Name: Free First Thursday: Seattle Art Museum
Start: 2026-05-07T10:00:00-07:00
End: 2026-05-07T20:00:00-07:00
Location: Seattle Art Museum

Call your friends and bring the family, admission is FREE to everyone at the Seattle Art Museum on the first Thursday of every month.
In addition to our regular hours, Seattle Art Museum will be open for Free First Thursday evenings from 5–8 pm to provide more opportunities to visit the galleries for free! Evening hours will feature extra activities like live music, drop-in art making, and in-gallery experiences for visitors.
Tickets are available both onsite and online.
11:30 am, 1:30 pm | Public Tour: Highlights from SAM’s Collection
These 60-minute tours meet at the top of the 3rd floor escalators.
noon–1 pm | Concert by Ladies’ Musical Club
5–7:30 pm | Little Cloud Sky cotton candy by SweetArt
Both museum entrances
Little Cloud Sky is a commission from FriendsWithYou for SAM’s Brotman Forum. To celebrate its presence, enjoy cotton candy clouds spun live by SweetArt Cotton Candy while supplies last!
5–8 pm | Drop-In art workshop: Seeds of light lantern making
South Hall
Inspired by SAM’s new public art piece DRIFT: Meadow, this activity invites participants to decorate, cut, fold, and illuminate paper to create glowing pod lanterns. Each lantern holds a suspended light and travels home with its maker, dispersing these artworks beyond the museum and into the community. Developed by teaching artist Jessie Blackmer.
5:30–6:30 pm | SAM Gallery artist talk
SAM Gallery
Celebrate the landscape of the Pacific Northwest with Into the Wild at SAM Gallery!
6–7 pm | Beyond Mysticism Public Tour
This tour meets at the 4th floor special exhibition entrance.
6–7:15 pm | Musical performance by Josephine Howell Productions
South Hall
SAM is excited to welcome Josie Howell back for another amazing performance! Josie tirelessly supports her community through gospel events, concerts, and her work with the Emergency Feeding Program. She lights up every stage with an electrifying, heart-stirring experience you don’t want to miss.