On Saturday, Oct. 17, museums across the University campus and the community will open their doors for the University’s annual Day at the Museum, a free, family-friendly event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Attendees of all ages are invited to peruse collections from medical history to art to the legacy of the Stewart Indian School. The full list of participating museums is available online.

Along with visiting each museum’s collection and participating in activities, Day at the Museum visitors can collect stamps on a passport and redeem those stamps for prizes.

Free parking is available in any of the parking garages and non-metered parking zones around the campus. Parking is not allowed in 24/7 reserved spots. Food trucks and several food vendors in the Joe Crowley Student Union will be open during Day at the Museum, providing attendees with options for lunch or snacks between visiting museums.

The University’s online and interactive Day at the Museum map is available to help visitors navigate campus so they can easily find parking, check-in tables, food trucks and vendors, the passport prize redemption table and museums. The wayfinding feature also provides accessible paths across campus.

The event has grown since it was brought back after the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2024, the University welcomed over 600 visitors. In 2025, over 800 people attended.

That growth has also spurred changes to the event: there will be more than twice as many food trucks available, following requests from last year’s attendees. This year, Spanish-speaking docents will be available at several museums across campus, which will be identified on the Spanish-language materials, to better engage the community.

The event received great feedback from a post-event survey last year:

• “Makes me want to go back to college! … Loved that it was free and plenty of free parking.”
• “The volunteers were very engaging and informative. Each stop offered something fun for kids and adults.”
• “I loved that we gained access to artifacts/displays not normally open to the public. I loved the enthusiasm of the volunteers/students/staff in presenting the displays and helping.”
• “I took my three kids. We love this event. We managed to go to 10 museums. Just a wonderful time. Thank you for doing this! Can't wait for next year.”