Posted: Sat, 25 Sep 2010 10:32 AM - 12,235 Readers

By: Helen Anders

No fair!

I was going to go to the State Fair of Texas today — and I still might later today if things clear up. But right now, it’s raining cats, dogs and three-toed sloths outside here in Arlington, where I’m staying at my daughter’s house, which has dish TV, which means, yeah, I won’t be watching TV either because it doesn’t work in the rain.

So what to do? I suddenly remember: It’s Smithsonian Magazine’s free museum day nationwide. Choose a Smithsonian-linked museum at www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday, print out a ticket (you NEED the printed out ticket) and you and one other person get in free. Among the museums you can see free today: Austin’s Blanton and, up here, Fort Worth’s Amon Carter, Modern and Museum of Western Heritage. In Dallas, there’s the Dallas Museum of Art and a whole bunch of museums at Fair Park where we could, theoretically, lurk until skies clear.

The only question is this: If we drive out into this deluge, will be have to turn-around-don’t-drown ? Hm.

I know: It’s not raining yet in Austin. But, if one can believe the forecasters, it will.