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
Each coupon pass admits up to four (4) people at half price.
PLEASE BE AWARE:
After you reserve the pass, you must also visit bostonchildrensmuseum.org to book your timed ticket. All ticketing is done online.
Your Library coupon is ONLY good for the date printed on the pass. It cannot be used on another date.
Do not duplicate this coupon. Each barcode will only be allowed one use.
Present this coupon upon entry to the museum.
Tickets are not valid without coupon.
Hours of operation are subject to change.
This is a virtual pass that does not need to be picked up at the Library.
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 is a virtual pass that does not need to be picked up at the Library.
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
One pass admits up to four (4) visitors at no charge to all four of the Harvard Museums of Science and Culture.
Redeem this pass at the Harvard Museum of Natural History or the Peabody Admission desks to receive free admission.
- FREE admission for up to four (4) visitors per coupon
- One (1) member of the party must be a MA resident
- Not for group, institutional, or corporate visits
- May not be combined with other offers
- Nontransferable
Free admission provided on behalf of the Saul Family Library Fund.
This is a physical pass that must be picked up at the Library and presented at the museum to redeem the discount.
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
Each pass admits up to two people for $10 each.
This is a physical pass that must be picked up at the Library and presented at the museum to redeem the discount.
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
Each General Admission pass admits up to four adults for $5 each.
This is a virtual pass that does not need to be picked up at the Library.
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
This is a virtual pass that does not need to be picked up at the Library.
Each pass now allows admission for 2 adults at $10 each (general admission and special exhibition) and up to 4 children ages 7–17 at $10 each (special exhibition only). There is no discount for children 7–17 for general admission, currently $10.
Children 6 and under are admitted free.
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 is a virtual pass that does not need to be picked up at the Library.
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.
PLEASE BE AWARE:
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
Each coupon admits up to four people for 50% off regular admission per person at the New England Aquarium. This discount applies to full-price adult and child admission rates. Children under the age of 3 are always admitted free.
This is a virtual pass that does not need to be picked up at the Library.
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.
PLEASE BE AWARE:
· 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.
· Valid only for Aquarium admission, and only on the date printed on the coupon.
· 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.
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 will admit 2 adults per transaction to the museum at a reduced rate of $12 per person. (Children under age 16 are always free.)
This is a virtual pass that does not need to be picked up at the Library.
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
This is a physical pass that must be picked up at the Library and presented at the property to redeem the discount.
Pass is valid for one-time use for free or reduced admission to Trustees properties that collect a fee.
All Trustees properties are now open to the public. Please check here for Covid-related announcements.
Check here for more information about the properties you can visit with this pass.
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
One pass admits up to 9 people for one visit at no charge.
Passes can be printed or shown digitally upon entering.
This is a virtual pass that does not need to be picked up at the library.
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
Each pass admits up to 6 people. Discounted admission is $9 for adults and $6 for children ages 2-12. Admission for children under 2 is free.
This is a physical pass that must be picked up at the Library and presented at the Zoo admissions booth to redeem the discount.