Prepare to be mesmerized when Cirque Dreams Holidaze visits The Kravis Center. Photo courtesy of the event
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Enjoy the pageantry of the Holiday Boat Parade in Boynton Beach. Photo courtesy of the event
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Photo courtesy of the Enchanted Place of North Miami
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Those eight crazy nights are approaching and we’ve got everything you need to celebrate Hanukkah with your family. Photo courtesy Cottonbro Studios
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Kayaking is one of the many outdoor activities available at John D. MacArthur Beach State Park.
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The Burger Shack welcomes small children who enjoy the state-of-the-art playground, attached to the restaurant. Photo courtesy of Burger Shack at Lighthouse Cove
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The Venetian Pool in Coral Gables features 820,000 gallons of water fed from an underground aquifer. Photo courtesy of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau
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The splash pad at Sugar Land Park is on another level of fun! Photo courtesy of Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District
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Enjoy great outdoor music at The Lawn at Dania Pointe during Family Sundays. Photo courtesy of the venue
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Get close to underwater creatures at the Frost Science Museum's massive aquarium. Photo by Jackie Jones
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Enjoy aquatic shows, aquarium tanks, even a chance to swim with dolphins at the Miami Seaquarium. Photo courtesy of the Seaquarium
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Go snorkeling in the stunning water at Tranquility Bay Resort. Photo courtesy of the resort
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30 Free Museum Days and More Free Admission Activities with Kids in Miami & South Florida

Photo courtesy of the Manatee Lagoon Facebook page
Photo courtesy of the Manatee Lagoon Facebook page
1/8/23 - By Lindsey Scannell

What's better than a day at a museum? A FREE museum day! If you have a large family, museum tickets can add up fast—which gets particularly frustrating if you then need to beat a hasty retreat to avoid a meltdown. The Miami and Fort Lauderdale area has some great museums and parks that offer monthly or even weekly free days or evenings, and we have collected a list for easy reference. We've also included some terrific free weekly storytimes, free monthly craft workshops, free STEM programs, and free family concert series that you'll want on your calendar. Plus you can find more ideas for free things to do in our South Florida & Miami Free Activities Guide.

So bring the extended family, meet friends, or check out a place you have never been before—all without paying admission. And if there's a meltdown? At least it's free.

To get more free fun at home and in your town delivered to your inbox, sign up for our free newsletters!

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Photo courtesy of the Goldcoast Railroad Museum
Photo courtesy of the Goldcoast Railroad Museum

Free Museum Days & Free Admission Days near Miami

Free First Saturdays at Gold Coast Railroad Museum

Miami - First Saturdays of the month
First Saturdays are FREE at the Gold Coast Railroad Museum. Go on a train ride, or just check out the vintage rail cars, model train displays, and Thomas the Tank Engine play tables for little ones. READ MORE

Family Day at Institute of Contemporary Art Miami

Miami - every third Saturday of the month
Family Day is a FREE monthly event that welcomes children of all abilities to engage in art projects, interactive storytelling, and other activities. READ MORE

Saturday Night Public Astronomy at Fox Observatory

Sunrise - Weekly
The Observatory is open to the public on Saturday evenings from sunset until midnight, hosted by the South Florida Amateur Astronomers Association. READ MORE

Free Family Museum Day at The Bass

Miami Beach - Last Sunday of the month
Enjoy FREE museum admission for children and adults on the last Sunday of the month at this contemporary art museum. READ MORE

Free Family Day at HistoryMiami Museum

Miami - Second Saturday of the month
Family Fun Day offers FREE admission and kids' activities all day on the second Saturday of the month at this museum, which teaches and tells the stories of Miami. READ MORE

Free Family Day at Coral Gables Museum

Coral Gables - Second Saturday of the month
Walk through history for FREE at this museum on the historic site of the old police and fire station in Coral Gables, where visitors explore the former jail cells and courtroom. The museum celebrates Coral Gables’ past and culture. READ MORE

Free Admission Day at the Jewish Museum of Florida

Miami Beach - Saturdays
The Jewish Museum of Florida offers free admission on Saturdays. Housed in two historic Art Deco buildings, the museum preserves and interprets Florida's Jewish history from 1763 through today. READ MORE

Perez Art Museum Miami Free Museum Day and Family Fun Day

Miami - Second Saturday of the month
Visit the Perez Art Museum Miami for FREE family fun days every second Saturday of the month. The day includes family-friendly tours and chances for children to create their own art. READ MORE

First Free Thursdays at NSU Museum of Art

Fort Lauderdale - First Thursday of the month
Visitors enjoy free museum admission on every first Thursday of the month at the Sunny Days and Starry Nights program. The event also features all-day happy hour in the Museum Cafe. READ MORE

Bonfire Night at Family Farms

Davie - Friday & Saturday evenings
On Friday and Saturday evenings the farm hosts free family Bonfire Nights. Guests can toast marshmallows, eat fresh BBQ, and listen to music around the fire.  READ MORE
Beach Cleanup photo courtesy of the Museum of Discovery and Science
Beach Cleanup photo courtesy of the Museum of Discovery and Science

