To select a museum, click “Details/Reserve”, then select which Pass to reserve.
Boston Children’s Museum
308 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210
617-426-6500 http://www.bostonchildrensmuseum.org/
[Details/Reserve]
Founded in 1913 by the Science Teachers’ Bureau, the Boston Children’s Museum is the second oldest children’s museum in the world and one of the few that maintain a collection. Designed for both children and families, the Museum exhibits focus on science, culture, environmental awareness, health & fitness, and the arts, emphasizing hands-on engagement and learning through experience, and employing play as a tool to spark the inherent creativity, curiosity, and imagination of children.
Categories: Children, Crafts, Family, Technology
Pass Benefits
This pass is good for 50% off admission for up to 4 people.
Discovery Museum
177 Main Street, Acton, MA 01720
978-264-4200 http://www.discoveryacton.org/
[Details/Reserve]
Acton's Discovery Museum, located on a 4-acre campus, is aimed at providing an environment in which play becomes a conduit for learning about science, technology, and nature. The museum’s building contains a number of galleries dedicated to teaching scientific concepts in a fun, hands-on environment, as well as themed play spaces for younger visitors. Outdoors, Discovery Woods includes a nature playscape with a cargo net climb, nest swing and beaver lodges, as well as a treehouse with an observation deck and a bouncy bridge. There are opportunities to practice orienteering with provided maps and instructions on trails on the property. A museum shop is on the premises. The museum building is fully ADA compliant, with exhibits based on Universal Design principles.
Categories: Children, Family, Science
Pass Benefits
This pass admits 3 visitors at 1/2 price admission per person; any additional visitors must pay the regular admission price.
This pass is NOT a reservation; patrons must reserve a ticket for a specific day and time prior to coming to the Museum campus; they must check into the Museum within one hour of their reservation time, and may stay as long as they like.
Tickets are only valid for the date and time selected. Library patrons can reserve tickets on our website prior to their visit and pay upon arrival. On-site ticket purchases will only be available if the Museum is not at capacity.
No payment will be collected online, you will pay when you arrive. Present this pass to Admissions staff when checking in and the discount will be applied to the cost of your visit.
The Gardens at Elm Bank
900 Washington Street, Wellesley, MA 02482
617-933-4900 https://www.masshort.org/
[Details/Reserve]
The Gardens at Elm Bank are located on the Massachusetts Horticultural Society's 36 acres on the Elm Bank Reservation in Wellesley, MA. The site includes open fields and meadows, streams and pools, wooded areas and formal gardens. Among these are the Bressingham Garden designed by Adrian Bloom; the historic Italianate Garden; the Garden to Table Chef's Garden; an educational New England Trial Garden; and Weezie's Garden for Children, each with its own unique theme. Regularly scheduled children's activities take place Tuesday through Sunday. Please check the website for a downloadable map of the grounds and a schedule of events, lectures, and classes. The grounds and gardens of Elm Bank are handicap-accessible.
Categories: Children, Family, Nature, Science, Recreation
Pass Benefits
Passes are good for ONE free admission to the Gardens at Elm Bank
Gardens are open April 1st to October 31st.
Garden closes early on certain days for private events.
visit www.masshort.org for hours and details.
Harvard Museums of Science and Culture
11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138
617-496-1638 https://hmsc.harvard.edu/
[Details/Reserve]
The Harvard Museums of Science & Culture is a partnership of museums on the Harvard University Cambridge campus dedicated to the natural world, science, and human cultures. They include the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, the Harvard Museum of Natural History (comprised of the Harvard University Herbaria, Mineralogical and Geological Museum, and Museum of Comparative Zoology), the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East, and the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, all located between Oxford St./Divinity Ave area. Of particular note are the famous glass flowers, models commissioned by Harvard in 1886 to aid in the teaching of botany (and made in Germany over the course of more than eight decades), on display in the Harvard Museum of Natural History.
Categories: Children, Family, History, Nature, Science
Pass Benefits
Each pass will allow four patrons into the museum at a 50% off rate regardless of age / admission level.
Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston
25 Harbor Shore Drive, Boston, MA 02210
617-478-3100 https://www.icaboston.org/
[Details/Reserve]
The building that houses the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston on Fan Pier is the first in the US designed by the architectural firm of Diller Scofidio + Renfro. The museum was founded in 1936 as a sister institution to New York’s MoMA, though it had no permanent collection until starting one after moving into the new building on the waterfront in 2006. In addition to the collection, changing exhibitions, music, dance, film, talks, tours, family activities, and teen programming are offered throughout the year.
Categories: Art, Family, Music, Dance
Pass Benefits
This pass offers discounted $10 admission for up to 2 people.
