Looking for some free summer fun? Keep reading for some options you can access with your UCard.
Red Butte Garden
Located on the eastern edge of the University of Utah’s campus, Red Butte Garden and Arboretum features over 21 acres of developed gardens and five miles of hiking trails. Open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily until the end of August, summer is the perfect time to visit one of the Intermountain West’s largest botanical gardens. While admission is always free for U students, staff and faculty, entry is free to anyone on July 24, thanks to the Salt Lake County Zoo, Arts and Parks Tax.
The Sundance Film Festival’s Local Lens program will offer two free movie screenings in Red Butte this summer. See below.
“Skywalkers: A Love Story”
July 17 | 9 p.m.
“My Old Ass”
July 18 | 9 p.m.
Find more info about the Local Lens program here.
Note that the garden closes at 5 p.m. on concert evenings. Check the schedule ahead of time here.
Natural History Museum of Utah
If you’re a bug-lover, this summer at the state’s official natural history museum is for you! In addition to the Natural History Museum of Utah’s 12 permanent exhibits, the museum hosts one special exhibit that rotates every few months. This summer, the exhibit is “Microsculpture: Insect Portraits by Levon Bliss.” If you’d like to take your insect experience to the next level, visit the museum on Aug. 10-11 for BugFest 2024. The event will feature speakers, special displays, face painting, crafts and more.
In addition to events at the museum, the NHMU also has programming that travels around the state. On July 27, they’ll join other community partners on Antelope Island for 2024 Spider Festival.
The museum is open daily from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and until 9 p.m. on Wednesdays.
Utah Museum of Fine Arts
Whether you want to see great art or try your hand at making it, the Utah Museum of Fine Arts has something for you. In addition to the museum’s permanent collections, the museum’s temporary exhibit “Chiura Obata: Layer by Layer” explores the creation and conservation of Chiura Obata’s Horses screen. This exhibit is on display until Sept. 8.
If you’d like to make your own miniature version of the screen, visit the museum between 1-4 p.m. on July 20 as part of the museum’s Third Saturday for Families programming. While museum admission is always free for U students, staff and faculty, admission is free for everyone on the third Saturday of the month.
Find out more about free art events hosted by the museum throughout the community here.
Arts Pass
For U students, your UCard doubles as your Arts Pass, providing free or discounted access to numerous arts experiences. While many campus performing groups take a break during the summer, the 2024 Intermezzo Chamber Music Series features four events at Libby Gardner Concert Hall that are free to students during July and August.