Submitted by Jan Collins
On Saturday, Sept. 25, the Cripple Creek District Museum will participate in the sixth annual Museum Day, presented by Toyota on behalf of the redesigned 2011 Avalon. The museum will join other participating museums and cultural institutions nationwide to open their doors free of charge to all visitors who download the Museum Day Ticket form Smithsonian.com.
Museum Day 2010 is poised to be the largest to date, outdoing last year’s record-breaking event. More than 300,000 museumgoers and 1,300 venues in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico participated last year.
“The Smithsonian is our most important history and cultural depository in the United States,” said Museum Director Jan Collins, “and we are always glad to participate in Museum Day to celebrate history nationwide.”
This year, the museum will be jumping into Museum Day with its first ever Doors to the Past Art Exhibit and Silent Auction. Eleven local artists are applying their skills to antique doors from the Museum archives.
Toyota will also enhance the Museum Day 2010 experience both in Smithsonian magazine and online, with elements like the “Featured Five,” a listing that encourages visitors to learn about and visit participating museums and venues. Additionally, for each visitor who inquires about the new Toyota Avalon online, Toyota will donate $1—up to $10,000 total—to museum programming nationwide.
Listings and links to participating museums’ and sponsors’ sites, as well as a downloadable Museum Day ticket, are available at www.smithsonian.com/museumday. Visitors who present the official pass will gain free admission for two people to participating museums and cultural venues. One ticket is permitted per household, per e-mail address.