For more details, visit the ICA website: https://www.icaboston.org/visit
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
25 Evans Way, Boston, MA 02115
617-566-1401 http://www.gardnermuseum.org/home/
[Details/Reserve]
The Gardner Museum houses the collection of Isabella Stewart Gardner, a local patron of the arts who died in 1924, in a building she commissioned to look like a 15th century Venetian palazzo. The center of the original building showcases courtyard plantings that reflect the seasons as they evolve throughout the year. In addition to her collection, which remains displayed exactly she arranged it per her will, there are changing exhibitions, concerts, lectures, family events, and an artist-in-residence program. In 2012, the museum opened an addition designed by Renzo Piano that houses a space for their concert series.
Categories: Art, Family, Music
Pass Benefits
This pass offers discounted $5 admission for up to 4 adults. Admission is free for children under age 18.
Patrons must present both this library pass and their timed admission ticket for entry into the museum.
For more information, including health and safety requirements, please visit the ISGM's Know Before You Go page.
Museum of Fine Arts
465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
617-267-9300 http://www.mfa.org/
[Details/Reserve]
The Boston Museum of Fine Arts, in existence since July 4, 1876, is one of the most comprehensive art museums in the world, with a collection of almost 500,000 works of art, ranging from ancient Egyptian artifacts to contemporary painting, sculpture and video. In addition, there are always special exhibitions on view, opportunities to take advantage of educational programs—some right in the galleries—and a contemplative Japanese garden.
Categories: Art, Family, History
Pass Benefits
Each pass allows 2 adults for $10 each (general admission and special exhibition) and up to 4 children 7 – 17 $10 each (special exhibition only).
(There is no discount for children 7-17 for general admission, as it is already $10. )
Children 6 and under are free.
Please present the coupon code attached to your confirmation email when reserving your tickets to redeem your pass.
The Museum of Science in Boston is located on a piece of land that extends the width of the Charles River, connecting Boston and Cambridge. Dedicated to promoting and educating visitors about science and technology, the museum includes a planetarium, the world’s largest open-air Van de Graaff generator, an IMAX theatre, a butterfly garden, and permanent and changing exhibits on birds, insects and animals; space; dinosaurs; engineering; nanotechnology; math; biology; and more.
Categories: Children, Family, History, Nature, Science, Technology, Sky
Pass Benefits
This pass will admit up to 4 people at a 50% discount on tickets to the Museum’s Exhibit Halls. Children under 3 are not included in the count of 4 and are always admitted for free.
Your Library pass can only be used on the date printed on the pass.
Please bring your library pass confirmation (printed or displayed on a phone) when you visit.
When you arrive at the Museum, stop at the Box Office to exchange your library pass and purchase your Exhibit Halls tickets at the discounted rate. If you have any questions or would like to reserve your Exhibit Halls passes in advance to avoid waiting in line the day of your visit, please call 617-723-2500 (9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. daily).
If you are unable to show your Library confirmation on a phone, you may print out a copy using the link in the confirmation email or request a paper copy from the library.
New England Aquarium
1 Central Wharf, Boston, MA 02110
617-973-5200 http://www.neaq.org/
[Details/Reserve]
The New England Aquarium is home to thousands of aquatic animals, from the giant Pacific octopus to Northern fur seals to little blue penguins. They offer a wide range of exhibits, including a shark and ray touch tank and the Giant Ocean Tank, a four-story coral reef featuring hundreds of Caribbean animals. In addition, they have an IMAX theatre and run whale watch boat excursions in partnership with Boston Harbor Cruises from April through November.
Categories: Children, Family, Nature, Science, Ocean
Pass Benefits
· This coupon allows 50% off admission to the New England Aquarium.
· Only applies to adult and child pricing.
· This is not a ticket.
· Redeem this coupon in the General Admission line at the Aquarium’s ticket booth for discounted admission for up to 4 people.
· Please visit neaq.org/coupons for details.
· Review the Aquarium’s website at www.neaq.org/safety ahead of your visit to ensure a safe and accessible experience.
· Valid only for Aquarium admission.
· This coupon does not provide any other discounts and cannot be applied to combo tickets.
· Library coupons or tickets obtained with library coupons may not be sold.
· Void if altered or copied. No cash value.
· Hours of operation are subject to change.
New England Quilt Museum
18 Shattuck St., Lowell, MA 01852
978-452-4207 http://www.nequiltmuseum.org/
[Details/Reserve]
The New England Quilt Museum, part of the Lowell National Historic Park, is fittingly located not far from the old textile manufacturing plants that made the city famous during the industrial revolution. Since its opening in 1987, it has been committed to both craft and fine arts quilts, with a permanent collection, special exhibitions, a library and resource center, classrooms, and a gift shop.
Categories: Children, Family, History
Pass Benefits
Pass grants free admission for up to two (2) visitors.
