You don’t need to be a bookworm to take advantage of what your neighborhood library has to offer. Several library systems let patrons reserve free or reduced-price passes to nearby museums, zoos, aquariums and other arts and cultural venues such as theaters and orchestras.
Often these museum pass initiatives are run in partnership with municipal governments and aim to provide free or discounted access to important arts and culture resources. Consider these programs an extension of public libraries’ mission to make information and cultural experiences available to everyone.
Free passes aren’t just great for families with kids — they’re wonderful for people of any age who appreciate visual and performing arts or wildlife. Note, however, that some programs restrict availability to families with children.
Below are examples of a number of such programs.
Check with your local branch to learn whether it runs a comparable program. Instead of complimentary tickets, some libraries provide discounts on parking or merchandise.
New York City
The Brooklyn, Queens and New York Public Libraries participate in the Culture Pass museum program, granting access to a lengthy roster of cultural organizations. The list tops 50 institutions.
Notable participating museums include the Bronx Museum of the Arts, the Jewish Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Any regular cardholder aged 13 and older can book passes; Ecards and Educator cards don’t qualify. Passes are released on the first of each month for the upcoming month, and group sizes covered by each pass differ by venue.
Boston
Across all locations of the Boston Public Library system you’ll find passes to six museums, plus the New England Aquarium and Massachusetts State Parks. Additional attractions, such as the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Zoo New England, are offered at selected branches.
To reserve a pass you must prove Massachusetts residency and present a physical library card (e-passes are not accepted). Some passes are disposable while others must be returned; returnable passes may incur fines if late, so be sure to follow the rules.
Atlanta
The Fulton County Library System provides access to city attractions for cardholders through its partnership pass program.
Participating Atlanta sites include the Alliance Theatre, the Center for Puppetry Arts, state parks, the Museum of Arts and Sciences and the Georgia Aquarium. The Atlanta zoo pass is available for a family of three after checking out the Zoo Atlanta DVD.
You can even take a family of four to a show at the Shakespeare Tavern — just be careful not to misplace the pass or you’ll face a significant replacement charge.
Tampa Bay Area
With more than 30 museums across Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, Tampa Bay public library systems run pass programs that can get you into many local favorites. All you need is a library card.
Hillsborough County’s Discovery Pass provides entry to 12 museums and attractions including the Glazer Children’s Museum, Stageworks Theatre and The Florida Orchestra. Admission numbers vary by venue and some passes have waitlists. Availability can be checked online; passes aren’t renewable, but lost ePasses may be replaced.
Pinellas County Library System’s museum pass program includes 13 museums such as the family-favorite Great Explorations Children’s Museum, the James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art and the Museum of Fine Arts. Passes are checked out in person on a first-come, first-served basis and carry a seven-day loan period.
Miami
The Miami-Dade Public Library System’s museum pass program allows cardholders to borrow free passes to 18 local attractions, including the Coral Gables Museum, the Miami Children’s Museum and Pérez Art Museum Miami. Zoo Miami, though not strictly a museum, is included in the program as well.
Patrons may check out one pass per seven-day period. Each pass offers one day of free entry for a family of four, with specific age rules for children applying at Deering Estate, Fruit & Spice Park and Zoo Miami.
Passes can’t be renewed or reserved for a specific date; they’re available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Chicago
The Chicago Public Library, in collaboration with Explore More Illinois, runs a Digital Museum pass program offering complimentary passes to many local attractions, such as the Art Institute of Chicago, the Chicago History Museum and the Museum of Science and Industry. Cardholders can also obtain free admission to non-museum venues like Brookfield Zoo and Metropolis Performing Arts Center.
Just log in with your library card. Anyone 18 or older may hold up to three active reservations, print or download passes, and head off to enjoy some of the city’s premier cultural offerings.
Denver
Denver Public Library cardholders can obtain free admission to 19 museums and cultural sites, including the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, the History Colorado Center, the Molly Brown House Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, via the library’s museum pass program.
Passes may be reserved up to 30 days ahead; however, reservations for the Denver Museum of Nature & Science are limited to once every 182 days. One pass permits a party of seven at the nature and science museum. The History Colorado Center and Molly Brown House allow groups of four per pass. The Museum of Contemporary Art pass covers four adults because those up to 18 get in free.
Dallas
Dallas Public Library works with the City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture to offer the Culture Pass Dallas program, giving cardholders access to museums, theaters and other cultural venues. With 34 participating institutions, Culture Pass Dallas is among the richest programs listed here.
Cardholders can hold up to five reservations at once; as reservations expire you can add more. There’s no annual cap on the number of pass reservations you may make.
Phoenix
Phoenix Public Library’s Culture Pass program offers cardholders free admission for two people at 18 cultural organizations, museums and outdoor sites.
Participating venues include Phoenix Art Museum, Reid Park Zoo and the Sedona Heritage Museum.
Passes are checked out in person during library hours, limited to one per family and up to two passes each month. They expire seven days after checkout and don’t need to be returned.
Los Angeles
The County of Los Angeles Public Library and the city’s library system share the Discover & Go platform, a museum pass program that offers cardholders free admission at 14 organizations, including the Craft Contemporary, the Chinese American Museum and the Los Angeles Zoo.
Patrons may reserve passes up to three months in advance but may only hold two active reservations at a time. Some passes admit up to four visitors, though the number of free admissions per pass varies by site.
San Francisco
San Francisco Public Library also participates in the Discover & Go museum pass initiative, offering patrons access to more than 60 museums and attractions across the Bay Area.
Passes may include spots such as the Conservatory of Flowers, the Exploratorium, Haas-Lilienthal House and the Museum of African Diaspora.
Online reservations are supported; printed passes cannot be canceled. Some museum entries are available only to families with children.
Seattle
Seattle Public Library cardholders can visit 13 area attractions, including the Museum of Flight, the Seattle Art Museum and the National Nordic Museum. The library’s museum pass program also covers non-museum sites such as the Seattle Aquarium and Woodland Park Zoo.
Patrons may reserve one pass up to 30 days before the visit. New passes become available daily and space is limited.
Most passes provide complimentary admission for at least two adults; some cover four or more visitors.
Jamie Rivera, a former staff writer at Savinly, also contributed.
