Free Things to Do in Austin, Plus Resources for People Who Live Here

You can do a lot in Austin without paying for it. An Austin Public Library card gets you The New York Times, movies on Kanopy and hoopla, language courses and Consumer Reports. The Blanton is free on Tuesdays, Capitol tours are free, and Big Stacy Pool is free all year.

You don’t have to live here for most of this. The library perks are the exception: they need a card, and whether yours is free depends on where you live. Free days and schedules change, so check the link before you go. This guide doesn’t cover health care, legal help or food assistance.

What’s Free and Who Can Use It

What	Cost	Who can use it
Austin Public Library card	Free	People at an eligible Austin address
The New York Times	Free with a card	Cardholders, 72 hours at a time
Movies, e-books and audiobooks	Free with a card	Cardholders, with monthly limits
Tool Library	Free with a card	Cardholders, 21-day loans
Fix-It Clinic	Free, register first	Anyone, 2 items each
City ReUse Store, paint and mulch	Free, by appointment	See the listing
Blanton Museum of Art	Free on Tuesdays	Anyone
The Contemporary Austin	Free on Thursdays	Anyone
Bullock Museum	Free first Sunday	Anyone, exhibitions only
Capitol tours	Free	Anyone
Ransom Center and three galleries	Always free	Anyone
Big Stacy and most city pools	Free	Anyone
UT star parties	Free	Anyone, fall and spring
Central Market shows	Free	Anyone; food costs extra
Library groups	Free	Anyone
Out Youth’s queer library	Free checkout	Call first
Meeting rooms	Free	Rules vary by room

Start With a Library Card

Who Gets a Free Card

You can get a free Austin Public Library card if you live in the City of Austin, its 2-mile or 5-mile extraterritorial jurisdictions, or the city’s limited-purpose areas. An Austin mailing address alone doesn’t tell you whether you qualify, so look up your address on the city’s jurisdictions map first.

• How: apply online, then bring a photo ID and proof of address to any of the library’s 21 locations. For proof, bring a lease, a voter registration card, or a utility or credit card bill from the past 60 days
• How long: resident cards are good for 3 years
• Live outside the area? A nonresident card costs $149 a year or $37 for 3 months. Texas residents who want only the e-books, streaming and databases can buy a digital card for $46 a year
• TexShare card from another library? Bring it with a photo ID to borrow up to 10 physical items at a time. TexShare doesn’t cover e-books, streaming or the databases below
• Sign up: Get a library card

The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal

The library pays for New York Times access at home and in the app. Redeem a 72-hour pass through the library’s link and sign in with a free NYTimes.com account. Sign in again when the pass runs out. The library’s page lists no limit on how often. NYT Cooking and the Crossword aren’t included, and the pass gets you the archive back to 1851.

There’s no pass for The Wall Street Journal. You can read current Wall Street Journal and Washington Post articles through Factiva, a news database the library subscribes to. Only a few people can use it at a time, so log out when you’re done.

• New York Times: the library’s NYT instructions
• Wall Street Journal and Washington Post: Factiva at the library

Movies, E-Books and Audiobooks

• Kanopy: films and documentaries. You get 6 tickets a month, longer films cost more tickets, and unused tickets don’t roll over
• hoopla: 4 items a month, including movies, TV, music, e-books and comics
• Libby: e-books, audiobooks and magazines, 10 at a time with up to 7 holds. You can borrow Lucky Day titles right away, with no waitlist
• cloudLibrary: more e-books, with a separate Lucky Day shelf
• Electric Lady Bird: streaming music by Central Texas musicians
• All of them: the library’s digital collection

Learn Something or Look It Up

• Languages: Mango Languages has more than 70 languages, and Transparent Language has more than 110 plus American Sign Language
• Online courses: Gale Presents: Udemy needs a separate free Udemy account. The library says the course list changes monthly
• Before you buy something: Consumer Reports
• Car trouble: Chilton Library’s repair guides
• Homework, resumes and interviews: Brainfuse HelpNow has live tutors every day from 2 to 11 p.m., and JobNow helps with resumes and interview practice
• Family history: Ancestry is available only on library computers. Newspapers.com’s Texas edition works from home

Borrow It or Fix It

The Tool Library

You can borrow tools from the library for 21 days, with no renewals. You sign a waiver the first time. To see what’s available, search the library catalog with the TOOL format filter. Return tools at a library desk, not the book drop.

