Smithsonian Magazine Offers Free Entry To Southern California Museums

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Dozens of museums all over Southern California will offer free admission Saturday thanks to the Smithsonian Magazine's Museum Day Live.

The annual event, which invites people to download a free ticket that allows entry into one participating museum, happens this Saturday, conveniently coinciding with "Carmageddon II," which will shut down Interstate 405 between the Santa Monica (10) and Ventura (101) freeways.

Participating museums include Mission San Juan Capistrano in south Orange County, the Riverside Metropolitan Museum, the Autry National Center in Griffith Park, the Fowler Museum at UCLA, the California Science Center and the Carnegie Art Museum in Oxnard, among others. People can find a full list of participating museums in California or find a museum by zip code.

To join Museum Day Live, download a free official ticket. Only one ticket is available per household, for two people, and will gain entry to only one of the participating museums.

The free museum entry tickets do not include parking fees or special events and exhibits.