Free admission to hundreds of museums

Want to visit museums, zoos, aquariums or science centers? You may have already paid your admission.

By Donna_Freedman Jun 14, 2012 7:48PM

Traveling this summer? Take your museum membership card with you.

If you buy an annual pass to an institution affiliated with the North American Reciprocal Museums program, you'll eligible for free admission to more than 600 others in the United States and Canada.

So if you're a member of, say, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts you can get in free at a huge variety of other institutions, from The Frick Collection in New York City to the Surfing Heritage Foundation in San Clemente, Calif.

Pay once, make multiple visits -- that's quite a deal. And museums are just the beginning.

Three other groups -- the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Association of Children's Museums and the Association of Science and Technology Centers -- also have reciprocal agreements. Depending on the institution, you'll get free or discounted admissions, cheaper tickets to special events like concerts and lectures, and discounts at gift shops.

Finding your options
Some restrictions may apply. For example, a specific level of membership may be required and special attractions may not be included. It's important to call ahead or check websites for specific rules.

Here's the information you need to get started:

North American Reciprocal Museums. More than 600 institutions in the U.S. and Canada, two in Bermuda, and one each in Mexico and El Salvador.
Association of Children's Museums. Nearly 200 museums in the U.S. and Canada, many of which offer admission for up to four people from the same household.
Association of Science and Technology Centers. More than 300 centers, mostly in the U.S. and Canada.
Association of Zoos and Aquariums. 150 institutions in the U.S. plus one in Canada and one in Mexico.

The next time you plan travel for leisure or business, check out the reciprocal options in that area. It's a frugal way to enrich any trip.

Be sure to allow enough time to purchase your hometown attraction membership, since you'll need the actual membership card to take advantage of these deals.

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12Comments

Best

Jun 15, 2012 12:14PM

If you buy an annual pass, good program, but how exactly is this free?

Previous replies

Judy Garay

Jun 15, 2012 12:55PM

I remember when ALL museums were free plus the Botanical Gardens. The Bronx Zoo is free on Wednesdays but they make you pay by not having all the exhibits open. There's no such thing as a free lunch my friend. Those were the days.

Previous replies

valhallaarwen

Jun 15, 2012 11:40AM

Great list. In New Orleans there are free family days in the spring for museums here and also there is the Smithsonian Day which I am sure you are aware of.

Previous replies

Sarah CAMERON (kattbuloo)

Jun 15, 2012 1:55PM

The museums in the UK are free, its the law..America wants you to pay through the nose for everything, its shameful...

Previous replies

mary finn (tough times do not last-- tough people do)

Jun 16, 2012 6:32PM

Always ask what ALL your options are too. For example, in addition to memberships, The Brooklyn Botanic Garden has a "Frequent Visitor's Pass" that costs $25.00 annually. It lets you in the door and nothing else. No parties, no discounts in the gift shop etc., but for many of us, it is quite enough and saves the bother of feeling like a complete deadbeat. You walk right in without standing on the lines to pay too.

Previous replies

Jonny Black

Jun 15, 2012 1:38PM

museum of Natural History in NYC has always been free... it says sugested donations so most of us payI but you dont have to pay the sugested price.

Previous replies

SDJ81

Jun 15, 2012 12:50PM

I buy a membership at the charles paddock zoo a small zoo in atascadero and use it and the Santa barbara zoo often. as it's a bigger zoo and the membership fro the paddock zoo is cheaper.

Previous replies

Doug Steinmeyer (wordtoyourmother)

Jun 15, 2012 12:19PM

i am a member of the st. louis zoo and science center. we saved well over $250 at museums in chicago this spring.

a worker at the stl science center said many chicago citizens buy stl memberships to use in their hometown. if they buy a membership to one museum in chicago it is not reciprocal in chicago, so they buy a membership in stl.

Previous replies

The Bailey Matthews Shell Museum Sanibel

Jun 15, 2012 12:13PM

Don't forget there is also the Southeastern Reciprocal Museums Program (SERM) that allows for similar benefits to NARM. Find out more at: http://shellmuseum.org/membership.cfm

Previous replies

The_Mick

Jun 16, 2012 11:54AM

I would add there are lots of parks, government museums, etc. that are free or low cost. That's especially true if you live within an hour of Washington, D.C. as I do. The next time I babysit our 4-year old, I'm taking him either to the NASA-Godard Visitor's Center (FREE) where he can try on a space suit, sit in a real space capsule, play with space toys and, on certain days, watch model rocket shots. Or if we've got a long day I'll take him for a 3-4 hour visit to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., (FREE with $4/hr parking) where we can bring our own cooler and see the Giant Pandas, Komodo Dragons, Orangutans, Tigers, etc.
The next time I babysit our 11-year old, I'm taking him either to Harper's Ferry (FREE with $6 parking) to see the John Brown and Civil War city, reenactors, "captured Southern spys," etc. or else to the Smithsonian in D.C. (FREE with FREE parking if you arrive very early - or park for about $4 in the suburbs and take the Metro in and out).

Previous replies

Minisodagirl

Jun 15, 2012 3:10PM

It's important to note that most of these reciprocal memberships are at the mid-level of membership, usually starting at the $250 annual fee. If you're a frequent traveler and museum visitor, it does represent a nice savings. Otherwise....

Previous replies

annathy03

Jun 15, 2012 2:24PM

kattbuloo, most museums are non-profit, but it costs money to run them. If they were "free" they'd still cost me money via more taxes. There are some museums with wealthy benefactors that are free, just not most.

Previous replies

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