Cosmosphere Participates in Smithsonian Museum Day on September 26

The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center is participating in the fifth annual Smithsonian Museum Day on Saturday, September 26, 2009. Visitors with a Smithsonian pass will be admitted free to the museum that day. The Cosmosphere is the only Smithsonian-affiliated museum in Kansas.

A celebration of culture, learning and the dissemination of knowledge, Museum Day reflects the spirit of Smithsonian magazine, and emulates the free-admission policy of the Smithsonian Institution's Washington, DC-based properties. Doors will be open free of charge to Smithsonian magazine readers
and smithsonian.com visitors at museums and cultural institutions nationwide.

Cosmosphere President and CEO, Chris Orwoll, says, "The Cosmosphere has been proud to work closely with the Smithsonian Institution and its National Air and Space Museum for over two decades now. This year, as we do every year, we look forward to welcoming participants in Museum Day to the Cosmosphere. This is a great event that encourages people all over the country to visit their local museums and appreciate our rich cultural heritage."

Last year, about 200,000 people attended Museum Day, with all 50 states plus Puerto Rico represented by over 900 participating museums, including 84 Smithsonian affiliate museums. This year, the magazine expects to attract over 1,000 museums. Twenty-five museums in Kansas have already agreed to participate.

Visitors can download Museum Day Admission cards at www.smithsonian.com/museumday. Attendees must present the Museum Day Admission Card to gain free entry to participating institutions. Each card provides museum access for two people, and one admission card is permitted per household. Listings and links to participating museums can also be found at the link above.

Founded in 1970 with the launch of Smithsonian magazine, Smithsonian media—comprising Smithsonian magazine, Air & Space, goSmithsonian, Smithsonian Publishing Digital Network, Smithsonian Books and advertising for Smithsonian Channel—allows the intellectually curious to indulge and engage their passions for history, the arts, science, the natural world, culture and travel. Smithsonian Media's flagship publication, Smithsonian magazine, has a circulation of more than two million. This multimedia network is also affiliated with the world's most visited museum and research complexes at the Smithsonian Institution. For more information, visit www.smithsonian.com, and www.gosmithsonian.com.

The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing patrons' knowledge of space exploration. Educating people from around the globe, the Cosmosphere boasts the Hall of Space museum, one of the most significant collections of U.S. and Russian space artifacts in the world; the Justice Planetarium, a dome-shaped classroom where attendees learn about astronomy; Dr. Goddard's Lab, a live demonstration of early rocket technology; the Carey IMAX® Dome Theater, the 12^th IMAX® theater built in the world; and summer astronaut training camps. For more information visit www.cosmo.org.