Yes, free. As in zero dollars. No hidden fees, no "suggested donation" guilt trip at the door, no surprise parking surcharge. Just you, some world-class art, and Golden Gate Park doing what Golden Gate Park does best — being one of the few things in San Francisco that still feels like it belongs to everyone.

For a city that charges you $16 just to cross a bridge and where a one-bedroom apartment runs north of $3,000, free museum days are the kind of public amenity we should be celebrating loudly. The de Young's permanent collection spans centuries of American art, textile arts, and works from Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. Special exhibitions typically aren't included in the free admission, but the permanent collection alone is more than worth an afternoon.

Here's our unsolicited fiscal conservative take: this is how cultural institutions should work. Rather than lobbying for ever-larger public subsidies, the de Young (operated by the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco) offers a regular free day that makes art accessible without turning the whole operation into a taxpayer-funded money pit. It's a model that balances public access with financial sustainability. More of this, please.

Practical details: the museum is open 9:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. on Tuesdays. Get there early if you don't love crowds — free days tend to draw them. The 44-O'Shaughnessy and N-Judah will get you close via Muni, and there's parking in the Music Concourse garage if you must drive (that part, unfortunately, is not free).

Mark your calendar for the first Tuesday of next month. In a city where everything costs too much, take the win.