Smithsonian magazine has designated Saturday, September 21, 2019 as the 15th 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.

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.

This year, Museum Day will celebrate the Smithsonian Year of Music, an institution-wide initiative celebrating the Smithsonian’s vast musical collections and resources through 365 days of music-related programming. Music is not only a reflection of human creativity and innovation, but also a key method of communication and cross-cultural exchange and understanding. The Smithsonian Year of Music crosses disciplines, bringing together music-related resources in art, history, culture, science and education. The Smithsonian invites participating museums to create programming to support this initiative and highlight the world’s rich musical heritage.

“Music is a natural fit for Museum Day as this is Smithsonian’s Year of Music,” says Amy Wilkins, Chief Revenue Officer at Smithsonian Media. “It’s the perfect theme that unites us all.”

Once again, the Taiwan Tourism Bureau is returning as a Museum Day sponsor. Museums in all 50 states have already signed up to participate in Smithsonian magazine’s 2019 Museum Day, the largest event of its kind. More than 1,500 museums are expected to participate this year.

Those wishing to attend and participate in Museum Day 2019 can visit Smithsonian.com/museumday to learn more and download a Museum Day ticket beginning on August 15. Each ticket grants the ticket holder and one guest free access to any participating museum on September 21, 2019. One ticket is permitted per email address. A list of participating museums, which will be continually updated, can be found at Smithsonian.com/museumday/search.

For more information, visit Smithsonian.com/museumday.