CALGARY -- Two of the best things around — 'weekends' and 'free' — are being combined at National Music Centre, the home of Studio Bell.

Admission will be free on weekends, courtesy of ATB Financial, from Nov. 14 to Dec. 31.

Instead of paying for admission, National Music Centre is encouraging music fans to leave a "pay-what-you-can donation, online or in-person," along with a non-perishable food item that will be donated to the Calgary Food Bank.

“As families and friends are finding ways to safely gather over the holidays, we want to welcome them back to Studio Bell to connect through music,” said Andrew Mosker, president and CEO of NMC.

“We have seen how music has played such an important role in bringing happiness, comfort, and healing to so many over the past eight months, and we are eager to share NMC’s offerings so that we can help re-build our community here in Calgary and beyond.”

The Speak Up exhibition, celebrating 13 powerful Indigenous voices in music, will be on display, along with the newly redesigned Canadian Music Hall of Fame gallery, featuring musical instruments and memorabilia from 2020 inductee, Jann Arden.

A new Community Storytellers exhibition is also slated to open in 2020.

Free timed-tickets must be reserved in advance online.