Southern California Museums “Free-For-All” day: March 16th

I think coordinated "Open Doors" events like this are a great way for the cultural community to market itself while providing access to people who might not otherwise visit.

-- Southern California Museums “Free-For-All” day, Sunday March 16th

The only thing is one day probably isn't enough, I'd do the full weekend.  The downside of such Open Doors events, like the one the Smithsonian Museums sponsors in September, is that they are super crowded and can be uncomfortable.

Although in the SoCal case, it turns out that some of the institutions aren't open on Sundays, only Saturdays, so it works out.

Cultural heritage tourism. When you travel, looking for such events can be pretty cool.  So many cities have them, such as New York City, Pittsburgh, and Toronto.