Museum Admission

To Be Free 15 Days A Year

HARTFORD — Economy got you down? Cheer up for free with a visit to the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art.

The museum’s new Free Morning Program will provide free admissions to all visitors the last Saturday of every month between the hours of 10 am and 1 pm.

Slated to begin January 31, the program is part of the museum’s ongoing Community Engagement Initiative, which focuses on broadening the museum’s audience, attracting new visitors and providing greater community access.

The museum has also announced that it will be reducing its hours of operation by closing to the public on Tuesdays, beginning February 3.

“Tuesday is our least attended day, so this measure will enable us to better weather the current economic crisis with little impact to our visitors,” said Museum Director Susan L. Talbott. “At the same time, the Free Morning Program on Saturdays will provide broader access to the community on a day when people are most able to visit.

 “We are particularly excited about the Free Morning program because feedback from our numerous community ChatBack sessions told us that for some, admission costs precluded them from visiting,” Ms Talbott continued. “Additionally, this initiative was completely funded by members of the museum’s board and our patrons, which demonstrates commitment at the highest levels of the museum to providing access to everyone in the Hartford area and beyond.”

Combined with the three free community days the Wadsworth already provides, including its recent MLK Community Day on January 19, the museum will now be free to the public 15 days a year. The Wadsworth’s new Free Morning program is in addition to its participation in Bank of America’s “museums on us” program, which gives free admissions to all Bank of America card holders the first Saturday of every month. The Wadsworth also provides free busing and free admissions to Hartford Public School students.

The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art is located at 600 Main Street in Hartford. The museum is open Wednesday to Friday from 11 am to 5 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm.

For more information, visit WadsworthAtheneum.org.