Cape Fear Museum of History and Science announced recently that it will open its doors free of charge to all Museum Day ticket holders on Saturday, Sept. 18, as part of Smithsonian Magazine’s 17th annual Museum Day, a national celebration in which participating museums emulate the free admission policy at the Smithsonian Institution’s Washington D.C.-based museums.
 
Museum Day tickets can be downloaded from the Smithsonian Magazine website.
 
With many public spaces being shut down for a year or more, Museum Day 2021 celebrates the reopening of museums after long closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
“This year’s theme, Experience America, represents the return to, and resurgence of, our country’s diverse cultural experiences, in the safest possible way,” a news release stated.
 
Participating museums will have safety precautions in place for this year’s event so guests can safely enjoy their experience, according to the release.
 
“Museum Day is a great way for us to reach out to our community, encourage people to explore the Museum and engage with visitors that might not normally visit,” said Cape Fear Museum Director Wayne LaBar in the release.
 
Cape Fear Museum’s current exhibitions include the following:
 
• Cape Fear Stories: an overview of the region’s history, cultures and related science from prehistory through the end of the 20th century (ongoing).
 
• Space Place: a space-themed, highly interactive learning center exploring STEM concepts (ongoing).
 
• Michael Jordan Discovery Gallery: explore the ecosystems of the Cape Fear region (ongoing).
 
• H2O Today: explore the beauty and essential nature of water, our planet’s lifeblood (organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service and on view through Aug. 28, 2022).
 
• Sun, Earth, Universe: an engaging and interactive museum exhibition about Earth and space science for family audiences (created by NISE Network and on view through Oct. 24 this year).
 
Visitors who present a Museum Day ticket will gain free entrance for two at Cape Fear Museum on Sept. 18. One ticket is permitted per email address.