One of the numerous free attractions to visit in Cleveland is the National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame which houses memorabilia from a century of polka.

In addition to the Cleveland Museum of Art, which only charges admission for some special exhibitions, visitors on a budget can find numerous free attractions around town. Noteworthy examples include:

--National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame: That other musical hall of fame gets much more attention, but this humble institution in the Cleveland suburb of Euclid pays tribute to an art form that is no less relevant to local culture. The museum houses instruments and memorabilia from a century of polka, including an accordion played by Grammy winner Frank Yankovik, dubbed "America’s Polka King." Open Tuesday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. See www.clevelandstyle.com.

--Cleveland Police Museum: Free exhibits in the Cleveland Justice Center downtown trace the history of crime-fighting in the city. Open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. See www.clevelandpolicemuseum.org.

--Ditrick Medical History Center Museum: This small museum on the campus of Case Western Reserve University houses a fascinating collection of antique medical instruments and pharmaceutical items dating back to the early 1800s. Open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed weekends and major holidays. See www.cwru.edu/artsci/dittrick/site2/.

--International Women's Air and Space Museum: Housed in the terminal building of the Burke Lakefront Airport in downtown Cleveland, this museum documents the contributions women have made to aviation and space exploration, from the Wright Brothers’ unsung sister Katherine to Valentina Tereshkova, the Soviet cosmonaut who in 1963 became the first woman to orbit the earth. Open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. See www.iwasm.org.

--The Free Stamp: Perhaps Cleveland’s most amusing work of public art, this 50-foot sculptural representation of an old-fashioned rubber office stamp has the word "FREE" spelled out in backwards letters across its face. Artists Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen originally created the piece on commission for a new Standard Oil of Ohio office building under construction in downtown Cleveland. Corporate executives eventually deemed the sculpture inappropriate for the company’s image, and the work finally ended up in Willard Park just east of City Hall.