Free & Affordable Activities in Sacramento

The California State Capitol Museum allows visitors to explore the California State Capitol building, which is home to both the executive and legislative branches of the California state government.

The elegant Neoclassical-style building was constructed in 1874 to mimic Washington, D.C.'s United States Capitol building and is a California Historical Landmark today, located within a 10-block grounds area known as Capitol Park. Visitors can explore the building's beautiful architecture and public exhibits as part of self-guided tours available daily during business hours, with the exception of major holidays.

Free documentary films are also shown daily at the building's basement theater. Student groups can also reserve free guided tours for groups of up to 35.

1315 10th St B-27, Sacramento, CA 95814, Phone: 916-324-0333

Wide Open Walls is an annual Sacramento street and mural art festival that is held in August, bringing regional and international mural artists to the city for 10 days to transform urban buildings and spaces into public art murals. More than 40 top artists are selected to participate in the event each year and are challenged to create designs at specific sites to work in harmony with existing urban landscapes, serving as permanent gifts to the city of Sacramento. Visitors can observe murals in progress or take self-guided tours of past mural projects throughout the city. Past participants have included Shepard Fairey, the artist responsible for Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign "Hope" design. Several other free public events are also hosted annually by the Wide Open Walls organization, including a Mural Jam and a public block party and music festival.

Old Sacramento State Historic Park preserves eight blocks of Sacramento's historic 19th-century downtown district, which was originally developed following the 1848 California Gold Rush. The 28-acre National Historic Landmark district is free to explore and is one of the city's top tourist destinations today, attracting over five million visitors each year. Beautiful Spanish architecture is showcased at sites such as the Big Four House and the B.F. Hastings building, with elegant arched doorways and intricate wrought-iron balconies preserved. Museums at the site include the Sacramento History Museum, the California Automobile Museum, and the Old Sacramento Schoolhouse Museum, with some offering free admission daily or on select days. Walking tours of the district are offered by the Old Sacramento Historical Foundation, and public special events such as the Gold Rush Days Festival are held in the district annually. For an additional fee, visitors can also take rides aboard the historic Sacramento Southern Railroad excursion train or the restored Delta King Riverboat.

1014 2nd Street, Suite 200, Sacramento, CA 95814, Phone: 916-970-5226

The Sacramento Outdoor Film Festival is a free outdoor film festival offered each autumn at Fremont Park, hosted by the City of Sacramento in cooperation with Front Street Animal Shelter. The annual festival showcases four film offerings throughout September and October, organized around a general theme such as "coming of age" or works by female filmmakers. Due to the nature of films frequently shown, it is open to adult audiences ages 18 or older. Local food truck vendors sell food before and during films, with beer and wine also available for purchase. Lawn games are also available for visitors to play before films start. All proceeds from liquor sales benefit the Front Street Animal Shelter's regional operations.

1515 Q Street, Sacramento, CA 95814

The Sacramento Public Library is California's fourth-largest public library system, circulating over two million items throughout 28 regional branches. The system was originally founded in 1857 and became a public library system in 1879, opening its current Italian Renaissance Revival-style central library branch in 1918. Visitors can explore the National Register of Historic Places-listed central library building Tuesdays through Sundays, with free resources available such as internet workstations and a makerspace with 3D printing and graphic design services. More than 288,000 items are held by the library, including collections of materials in Russian, Spanish, and Chinese. Free public special events held throughout the library system include children's storytimes, lectures, and arts and maker workshops.

828 I St, Sacramento, CA 95814, Phone: 916-264-2700

Gold Rush Days is Sacramento's biggest annual bash, held each year over Labor Day weekend within Old Sacramento State Historic Park. The four-day pioneer celebration showcases live entertainment on several stages, along with Old West reenactments and demonstrations presented throughout the event. All of the district's streets ban automobile traffic throughout the event, with wagon, pony, and stagecoach rides available for visitors. Historic food and beverages are sold at the Embarcadero Tent City, including traditional sarsaparilla. Other activities include free outdoor film showings, a beer crawl, a country dance vent, and a statehood celebratory procession featuring living history performers and a brass band.

1014 2nd Street, Suite 200, Sacramento, CA 95814, Phone: 916-970-5226