Over 1,200 musuems in all 50 states are participating....

AJC - - When Smithsonian magazine launched Museum Day, in which cultural spaces nationwide emulate the Smithsonian Institution’s free admission policy, it seemed novel. Five years later, in a pinched economy, it feels more like a necessity.

On Saturday, nine metro Atlanta museums and historic sites will participate by opening their doors gratis to visitors.

Participating will be the Archibald Smith Plantation Home, Roswell; Barrington Hall, Roswell; Bulloch Hall, Roswell; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Global Health Odyssey Museum, Atlanta; the Center for Puppetry Arts, Atlanta; the Hammonds House Museum, Atlanta; the High Museum of Art, Atlanta; the Marietta Museum of History; and the Museum of Design Atlanta
With 1,200 museums in all 50 states registered, Museum Day 2009 is the largest ever.

To print out an admission card, good for two people, and see a complete list of participants, go to http://microsite.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/admission.html