern California are participating in Free-for-All Day on Sunday, March 16, 2025! That means, general admission will be free for museums that normally charge a fee.

With museums from Long Beach to Los Angeles to Santa Barbara, there’s so much to explore! We highlighted the best museums offering kid-friendly activities, but there’s a full list of participating museums below.

Note: This offer is for general museum admission only and does not apply to specially ticketed exhibitions. Regular parking fees apply at each museum. Visit each museum’s website for hours, directions, and other visitor information.

Advance Reservations: If a museum requires advance reservations, be sure to select March 16, 2025 as the date!

Museums with Kid-Friendly Activities

Academy Museum of Motion Pictures | Los Angeles

What can kids do? On Free-for-All (March 16, 2025), there will be a Drop-in & Draw Activity from 12-4pm in the Shirley Temple Education Studio on the Lower Level lobby. See what else is happening this day here.

Is it normally free? General admission is normally $15-25, but always free for children (17 and under).

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Autry Museum of the American West | Los Angeles

What can kids do?: Visit the Family Play Space full of engaging activities where kids can discover all kinds of things about the American West.

Is it normally free?: Museum admission is normally $14-18. Reservations are required for Free-for-All Day. Register here.

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The Broad | Los Angeles

What can kids do?: Check out their mobile museum guide with activities for kids and adults to do together and you explore the museum. There’s also a free kid’s audio tour featuring LeVar Burton (from Reading Rainbow), which encourages young art lovers to look, listen, and learn.

Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirror Room is mesmerizing for kids and grown-ups alike, but reservations are required.

Is it normally free?: Yes! General admission is always free at The Broad. Reserve admission tickets here and the Infinity Mirrored Room here.

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Columbia Memorial Space Center | Downey

What can kids do?: Snap a photo in a spacesuit, check out the Apollo capsule, and a variety of hands-on space exploration exhibits.

Is it normally free?: Normal admission is $3-5 per person. CMSC hosts a lot of cool programs and events like Parents Night Out, Astronomy Night, and a Girls in STEM Drones Day

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The Getty Center | Los Angeles

What can kids do?: Pick up Art Detective Cards in the Museum Entrance Hall to hunt for clues and uncover answers to trivia questions while exploring the center. Prepare for your family visit to the Getty Center with more tips on their website and visit their calendar for tour times happening on Free-for-All Day.

Is it normally free?: Yes! The center is always free, just reserve a time for your visit. *Advanced tickets required. Visit museum website to make a reservation.

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GRAMMY Museum | Los Angeles

What can kids do?: Kids can step into the world of music creation at Sonic Playground, an interactive exhibit featuring hands-on experiences like producing beats, mixing loops, and performing on stage with real instruments. They can explore music’s role in film and gaming, create their own soundtracks, experiment with instruments alongside GRAMMY®-winning virtual hosts, and discover over 125 careers in the music industry through an immersive career wall.

Is it normally free?: Museum tickets are free for youth (Ages 0-17) and range from $14-$22.50, but during Free-For-All Day admission is free for everyone.

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Hammer Museum

What can kids do?: While there’s not a designated kids area, Hammer Museum has a printable Discovery Guide for families and K-12 students. The guide is designed to help kids make meaningful connections to the artwork. They also have great tips on looking at art with kids.

Is it normally free?: Yes! Museum admission is always free.

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La Brea Tar Pits & Museum | Los Angeles

What can kids do?: Check out the only Ice Age fossil site in the world that’s being actively excavated in the middle of a city! Discover large animals like mammoths, saber-toothed cats, dire wolves, giant sloths, and more that once roamed Ice Age L.A. See scientists working in the Fossil Lab and feel what it was like to get stuck in sticky tar.

Is it normally free?: Museum admission for non-members is normally $7-15, but free on Free-for-All Day. Advanced tickets required. Reserve tickets for March 16, 2025 here.

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LA County Museum of Art (LACMA) | Los Angeles

What can kids do?: On Free-for-All Day (March 16, 2025), there will be a fun, all-ages, drop-in workshop outdoors from 12:30-3:30pm.

Is it normally free?: Sorta! Tickets are normally $16-25, but admission is free to LA County residents after 3pm on weekdays. LA County youth and teens are always free. BUT kids under 17 can sign up for NexGenLA, a free membership program where kids and teens can visit for free anytime AND bring one guest for free. Advance tickets are required for Free-for-All Day, reserve them here.

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Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA) | Long Beach

What can kids do? On Free-for-All Day (March 16, 2025), MOLAA is hosting a free children’s workshop inspired by the iconic work of Frank Romero. Kids will work on painting symbols and landmarks that define the SoCal vibe. Walk-ins welcome.

Is it normally free? General admission is normally $10-15, but always free for children under 12 years old. It’s always free on MOLAA Free Sundays.

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Skirball Cultural Center | Los Angeles

What can kids do?: There’s lots happening on Free-for-All Day! Check out the Archaeology Dig to unearth replicas of ancient artifacts. The Family Art Studio will also be open for families to make a one-of-a-kind art project. Visit the Amphitheater for Music Jams, a chance to play a variety of instruments. There’s also the Noah’s Ark interactive exhibit (which requires tickets, but they’re sold out for the day). Visit their calendar for activity times.

Is it normally free?: General admission is normally $13-18, but on Thursdays, it’s free for everyone!

More Participating Museums

American Museum of Ceramic Art (AMOCA) | Pomona*

Benton Museum of Art | Pomona

Bower’s Museum | Santa Ana

California African American Museum | Los Angeles

California Botanic Garden | Claremont
(Free admission on Saturday, March 15 in lieu of Sunday March 16.)

Catalina Museum for Art & History

Craft Contemporary | Los Angeles

Forest Lawn Museum | Glendale

Fowler Museum | UCLA

Frederic R. Weisman Museum of Art | Pepperdine University