Skip to main content

This event has passed. See what’s on at SAM.

Free First Thursday: Seattle Art Museum

Thu Apr 3 2025

10 am–8 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Entire Building

Photo: Alborz Kamalizad

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 is 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.

3-5 pm: LGBTQ+ Center Youth Arts Reception
Brotman Forum
Join us to celebrate the 2025 Youth Arts Program Cohort from Seattle’s LGBTQ+ Center! QTBIPOC youth students have used the mediums of collage, zines, and textile arts to explore themes of identity and experience. Stop by to pick up a free zine and chat with the artists about their growth and exploration in textile arts. Special thanks to teaching artists Arielle Labra and Le’ecia Farmer.

5–5:30 pm: Ai, Rebel Public Tour
4th floor galleries

5-8 pm: Gallery Guide and Button Making with Susanna Ryan
Brotman Forum
Pick up an exclusive guide to SAM’s galleries from comic artist and local legend Susanna Ryan (@seattlewalkreport)! Make a one-night only custom SAM-themed button and see the galleries through Susanna’s eyes.
Susanna Ryan is the author and illustrator of the bestselling books Seattle Walk Report: An Illustrated Walking Tour through 23 Seattle Neighborhoods and Secret Seattle: An Illustrated Guide to the City’s Offbeat and Overlooked History. In 2021, she was named one of Seattle Magazine’s most influential people in Washington State.

5:15-6:45 pm: Zine Making Drop-In Workshop with SAM's Teen Arts Group
Brotman Forum
Explore timely, thought-provoking, and inspiring zines created by members of SAM’s Teen Arts Group (TAG)! Taking a page from Ai Weiwei’s disrupter ethos, take home teen-made zines that will touch on a range of subjects—from teas around the world, to the need for comprehensive reproductive health education in schools. And if reading them isn’t enough, TAG will show you how to make your own zines, too!

5:30-6:30 pm: SAM Gallery First Look Rising
SAM Gallery

5:30-8 pm DJ set from DJ Faridaguyzzz
3rd floor galleries
Seattle's own Faridaguyzzz has quickly established herself as a powerhouse in the world of Afrobeats, Amapiano, Gqom, Afrohouse, and 3-step. Faridaguyzzz sets are not just performances; they are immersive experiences designed to make everyone feel as liberated and ecstatic as she does while spinning her tracks.

Tickets are available both onsite and online.

Free First Thursday Evenings Presented by

Paul G. Allen Family Foundation

Related program

Discounts

To ensure that everyone has the opportunity to experience art, SAM offers monthly free days and various discounts for visiting our locations.

view program

What’s on at Seattle Art Museum

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Thu Jun 19 2025

  

2:30–3:30 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Public Tour: Highlights from SAM’s Collection

Sat Jun 21 2025

  

11:30 am–12:30 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Sat Jun 21 2025

  

1:15–2:15 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Chanoyu: Tea Culture of Japan Demonstration

Sat Jun 21 2025

  

2–3 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Public Tour: Highlights from SAM’s Collection

Sun Jun 22 2025

  

11:30 am–12:30 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Sun Jun 22 2025

  

1:15–2:15 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Thu Jun 26 2025

  

2:30–3:30 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Little Cloud Sky Opening Night Bash

Fri Jun 27 2025

  

7–10 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Public Tour: Highlights from SAM’s Collection

Sat Jun 28 2025

  

11:30 am–12:30 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Sat Jun 28 2025

  

1:15–2:15 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Public Tour: Highlights from SAM’s Collection

Sun Jun 29 2025

  

11:30 am–12:30 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Sun Jun 29 2025

  

1:15–2:15 pm

Seattle Art Museum

SAM Gallery Presents: Reverie

Wed–Sun Jun 4–29 2025

  

10 am–5 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Public Tour: Highlights from SAM’s Collection

Thu Jul 3 2025

  

1:30–2:30 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Thu Jul 3 2025

  

2:30–3:30 pm

Seattle Art Museum

SAM Gallery Presents: The Art of Collecting

Thu Jul 3 2025

  

5:30–6:30 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Free First Thursday: Seattle Art Museum

Thu Jul 3 2025

  

10 am–8 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Public Tour: Highlights from SAM’s Collection

Sat Jul 5 2025

  

11:30 am–12:30 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Sat Jul 5 2025

  

1:15–2:15 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Public Tour: Highlights from SAM’s Collection

Sun Jul 6 2025

  

11:30 am–12:30 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Sun Jul 6 2025

  

1:15–2:15 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Thu Jul 10 2025

  

2:30–3:30 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Sat Jul 12 2025

  

1:15–2:15 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Chanoyu: Tea Culture of Japan Demonstration

Sat Jul 12 2025

  

3–4 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Sun Jul 13 2025

  

1:15–2:15 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Thu Jul 17 2025

  

2:30–3:30 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Sat Jul 19 2025

  

1:15–2:15 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Chanoyu: Tea Culture of Japan Demonstration

Sat Jul 19 2025

  

2–3 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Sun Jul 20 2025

  

1:15–2:15 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Thu Jul 24 2025

  

2:30–3:30 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Sat Jul 26 2025

  

1:15–2:15 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Sun Jul 27 2025

  

1:15–2:15 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Thu Jul 31 2025

  

2:30–3:30 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Sat Aug 2 2025

  

1:15–2:15 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Sun Aug 3 2025

  

1:15–2:15 pm

Seattle Art Museum

SAM Gallery Presents: Wavelength

Wed–Mon Jul 2–Aug 4 2025

  

10 am–5 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Thu Aug 7 2025

  

2:30–3:30 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Free First Thursday: Seattle Art Museum

Thu Aug 7 2025

  

10 am–8 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Sat Aug 9 2025

  

1:15–2:15 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Sun Aug 10 2025

  

1:15–2:15 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Thu Aug 14 2025

  

2:30–3:30 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Sat Aug 16 2025

  

1:15–2:15 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Sun Aug 17 2025

  

1:15–2:15 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Thu Aug 21 2025

  

2:30–3:30 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Sat Aug 23 2025

  

1:15–2:15 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Sun Aug 24 2025

  

1:15–2:15 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Thu Aug 28 2025

  

2:30–3:30 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Ai Weiwei Public Tour

Sat Aug 30 2025

  

1:15–2:15 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Free First Thursday: Seattle Art Museum

Thu Sep 4 2025

  

10 am–8 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Chanoyu: Tea Culture of Japan Demonstration

Sat Sep 13 2025

  

3–4 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Chanoyu: Tea Culture of Japan Demonstration

Sat Sep 20 2025

  

2–3 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Chanoyu: Tea Culture of Japan Demonstration

Sat Oct 11 2025

  

3–4 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Chanoyu: Tea Culture of Japan Demonstration

Sat Oct 18 2025

  

2–3 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Chanoyu: Tea Culture of Japan Demonstration

Sat Nov 8 2025

  

3–4 pm

Seattle Art Museum

Chanoyu: Tea Culture of Japan Demonstration

Sat Nov 15 2025

  

2–3 pm

Seattle Art Museum

2026 Naramore Ceremony

Fri May 1 2026

  

6–7 pm

Seattle Art Museum

2026 Naramore Middle & High School Art Show

Wed–Sun Apr 1–May 31 2026

  

10 am–5 pm