The Tool Library closed at the end of 2025, along with the Recycled Reads used bookstore. It reopened in August 2026.

• Details: the library’s Tool Library announcement

Seeds, 3D Prints and Recording Gear

The Central Library keeps its seed collection in an old card catalog on the 6th floor, with Central Texas Seed Savers. The library says anyone can take up to 4 packets a visit.

One floor down, the Innovation Lab has a studio with Mac Pros, recording equipment and audio software. You can book it for 2 hours at a time, for up to 4 people. Austin residents with a full library card can request one free 3D print a month, and the lab has free drop-in hours to help you get a file ready.

• Seeds: seed library page
• Innovation Lab: hours and studio booking

Fix-It Clinic

At the city’s free Fix-It Clinics, volunteers help you repair things you bring in. Austin Resource Recovery runs them. The November 2026 clinic is Saturday, November 7, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lamar Senior Activity Center, 2874 Shoal Crest Ave.

Bring up to 2 items, like clothing, small appliances or toys. Gas-powered items, laptops, tablets and phones aren’t accepted. You’ll need to register and sign a waiver.

• Register: November 2026 Fix-It Clinic

Free Paint, Mulch and Household Supplies

The city’s Recycle and Reuse Drop-off Center has a free ReUse Store. Anyone can take what’s there. Stock changes, but it includes art supplies, cleaning products, household chemicals and car fluids. ReBlend recycled paint is free too.

Mulch is free if you load it yourself. Bring containers, a shovel or pitchfork, and gloves. You need an appointment for the store, the paint and the mulch.

The city also turns holiday trees into free mulch each winter. In 2026 the giveaway started January 8 at Zilker, first come, first served.

• Book a visit: Recycle and Reuse Drop-off Center

Free Museum Days and Tours

Blanton Museum of Art

The Blanton is free every Tuesday. Get your ticket online before you go. Admission is also free every day with a UT Austin ID, for K-12 teachers with an ID, and for kids 5 and under. Other adults pay $15. It’s open Tuesday to Sunday.

• Visit: the Blanton’s visit page

The Contemporary Austin

Both of the Contemporary’s sites are free on Thursdays. The Jones Center downtown, at 700 Congress Ave, is also free Wednesday evenings, when it’s open until 9. Laguna Gloria, at 3809 W. 35th St, has the outdoor sculpture park and is open until 9 on Thursdays.

Visitors under 18, military members with ID, and anyone with an EBT card and photo ID get in free any day.

• Visit: hours for both sites

Bullock Texas State History Museum

The Bullock’s exhibitions are free on the first Sunday of every month. Films and other ticketed extras aren’t included. EBT cardholders, and the family or guests with them, get free exhibition admission any day. Bank of America cardholders get in free the first full weekend of the month. Other adults pay $22.

• Visit: the Bullock’s visitor page

The Capitol and the Governor’s Mansion

Capitol tours are free and take about 40 minutes. They leave from the South Foyer every 15 to 30 minutes, 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Monday to Saturday and noon to 4:15 p.m. on Sundays. You can also walk through on your own while the building is open. Weekday hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Governor’s Mansion tours are free too, but you can’t walk up. Book at least a week ahead. There are no tours July through September.