Free STEM and Nature Events in South Florida

Guided Nature Tour

Fort Lauderdale - First Saturday of the month
Heal the Planet leads guided tours through Snyder Park where families can get to know the ecosystem and wild plants native to the area. The nature tour goes through the tropical hardwood hammocks of the park, the Tropical Regenerative Garden, Butterfly Garden, Food Forest, and Wetland Boardwalk Trail. READ MORE

Marine Environmental Education Center Days

Hollywood - Daily
Visitors are invited to view a daily sea turtle feeding with an educational presentation about resident green sea turtles Captain and Coral. The Marine Environmental Education Center focuses on protecting the oceans and sea turtles with exhibits and a saltwater pool, where you can watch rescued sea turtles swim and eat. READ MORE

EcoAction Volunteer Workday

Miramar - Monthly
Volunteers ages 12 and older gather to help the environment and clear natural areas of garbage and invasive plants at this kid-friendly community service event in Miramar. READ MORE

A Day at Manatee Lagoon

West Palm Beach - Daily
View manatees up close during manatee season, at this 16,000-square-foot center that features engaging, hands-on exhibits for visitors to learn about these threatened and unique creatures. READ MORE

Weekend Demos at Sugar Sand Park

Boca Raton - Monthly
Join the Explorium staff for a free 30-minute demonstration where they dig deeper into exciting scientific principles and spark curiosity with interactive demonstrations and talks. READ MORE

Sensory-Friendly Saturdays at The Explorium

Boca Raton - First Saturday of each month
On the first Saturday of each month, the Sugar Sand Park Science Explorium adjusts the lights and sounds throughout, creating a sensory-modified setting for all kids to have an opportunity to explore the venue in a way that makes them most comfortable. READ MORE

Deerfield Island Park Free Boat Ride

Deerfield Beach - Fridays through Sundays
Florida's only island park is a nature refuge on the Intracoastal, rich in regional history. The island is accessible only by boat; the free shuttle runs from the mainland on weekends only. READ MORE

Eyes to the Skies

Boca Raton - Monthly
The Science Explorium at Sugar Sand Park hosts a monthly telescope night in the Camino parking lot behind the Explorium (weather permitting). READ MORE
Lake Worth Beach Bonfires photo courtesy of Nextdoor
Lake Worth Beach Bonfires photo courtesy of Nextdoor

Free Concert and Movie Series in South Florida

Sounds at Downtown

Palm Beach Gardens - Weekly
Head to downtown Palm Beach Gardens every Saturday at the interactive water feature to enjoy live performances from the sounds of local musical solos, duos, and trios. READ MORE

Family Movie Night in Jupiter

Jupiter- Monthly
Bring your own chairs and blankets and come early to get a good seat at this free, outdoor, family-friendly movie night shown on a two-story inflatable screen. READ MORE

City of Plantation Rock the Park

Plantation - Monthly
Kick off the weekend at a FREE concert featuring live music by a local band and food trucks. READ MORE

Lake Worth Beach Bonfires

Lake Worth - Various Fridays
On first and third Fridays this season Lake Worth Beach is lighting up with live entertainment and a bonfire for families to enjoy.  READ MORE

ArtsPark Movie Night

Hollywood - Most Fridays
Head to Hollywood for a family movie night at the ArtsPark at Young Circle on Friday evenings. READ MORE
Preschool Story Time photo courtesy of The Four Arts
Preschool Story Time photo courtesy of The Four Arts

Free Storytimes and Craft Events in South Florida

Home Depot Kids Workshop in South Florida

Multiple Locations - First Saturday of every month
Enjoy a FREE hands-on workshop at which you and your child make something to take home. READ MORE

Lowe's Kids Workshop in South Florida

Multiple locations - Third Saturday of most months
Bring your mini-DIYers for a workshop where they can build something to take home with them, hosted by the Red Vest experts monthly. READ MORE

Barnes & Noble Storytime, Broward Mall

Fort Lauderdale - Saturdays
Every Saturday on the Children's Stage, Barnes & Noble hosts an upbeat storytime featuring seasonal stories.  READ MORE

Preschool Story Time at The Four Arts

Palm Beach - Mondays & Thursdays
All children 4 years of age and younger are welcome to enjoy a story time and connected craft with a different theme each week.  READ MORE

Family Story Time at The Four Arts

Palm Beach - Saturdays
All children 8 years of age and younger are welcome to enjoy a story time and connected craft with a different theme each week.  READ MORE

Drop-In Family Storytime in Boca

Boca Raton - Saturdays
Little ones ages 5 and younger can enjoy a class with fun stories, music and movement, songs, and rhymes. READ MORE

Science Stories at Sugar Sand Park

Boca Raton - Saturdays
Enjoy playing and learning while listening to a science-inspired story every Saturday morning with the staff at the park. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami
Carpenter House at Hollywood North Beach Park
Lake Worth Beach and Casino Complex
Boca Raton Library - Downtown Branch