Enjoy nature and culture for free on Sept. 26

If you like parks or museums, you might want to clear your schedule for Saturday, Sept. 26. That’s both National Public Lands Day as well as Museum Day, when federal parklands and museums across the nation will waive their entrance and admission fees. 

All 391 national parks, historic parks and monuments in the U.S. are free as part of National Public Lands Day. That means Saturday (assuming the weather is pleasant) is the perfect time to visit places such as Grand Canyon National Park, Shenandoah National Park or Yellowstone National Park, or any of the numerous parks and monuments close to you. National Public Lands Day also has a strong service component, and you’re invited to help plant trees, build trails and improve wildlife habitats at almost 2,000 work sites around the country.
 
Meanwhile, thanks to efforts by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., you can enter one or more of 1,250 museums for free on Saturday, too. The participating entities encompass a broad range of experiences, including children’s fare, fine-arts galleries, historical sites and museums devoted to celebrating various cultural heritages. To get in to the museums for free, you need to print out an admission card, good for two people, at the Smithsonian’s Museum Day site.

I’m already planning an excursion to Mount Rainier National Park and Seattle’s Experience Music Project rock museum this weekend. Are you likely to head to parks or museums on Saturday, and if so, which ones? Share your thoughts and plans in the comments section.