• Capitol: tour times
• Mansion: Governor’s Mansion tours

Always Free

• Harry Ransom Center: UT’s library and museum of manuscripts, photography and art, at 300 W. 21st St. Free admission, Tuesday to Sunday. Visit the Ransom Center
• Women & Their Work: a gallery for women artists at 1311 E. Cesar Chavez St, open Tuesday to Saturday. Admission is free, and donations are welcome. Plan a visit
• Julia C. Butridge Gallery: the city’s free gallery inside the Dougherty Arts Center, 1110 Barton Springs Rd, open until 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday. Current shows
• Texas Military Forces Museum: free, daily from 10 to 4, at Camp Mabry. Adults must show a U.S. photo ID at the visitor center and be on base by 3 p.m. Museum hours and entry
• UT’s public art: you can see the outdoor works in UT’s Landmarks collection any time. Use the campus map to find them. Landmarks visit page

The LBJ Library and Austin Museum Day

Adult admission to the LBJ Presidential Library is $16. It’s free with a UT ID, for active-duty military and their families, for kids under 12, for visitors who get SNAP, WIC or MAP benefits, and for anyone named Lyndon or Claudia.

The LBJ and many other museums are free on Austin Museum Day, a Sunday each September.

Pools, Bats and Stargazing

Free City Pools

Most City of Austin pools are free. Barton Springs, Deep Eddy, Bartholomew, Springwoods, Northwest and Garrison charge admission from March through October. Barton Springs is $5 for an adult Austin resident. The city doesn’t say whether those six are free from November through February, so check before you go.

Big Stacy Pool, at 700 E. Live Oak St in Travis Heights, is free and open all year. Lap swim starts at 6 a.m. on weekdays, and weekend hours are noon to 7. The city’s splash pads are free too. Their 2026 season ran May 1 to October 31.

• Pools: city pools and splash pads

The Congress Avenue Bats

About 1.5 million bats live under the Congress Avenue Bridge from March through October. They fly out around sunset. You can watch from the bridge or the Statesman Bat Observation Area for free, but the parking lot next to the observation area costs money.

• Viewing tips: Texas Parks and Wildlife’s bat page

UT Star Parties

UT’s astronomy department runs free public star parties from 7 to 9 p.m. They’re on the roof of the physics and math building on Wednesdays, and at Painter Hall on Fridays and Saturdays. You don’t need a reservation.

The fall 2026 schedule runs into early December, with breaks around Thanksgiving and on some home football Saturdays. If the weather looks iffy, call the status line at 512-232-4265.

• Schedule: UT public star parties

Free Music

• Central Market: both stores have free live music Thursday to Sunday. At North Lamar it runs 6 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, plus Sunday afternoons. At Westgate it’s 6:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, plus Sunday midday. Food and drinks cost extra. North Lamar and Westgate calendars
• Music on the Trail: The Trail Conservancy puts on free shows on the Rainey Street Trailhead lawn, Wednesdays from 6 to 7:30 p.m., in spring and fall. Music on the Trail
• Zilker Summer Musical: a free outdoor musical every summer at the Zilker Hillside Theater. Bring a blanket between 6 and 8 p.m. to save your spot. Zilker Theatre Productions
• UT Butler School of Music: most student recitals and many ensemble concerts are free. A few, like the Concert Chorale, charge $5 to $15. Butler School calendar

Somewhere to Spend an Afternoon

You can spend an afternoon at the Central Library, 710 W. César Chávez St, without buying anything. It’s open 9 to 8 Monday to Thursday, 9 to 5 Friday, 10 to 5 Saturday and noon to 5 Sunday. There are 144 free computers, and printing is 20 cents a page. Café Crème is inside if you want a coffee.

The library’s rules set no time limit on visits. Keep snacks and lidded drinks in the eating areas. Sleeping isn’t allowed. The garage is free for the first hour. There’s also a roof garden on the 6th floor. Its hours aren’t posted, so ask at the desk whether it’s open.

