Free Things to do in Park City

The Alf Engen Ski Museum and George Eccles 2002 Olympic Winter Games Museum (inside the Utah Olympic Park: 3419 Olympic Parkway, Park City; 435-658-4240) is a ski fanatic’s dream. Depicting local ski legends and the sport’s history within Utah, this houses many historic photographs and artifacts (including Olympic medals), as well as numerous interactive exhibits. Topics at the museum include alpine skiing, ice hockey, curling, freestyle and Nordic ski jumping, biathlon, cross-country skiing, and the Salt Lake 2002 Winter Olympic Games. This modern building and its exciting topic beckons to children and adults alike.

The Kimball Art Center (638 Park Avenue, Park City; 435-649-8882) serves as Park City’s community art hub, housing numerous events, workshops, talks, art strolls, and galleries. Whether you want to just stop in and peruse the current exhibitions, or get more involved in the local art community, this is the place to check first within Park City. Admission is free, but most of the special events have a price.

Swaner Nature Center (located at the terminus of Newpark Boulevard, Park City. Check online for specific driving directions; 435-649-1767) preserves 1200 open acres of land, protecting it from the otherwise rampant development in the Park City area. Here more than 10 miles of trails explore the grounds, used in summer by hikers, photographers, mountain bikers, and fly fishers; in winter many people explore these trails on snowshoes. Also on the premises is the Swaner Eco Center, one of the greenest and most self-sustaining buildings in the entire state of Utah. Numerous exhibits there not only depict the natural environment and the lives of its creatures within its context, but also detail the inner workings of the building and its nearly off-the-grid systems. Though admission is free, the center suggests a mere $3 donation for adults.

Deer Valley Resort’s Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater (at the base of Deer Valley Resort: 2250 Deer Valley Drive, Park City; 435-655-3114) hosts numerous concerts throughout the summer. And while many of these are not free at all, an occasional freebie event will pop up — even in winter time — that pairs free concerts with some kind of show or sporting event. Past events have included bands playing in conjunction with night freestyle aerial skiing competitions. Keep an eye on the events calendar for these free happenings.