Peabody Essex Museum
161 Essex Street, Salem, MA 01970-3783
978-745-9500 http://www.pem.org/
[Details/Reserve]
The Peabody Essex Museum grew out of the collection of East India Marine Society, an organization of Salem captains whose charter called for acquisition of “natural and artificial curiosities.” Its permanent collection contains art and artifacts of Africa, Asia, India, China (with a Qing Dynasty house brought from the Huizhou region), Japan, Korea, Pacific Islands, and features objects of maritime art and history that include paintings, drawings, ship models, marine decorative arts, tools, weapons, navigational instruments, and ship and yacht plans. It also has a thriving changing exhibition schedule that sometimes includes important traveling shows.
Categories: Art, Family, History, Ocean
Pass Benefits
This pass allows $12 per person admission for up to two visitors.
Plimoth Patuxet Museums
137 Warren Avenue, Plymouth, MA 02360
508-746-1622 http://www.plimoth.org/
[Details/Reserve]
Plimoth Patuxet Museums offers a living history that tells the story of the English colonists who became known as “Pilgrims” and the Native Americans with whom they interacted. A big draw is the re-creation of the original settlement, populated with interpreters in period dress with whom one may interact that are based on actual historical figures. Native People from various nations in historically accurate dress provide information about the Wampanoag—the first tribe the Pilgrims encountered—at a home site based on how the group would have lived in the 17th century. In addition to the two settlements, the museum includes a visitor center, the Craft Center, barns that contain rare and heritage animal breeds, and a grist mill that manufactures cornmeal. Plymouth Patuxet Museums is also responsible for the replica of the Mayflower, the ship that brought the Pilgrims to the New World.
Categories: Children, Crafts, Family, History
Pass Benefits
This coupon must be presented to Plimoth Patuxet Museums guest services staff upon arrival at the Museum for Wellesley Free Library patrons to purchase a Heritage Pass, Combination Pass, or Plimoth Patuxet Only pass for up to six individuals at the reduced rate of $16 per adult; $10 per child ages 5-17.
Trustees of Reservations (with deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum)
The Trustees of Reservations preserve and protect more than 100 special properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value—nearly 25,000 acres—all around Massachusetts. From Crane's Beach in Ipswich and World's End in Hingham to The Old Manse in Concord and Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, visitors to Trustees sites enjoy local history and nature in its various forms: beaches, meadows, forests, swamps and more.
In the summer of 2019, the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, the largest park of its kind in New England, became part of the Trustees. The museum, located in Lincoln, MA, encompasses nearly 30 conserved acres and presents contemporary art from New England—and beyond—with sculptures in the landscape and museum exhibitions. For a full list of locations, please visit their web site.
Categories: Art, Family, History, Nature, Recreation
Pass Benefits
GO Passes are valid for admission only; not valid for discounts at parking kiosks, stores, cafes, inns, campgrounds, at special events or programs, on equipment rentals, or in place of any permits or passes.
GO Pass offers free or reduced admission for up to two adults and any children 16 and under. Check specific listings for admission pricing.
To use Go Passes at Fruitlands, deCordova, or Castle Hill, please enter the promo code "GOPASS" when securing a timed ticket. Passes are available at www.thetrustees.org/passes
For a listing of locations and venues that take this pass, please visit the Trustees of Reservations website (here.)
USS Constitution Museum
Charlestown Navy Yard, Building 22, Charlestown, MA 02129
617-426-1812 https://ussconstitutionmuseum.org/
[Details/Reserve]
The museum, a part of the Boston National Historical Park, is located in the Charlestown Navy Yard near the ship USS Constitution (“Old Ironsides”) at the end of Boston’s Freedom Trail. The museum provides a detailed look at the history of the ship, information about the war of 1812, and the battle between the ship and HMS Java. Stories are told through interactive exhibits, unique artifacts, archival records, and artwork. The museum also includes a research library which houses a strong collection of manuscripts, books, artifacts, and microfilm of primary source material. The ship itself is maintained by the US Navy, and may be visited free of charge on certain days.
Categories: Art, Family, History, Ocean
Pass Benefits
Pass holders will receive free admission to the museum. One pass allows free admission for up to 9 people per day. One pass per party, please.
Zoo New England
1 Franklin Park Road, Boston, MA 02121
617-541-5466 http://www.zoonewengland.org/
[Details/Reserve]
Zoo New England operates Franklin Park Zoo, a 72-acre site nestled in Boston’s historic Franklin Park, and the Stone Zoo, located on a 26-acre site near Spot Pond reservoir in Stoneham, MA. In addition to animals, both zoos are engaged in wildlife and conservation programs, research, and education.
Pass Benefits
This pass gives you access to purchase the following discount:
$9.00 per adult
$6.00 per child
For up to 6 tickets.
Valid for general daytime admission to Franklin Park Zoo or Stone Zoo only. Please check for special zoo closures while making your reservation.