Art lovers marked a birthday and took full advantage of the first "Free First Saturday" of the year at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis.

Admission to the gallery is free on the first Saturday of each month, which includes live performances, films and hands-on art activities aimed at children.

Saturday's events also marked the 75th anniversary of the Walker as a public regional art center. The Walker ranks among the five most-visited modern/contemporary art museums in the nation and, with the adjacent Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, attracts more than 700,000 visitors per year.