FREE Museum Days (Fairfield & New Haven Counties)

Getting out of the house is good this time of year.  Having somewhere to go that's free -- even better.  A handful of museums in Fairfield County, and neighboring New Haven County have caught on to that fact, offering up free events in the coming days, and even year-round in some cases.

Stepping Stones, Norwalk
The crown jewel of kids' museums in lower Connecticut has offered it's 'Get Into It! FREE' program for quite some time.  Every first Thursday of the month, Stepping Stones swings open its doors for a freebie evening of fun, from 5 - 8pm.

Mathews Park, 303 West Avenue,  Norwalk, CT 06850
203-899-0606

Bruce Museum, Greenwich
Children under 5 are always free at the Bruce, but on Tuesdays, mommies and daddies are in for nothing, too.  While you're there check out their Let It Snow! Children's Book Art exhibit which runs through Feb. 24.

1 Museum Drive, Greenwich, CT 06830-7157
203-869-0376

Discovery Museum, Bridgeport
The first of three FREE cultural heritage events is around the bend at Bridgeport's Discovery Museum.  Their African American History Month Celebration will be Saturday February 23, followed up by their Women's History Month Celebration Saturday March 23, from 10 am - 3pm.  Then, in September, watch for the Hispanic History Month Celebration.  All three events feature live science demos as well. 

4450 Park Avenue, Bridgeport CT 06604
203-372-3521

The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield
This independent art museum is also the only one in CT devoted to contemporary art.  Admission is always free for children under 18, but on Tuesdays, adults don't have to pay either.  You can also catch a docent-led tour free of charge.  On select Saturdays, Sundays and school holidays from noon - 5pm, the Aldrich also offers free family art activities with the price of parent admission.

258 Main Street, Ridgefield, CT 06877
203-438-4519

New Haven Museum, New Haven
Why not heck out the Puritanical roots of this New England city on the 1st Sunday of every month -- it won't even cost you a nickel.  Also watch for monthly free family programs (with the cost of admission), the third Saturday of each month.  Up next: For Your Valentine, a one-hour workshop where children will learn about the valentines in the museum’s collection and make one of their own.  Space is limited so pre-register at 203-562-4183 x11 or education@newhavenmuseum.org.

114 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06510
203-562-4183

Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, New Haven
During the school year, you can pop into this world-renown museum for nary a penny on Thursdays from 2 - 5pm.  They also offer free admission on the Sunday and Monday of Martin Luther King Jr. weekend for the Martin Luther King Jr. Festival of Environmental Justice, their annual ¡Fiesta Latina! event and the last Saturday in August for Summer's Last Roar!  That all being said, museum parking is very limited on weekdays, so bring some cash for that!

170 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT
203-432-5050