• Hours and directions: Central Library

Free Groups You Can Join on Your Own

The library runs regular groups you can show up to by yourself. All are free and open to the public, and most don’t need a sign-up:

• Yarn and Yammer: knitting and crochet at the Spicewood Springs Branch, first Monday of the month, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Bring your own project
• Untangled Yarners: a weekly fiber arts group at the St. John Branch. Beginners welcome
• Puzzles and games: Spicewood Springs has puzzle swaps and board game nights. Its Cozy Social Hour, on the first Thursday morning, has puzzles and crafts
• Morning Mah Jongg: Howson Branch, first and third Fridays, 10 a.m. to noon, for ages 55 and up
• Talk Time: conversation practice for people learning English, Mondays at the Terrazas, Twin Oaks and Little Walnut Creek branches
• Yoga: free classes at several branches, including Twin Oaks and Carver
• Everything else: the library’s event calendar

For game nights run by and for queer people, see our queer game nights guide. For more queer things to do, start with queer things to do in Austin beyond the bar scene.

Queer Collections and Groups

Out Youth’s Jerry Strickland Jr. Memorial Library

Out Youth, at 3007 N. Lamar Blvd, has what it calls “the second-largest collection of LGBTQIA+ literature and media in the state of Texas.” In its 2026 presentation to the city’s LGBTQ+ Quality of Life Commission, Out Youth described the collection as “free for public checkout.” Adults can use the library, even though Out Youth’s other programs are for young people.

The collection was damaged in a July 2024 flood. You can search the catalog online. Visiting hours aren’t posted, so call 512-419-1233 before you go.

• Library page: Out Youth’s library

Teen LGBTQ+ Film and Craft Club

The Central Library’s free Teen LGBTQ+ Film & Craft Club is for ages 13 to 18. It meets in Teen Central on the 3rd floor, and there are snacks. Check the library calendar for the next date.

A Free Room for Your Group

You may be able to book a free room for your book club, volunteer crew or planning group. Most free rooms require the meeting to be open to the public. If people in your group will talk about personal things, that may rule a room out. Our guide to starting a queer group when privacy matters covers what to think through first.

Library Shared Learning Rooms

• Where: the Central, Carver, Ruiz and Terrazas libraries
• Size: 2 to 10 people
• Booking: 15 minutes to 2 hours, up to 2 weeks ahead and at least 2 hours before. One booking a day and 5 a month. You lose the room if you’re 15 minutes late
• Rules: no food, but lidded drinks are fine
• Public or private: the booking page doesn’t say meetings have to be public. If your group is invite-only, ask before you book
• Book: Shared Learning Room reservations

Library Branch Meeting Rooms

• Who: not-for-profit groups of 3 or more, during library hours
• Public or private: meetings must be open to the public. The rooms aren’t for closed or private groups or social gatherings
• Booking: up to 90 days ahead. The library’s pages give two different limits, three times per branch in 90 days or once a month, so ask when you request a room
• Request: library meeting rooms

Asian American Resource Center and Mexican American Cultural Center

Both city cultural centers have free community rooms during business hours. They’re for noncommercial groups of 3 or more with a community or civic purpose, and you can’t charge people to attend.

• Asian American Resource Center: open until 9 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Book evening slots at least 7 days ahead. Each group can book two 4-hour sessions or one 8-hour session a month. Use the free community room form, not the paid rental application. Community room reservations, 512-974-1698
• Mexican American Cultural Center: the Raul Salinas Community Room seats 35. It can’t be booked as a recurring series. Raul Salinas Community Room

What We Couldn’t Check

• Whether the library lends board games, instruments or hotspots. Some r/Austin threads mention them, but we found no library page for them
• Dates for free tax help at libraries. It usually runs in tax season, and this season’s dates weren’t posted yet
• “Stronger Austin” free fitness classes. Older threads mention them, but we found no current city page

Last checked: October 2026. Every library, museum, city, venue and UT page above read October 31, 2026. We recheck this guide each spring and fall. See something wrong? Use our contact page.