Admission for a whole family adds up fast, which is why the free and discounted days are worth knowing. Utah Valley has an unusual advantage: BYU's four museums are free every day. For the bigger attractions along the Wasatch Front, the deals follow a calendar, and families on SNAP or WIC have standing discounts at the biggest names. This is the month-by-month plan, with the drive from Provo.
Every month
- First Wednesday: the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, free. Admission is free for everyone, supported by Salt Lake County's Zoo, Arts and Parks program and other funders; special ticketed exhibitions may not be included. The museum is on the University of Utah campus, about an hour from Provo.
- Third Saturday: the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, free again. Same terms as the first Wednesday.
- First full weekend: free for Bank of America cardholders. Through Bank of America's Museums on Us program, the Utah Museum of Fine Arts gives one free general admission per Bank of America or Merrill credit or debit card on the first full weekend of each month. Other museums take part too; check the program's list.
In winter
- Last Wednesday, November to February: Hogle Zoo's Wild Wednesdays. Not free, but cheap: in the 2025-26 season daytime admission on those days was $6 online or $8 at the gate. The zoo is about an hour from Provo.
In summer
- Mid-May to Labor Day: Blue Star Museums. Active military families get free admission at participating museums; in 2026 Tracy Aviary admitted the service member and five guests from May 16 through Labor Day. See Labor Day Weekend in Utah Valley for the rest of the holiday.
Any day, with a SNAP or WIC card
- Thanksgiving Point, Lehi, about 26 minutes from Provo. Through its Every Kid Counts program, part of the national Museums for All effort, children 3 to 12 in the household are free and teens and adults are $3, for up to six people, at all five venues: the Museum of Ancient Life, the Museum of Natural Curiosity, Butterfly Biosphere, Ashton Gardens and Farm Country. Bring the benefits card and a photo ID to guest services; it is valid Monday through Saturday, and special events such as the Tulip Festival and Luminaria are excluded.
- Hogle Zoo. Its Zoo for All discount covers up to six general admission tickets with an EBT or WIC card and valid ID, bought in person at the ticket window, not online.
- Tracy Aviary, Liberty Park, about 57 minutes from Provo. Through Museums for All, SNAP recipients get free general admission for up to four guests, in person with an EBT card.
Always free in Utah Valley
- BYU's four museums: the Museum of Art, the Museum of Paleontology, the Museum of Peoples and Cultures and the Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum, all on or beside campus, about six minutes from downtown Provo. See the Best Museums and Art Galleries in Provo and the Bean Museum.
- Your library card: passes and discounts at museums, parks and attractions; see Free Passes on a Library Card.
- The city splash pads, in summer: free from late May to about Labor Day; see Utah Valley's Splash Pads.
Putting it together
- A free spring break: BYU's museums and a library pass; see Easter and Spring Break Week in Utah Valley.
- A cheap winter outing: Hogle Zoo on a Wild Wednesday.
- A free art day: the Utah Museum of Fine Arts on a first Wednesday or third Saturday.
- An interest that sticks: low-cost classes and clubs, from 4-H robotics to youth theater; see Utah Valley Kids' Classes by Interest.
- An animal day: Thanksgiving Point's Farm Country, discounted with a SNAP or WIC card; see Kid-Friendly Farms and Petting Zoos in Utah Valley.
Practical notes
- Confirm before you go. Free-day terms can change and can exclude special exhibits.
- Bring the right card. The SNAP and WIC discounts need the card and an ID, in person.
- Start with BYU. Its four museums are free every day.
- Mark the first Wednesday. It comes around every month.
Related Guides
- Free Passes on a Library Card
- Easter and Spring Break Week in Utah Valley
- Kid-Friendly Farms and Petting Zoos in Utah Valley
- Labor Day Weekend in Utah Valley
- The Best Museums and Art Galleries in Provo
- The Bean Museum
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Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Utah Museum of Fine Arts free?
On the first Wednesday and the third Saturday of every month, for everyone, supported by Salt Lake County's Zoo, Arts and Parks program and other funders. Free access may not include special ticketed exhibitions.
Which museums near Provo are always free?
BYU's four museums: the Museum of Art, the Museum of Paleontology, the Museum of Peoples and Cultures and the Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum.
Can I get discounted admission with a SNAP or WIC card?
Yes. At Thanksgiving Point, children 3 to 12 in the household are free and teens and adults are $3, for up to six people, at its five venues, Monday through Saturday outside special events. Hogle Zoo's Zoo for All discount covers up to six tickets in person, and Tracy Aviary gives free admission to up to four guests with an EBT card through Museums for All.
Is Hogle Zoo ever free?
Its regular admission is not free, but the zoo discounts Wild Wednesdays, the last Wednesday of each month from November through February; in the 2025-26 season daytime admission on those days was $6 online or $8 at the gate.
Are there free days for military families?
Yes. The Blue Star Museums program offers free admission to active military families at participating museums from mid-May to Labor Day; Tracy Aviary took part in 2026, admitting the service member and five guests.
What are Hogle Zoo's Wild Wednesdays?
Discount days on the last Wednesday of each month from November to February. In the 2025-26 season daytime admission on those days was $6 online or $8 at the gate.
What do I need to bring for a SNAP or WIC discount?
The card and an ID, in person.
How much is Thanksgiving Point with a SNAP or WIC card?
Through its Every Kid Counts program, children 3 to 12 are free and teens and adults are $3, for up to six people, at all five venues.
