Columbia Memorial Space Center to offer free admission during museum day
DOWNEY — Southern California residents will have an opportunity to explore museums across the region for free this month, including one of Downey’s most significant cultural and educational institutions, the Columbia Memorial Space Center.
SoCal Museums announced that its annual Museums Free-for-All will take place Sunday, Feb. 22, offering free general admission at dozens of participating museums from Santa Barbara to Orange County. The day-long event is intended to promote access to arts, culture, history and science throughout the region.
“For more than twenty years, SoCal Museums members have come together annually to collectively open our doors and welcome the public,” said Cristian Hamilton, president of SoCal Museums and vice president of advancement at the 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.”
Among the participating institutions is the Columbia Memorial Space Center, located in Downey at the former North American Aviation and Rockwell International site where major components of the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs were designed and built. The space center honors the crew of Space Shuttle Columbia while preserving Downey’s deep aerospace legacy.
On Museums Free-for-All day, visitors will be able to explore the Space Center’s interactive science and engineering exhibits at no cost. The museum features hands-on activities focused on space exploration, robotics and physics, along with artifacts and displays that highlight Downey’s role in America’s space program. The Space Center regularly serves families, students and educators from across Los Angeles County and beyond.
Organizers said Museums Free-for-All encourages visitors to discover new museums or revisit longtime favorites while experiencing the diversity of cultural offerings unique to Southern California. Participating institutions span a wide range of disciplines, including art, film, natural history, science, political history and cultural heritage.
In addition to the Columbia Memorial Space Center, participating museums include the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, the Autry Museum of the American West, the Getty Center and Getty Villa, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the California African American Museum, the Skirball Cultural Center, the La Brea Tar Pits & Museum and the Long Beach Museum of Art, among many others.
A full list of participating museums, along with reservation requirements and visitor details, is available at socalmuseums.net/free. Museum officials recommend checking individual museum websites in advance for hours, directions and reservation information.