Bob

http://museums.bankofamerica.com/

Only just came across that, but anyone with a BoA card, can get free access to a bunch of museums on the first weekend of the month just for showing the card.

Bit so so for places in MA, but might be better else where.

http://www.citypass.com/ Seems to be aimed at weekend tourists, but that's not to say you couldn't use it for your own city. Don't know how good it is, but seems popular for Boston at least, but else where?

http://highlandstreet.org/programs/f...fridays-2.html In the summer, in MA, this place pays for a whole bunch of places across the state for free entry every Friday during the summer holidays. It's really good, we were able to check out a whole bunch of places we wouldn't have otherwise because of cost, but those bigger venues like the Zoo's can be crazy busy.

For those in MA, well the metrowest area: -

http://www.decordova.org/ Great outdoors art/garden is free first Wednesday or the month, or for cyclists, military families or Lincoln town residents.

http://www.discoverymuseums.org/ Acton, Discovery Museum is free first Friday of the month after 4:30 and every Friday during the summer, it's great for kids about 2-13 I'd say.

The above two are near each other and both cracking towns to explore too if you're not in the area.

So what about you lot, anything fun that's free or cheap in your neck of the woods?

Would be nice to have a list of places for anyone visiting somewhere new, or for those new to the area

WEBlue

Great idea!

Yale Center for British Art, in New Haven, Connecticut, is a great British art gallery, and just one part of the extensive Yale Library system. Completely free & very child-friendly, as is much of Yale, a lot of which is open to the public and free.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio...nnecticut.html
http://www.yale.edu/visitor/

A wonderful and scenic free walk is the 'Walkway Across the Hudson', going across the Hudson River from the town of Highland to the city of Poughkeepsie, in upstate New York. It's an old railroad bridge that has been refurbished and made pedestrian-only, with picnic areas (& bathrooms) on both sides of the bridge. Strollers & leashed pets are welcome. The views are amazing!
http://www.walkway.org/visit-walkway

Bob

http://arboretum.harvard.edu/ Harvard Arboretum is a fun place to hang out in Cambridge.

http://www.bu.edu/astronomy/events/p...e-observatory/

Anyone interested in the stars and planets, the Coit Observatory at BU, year round every Wednesday evening for an hour or two, but it is weather dependent and it gets cancelled with bad weather. Parking can be a bit of a mare, but it is right by a T stop.

penguinbar

In NYC The Met and Museum of Natural History have a" suggested donation" amount. Technically you can get in there for free.

kimilseung

This is true for at least one of the museums that Bobs BoA card gets you in to in Seattle. Kind of odd that they say you can get in free on the first weekend of the month with the card, when without the card you can do the same on the other weekends.

Third Thursdays is the usual day that the local museums advertise as free.

Oh wait, I just checked with Museum of Flight, and it is the first Thursday

Anyone coming to Seattle, check this list

WEBlue

Along these lines of museums having one free day a week, or in some cases one morning or afternoon free per week, here's a list of New York City museums and their free days and times:
http://www.nycgo.com/articles/free-nyc-museums

Some examples are: MoMA free Fridays 4-8 pm; Bronx Zoo entry all day Wednesdays for any donation (excluding special exhibits); first Friday of the month Children’s Museum of Manhattan free from 5 to 8pm.

Bob

Now that it's getting warmer out...

http://www.ncta.net/events/news.htm - National Folk Festival, it moves around every year to a different state, pretty huge and a lot of fun stuff, music, dance, food and crafts.

Because of the above, cities that have hosted in the past often keep something similar in place:-

Bangor, ME - http://www.americanfolkfestival.com/ Parking can be hectic, but there's plenty of it around and it's a great family event with lots of different stages, but do bring your own camping chairs.

Lowell, MA - http://www.lowellfolkfestival.org/

Then there are various town concerts.

Boston has the best one around here, http://www.celebrateboston.com/hatch-shell/concerts.htm They also do free movies on Fridays, plus the Hatch Shell is just cool.

Acton - http://www.acton-ma.gov/index.aspx?NID=306 Awesome variety of events and things like the Indian festival is a lot of fun, also great place for 4th July fireworks.

Sherborn/Holliston usually do good summer concerts and there's a cracking carriage house restaurant down the road with great ice cream as well as a little deli shop that does fab cheese and wines.

Natick - Usually a good adults concert on the Monday and a more kids orientated show on Wednesday.

Worcester is pretty good too.

Then there are the splash pads and wading pools, nice ones in Worcester, Marlborough, really nice one in Northborough.

Clinton offer free kids swimming lessons and you don't have to be town residents. It's held at the town swimming pool and sign up usually fills up quickly.

Something else I've discovered that's great in winter, free ice skating in Sudbury, at the baseball field, they fill it with water and it's flood lit, so nice not to worry about being on a river.

Bob

http://www.hged.com/html/hadley_falls_fish_lift.html

Hadley Falls, towards western MA...get to watch Atlantic salmon swim up against the river for the next month.

Bob

http://natick.patch.com/events/belki...ree-open-house

Folks in the Metrowest area, Belkin Farm are doing a free weekend this coming weekend. Out in South Natick. Quite a fun farm and orchard, usually pretty expensive place to get in and do things, so this is a good deal.

Bob

http://www.japanfestivalboston.org/

Free Japanese festival in Boston, 19th May, if anyone is interested.

Bob

http://www.mainelobsterfestival.com/ 31st July till 4th Aug. Lobster Fest, in Rockland Maine.

It's only a few bucks to get in and the last day is free...it's a bonkers and daft fair but it's a lot of fun and if you like shell fish, especially lobster, you can't get a better place really. Plus Rockland is a cute little seaside town.

http://moxiefestival.com/ Moxie Fest in Lisbon, ME 12-14th July.

This is just the most bonkers festival ever but it's quite fun.

http://www.unionfair.org/ Union Wild Blueberry Fair, Union, ME 17-24th Aug

This is a massive agricultural festival and great for kids. Loads of animal shows and races, music, food competitions and all sorts of crafts.

http://www.mofga.org/theFair Common Ground Fair, Unity, ME 20-22nd Sept

This is another massive fair too and fantastic if you're into various crafty things for buying and selling. It's one of the biggest fiber fairs around too so great for anyone into knitting and spinning etc.

Bob

http://wp.wpi.edu/touchtomorrow/?utm...=TouchTomorrow

WPI in Worcester are hosting a free robot exhibition on Saturday, big hands on stuff.

Nutmegger

Saturday, June 8, is Connecticut Open House Day. Lots of museums and other tourist attractions will be offering free or discounted admission and kid friendly events.

http://www.ctvisit.com/dontmiss/details/1256

Bob

http://www.sweetmeadowfarm.com/summe...fair-2013.html

On Sunday, in Sherborn, so the burbs of Beantown....nice place this and a great ice-cream place up the road with cracking farm stands along the way.

Also, Sherborn town dump allows non-residence to enter and it's a good one. Friends picked up a brand new, still in the plastic wrap Crate and Barrel kitchen butchers block with matching dining table and chairs one year because the owners decided to change the paint scheme they were going with and didn't want the hassle of returning the furniture.

Bob

http://stowindependent.com/rotaries-...ngs-and-wheels

Another one for the burbs, out in Stow this time.

Free classic car and air show, it's every Thursday night, with a national theme, but all kinds of cars being showed in the rest of the field. The first Brit theme is on the 13th June.