The J. Paul Getty Museum is a signature L.A. institution and one of many in
the city taking part in Smithsonian Museum Day. (Creative Commons licensed)

To celebrate Smithsonian Museum Day on Saturday, September 26, certain museums and cultural institutions nationwide will offer free admission to patrons.

In an attempt to "bring the Smithsonian to your neighborhood," participating museums will offer entry at no cost on Saturday, as the Washington D.C.-based Smithsonian museums do every day of the year.

To gain free admission to participating museums, you need to present a museum admission card, which you can print out here.

Here's a round-up of L.A.-based museums participating in Museum Day, and the verdict on the must-sees and the can-skips this Saturday:

Corita Art Center
Location:  According to their Website, "the Corita Art Center is located on the campus of Immaculate Heart High School, on the northwest corner of Franklin and Western Avenues in Hollywood. Entrance is on Western at the AFI gate."
Website: www.corita.org
Museum Day Hours:  11am to 3pm
Notable Exhibitions: The Corita Art Center is "a gallery and archive dedicated to preserving and promoting the work and spirit of artist, activist and educator, Corita Kent." The featured exhibition on Saturday is "Writing Pictures/Painting Words," which explores the interplay between images and words in works by Corita Kent and local book artist John Carerra.
Verdict: Must-see.  This museum is a bit off the beaten path, but what better day than Museum Day to explore something new? They have also designed a special exhibition and event for Saturday and will offer a "Looking Game," an interactive gallery game to get patrons involved in the exhibit.

Craft and Folk Art Museum
Location: 5814 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Website: www.cafam.org
Museum Day Hours: 12 to 5pm
Notable Exhibitions: Two new exhibitions will open on Saturday. "Sueños / Yume" is a retrospective of ceramist Dora de Larios' career, and "Myth and Manpower" explores the role of graphics and graphic design in shaping California history.
Verdict:  Skip it. "Myth and Manpower" looks like a very exciting exhibition, but as Saturday Museum Day and the exhibit's opening, there will be a crowd. Not to worry; the museum also offers free admission every Sunday  and on the first Wednesday of every month.

Fowler Museum at UCLA
Location:  North Campus, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
Website:  www.fowler.ucla.edu
Museum Day Hours:  12 to 5pm
Notable Exhibitions:  "Steeped in History" looks at representations of tea in the visual arts and "African American Life on the Gullah/Geechee Coast" compiles Greg Day's photographs of a unique African American community whose traditions are still very much rooted in African culture.
Verdict:  Skip it.  The Fowler offers free admission every day.  Also, plan to wait for the larger "Grass Roots" exhibit, opening October 4th, which examines African influences on American art, and of which the Gullah/Geechee exhibition is a part.

J. Paul Getty Museum
Location:  1200 Getty Center Drive, Getty Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90049
Website: www.getty.edu
Museum Day Hours:  10am to 9pm
Notable Exhibitions:  "Irving Penn: Small Trades," a collection of Penn's photographs of mid-century tradespeople, has generated a lot of buzz, and will be a hit for photography fans.  The Getty also has a large rotating collection of French art, but this is the last weekend for "Cast in Bronze," which features the museum's French bronze sculptures.
Verdict: Split decision.  Consider it a must-see if you have never been to this seminal L.A. institution or if you've got your heart set on those French bronzes.  But buyer beware - though the Getty offers free admission every day, it doesn't look like they are waiving their normal $15 parking fee on Museum Day.

Museum of Latin American Art
Location: 628 Alamitos Ave, Long Beach, CA 90802
Website: www.molaa.org
Museum Day Hours: 11am to 5pm
Notable Exhibitions: "Auction '09 Exhibition" displays over 120 works of Latin American contemporary art that MOLAA will be auctioning off on October 17th.
Verdict: Must-see.  If you're in the market for some new artwork or are just curious, some of the works to be auctioned off are stunning, as are some of the prices.

Museum of Neon Art
Location: 136 W. 4th St, Apt. 518, Los Angeles, CA, 90013  
Website:  www.neonmona.org
Museum Day Hours: 12 to 6pm
Notable Exhibitions: While this neon mecca has no mention of our beloved Neon Tommy, the "Larry Albright Retrospective" features 15 of Albright's plasma and crackle tube sculptures (including the illuminated globes you can reach out and touch).  
Verdict: Must-see. Not only do you get to touch the art, but if you like light sabres, you'll love this. Albright was a neon pioneer and contributed special effects to several Hollywood blockbusters, including "Star Wars."  

Santa Monica Museum of Art
Location: Bergamot Station G1, 2525 Michigan Ave, Santa Monica, CA, 90404
Website: www.smmoa.org
Museum Day Hours: 11am to 6pm
Featured Exhibitions: "You and Me or The Art of Give and Take" is Allan Ruppersberg's avant garde installation that allows the viewer to be "an active participant in the completion of a work of art." As one part of the exhibit, Ruppersberg offers photocopied pages from his book collection that are free for the taking.
Verdict:  Skip it, especially if you don't have time to get to the west side after trekking down to Long Beach. Keep this one on your to-do list though:  SMMoA is always free (though a $5 donation encouraged), and it is located in Bergamot Station, a collection of art galleries and the delicious Bergamot Café, a great place to spend an afternoon viewing and dining.

Watts Towers Art Center
Location: 1727 E. 107th St, Los Angeles, CA, 90002
Website: www.culturela.org
Museum Day Hours:  10 am to 4 pm
Notable Exhibitions:  Watts Towers is marking the 50th anniversary of the art center with "50 Years Inspiring Art," a group exhibition of artwork inspired by the Watts Towers.
Verdict: Must-see. This is a big weekend for Watts Towers:  Saturday is also the Watts Towers 28th Annual Day of the Drum Festival, a daylong event featuring percussion from around the world.  If you can't go Saturday, or you prefer sax to drums, Sunday is the Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Festival.

For a searchable list and map of all venues participating in Smithsonian Museum Day, click here.