The Ximenez-Fatio House Museum will open its doors free of charge on Saturday, September 24 as part of Smithsonian magazine’s 12th Annual Museum Day Live!

As a nationwide event, Museum Day Live! offers free admission to visitors presenting Museum Day Live! tickets at a participating museum or cultural institution. The event represents Smithsonian’s commitment to make learning and the spread of knowledge accessible to everyone, giving museums across all 50 states the opportunity to follow the admission policy of the Smithsonian museums in Washington D.C. According to event organizers, last year’s event attracted more than 200,000 participants nationwide, and this year’s event expects record-high attendance as well. The Ximenez-House is located in historic, downtown St. Augustine at 20 Aviles Street.

“Visitors and locals are encouraged to join us for free tours of the House, Museum, gift shop and property,” said Julie Vaill-Gatlin, executive director of the Ximenez-Fatio House. “The national museum day program will provide individuals and families with the opportunity to learn more about our local history,” she said.

Museum Day Live! tickets are available to download at http://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/. Visitors who present the Museum Day Live! tickets will gain free entrance for two attendees at the Ximenez-Fatio House on September 24. For more information about Museum Day Live! 2016 and a list of participating museums and cultural institutions, visit the website at http://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/venues/?no-ist.

The Ximenez-Fatio House Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 am to 4 pm and tours of the buildings and rooms are available from 11 am until 3:00 pm, and closed on Sundays and Mondays. The property is available for group functions including weddings and events. During tours, regular admission is free for St. Johns County residents; adults $10; children, students, seniors and military $8, and the family rate is $20. Private group rates are $6.50 per person.

The Ximenez-Fatio House is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and the Historic American Buildings Survey. It is a Florida Heritage Landmark and is also recognized as an integral part of the St. Augustine Town Plan National Historic Landmark District. The House is rated as a top attraction in St. Augustine by TripAdvisor and holds a Certificate of Excellence designation which is awarded to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn the highest levels of reviews from travelers.

Additionally, the property is regularly available to artists, re-enactors and historians during First Friday Art Walks, Plein Air painting events and local festivals, among many others. The efforts support the Dames’ public outreach and mission which promotes the nation’s national heritage through historic preservation, patriotic service and educational projects.

Visit the website at www.ximenezfatiohouse.org, Twitter at https://twitter.com/XFHouse and the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/XFHouse?v=wall&viewas=0. View the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDp_Nr7IAzU. For more information, call 904-829-3575 or email info@ximenezfatiohouse.org.

About The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America (NSCDA):

The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America (NSCDA), founded in 1891, is an unincorporated association of 44 Corporate Societies with more than 15,000 members. The NSCDA has been a leader in the field of historic preservation, restoration, and the interpretation of historic sites. Today, 41 diverse properties are owned outright by the Corporate Societies of NSCDA. 13 additional museum collections are owned by the Dames and 30 more properties receive substantial volunteer and financial support from Dames. The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in The State of Florida was incorporated in 1899. In 1939, they bought the Ximenez-Fatio House from the Fatio heirs to use as their state house museum. Considered as one of St. Augustine’s best-preserved Spanish colonial dwellings, the museum depicts the boarding house lifestyle of Florida’s Territorial/Early Statehood Period. It is one of the first museums in America to interpret 19th century women’s history.