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 Type: Printable/Digital Coupon Pass (link delivered by email)
Pass Benefits
This is a printable pass.
If you are unable to print this pass at home or present it on a mobile device at the museum, you can come to the library to request a printed copy.
Admission is HALF price for up to four (4) people.
Advance tickets/reservations are highly recommended, especially during weekends, holidays and school vacation weeks.
The Children's Piazza
83 Pine Street, Unit F, Peabody, MA 01960
978-817-2809
https://www.thechildrenspiazza.com/
[Details/Reserve]
Located in Peabody, MA, The Children's Piazza is a space is designed for young children—aged 0 to 6—to learn through unstructured play. Organized to optimize social, cognitive and motor development, areas include a large room with a climbing structure, slides, and swings; an arts and crafts room; a room with a train table; a lunch area with appropriately sized furniture; a glow-in-the-dark planet room; among others. There is a coffee shop and free Wi-Fi on the premises. Please check the website for the requirements of entry.
Pass Type: Printable/Digital Coupon Pass (link delivered by email)
Pass Benefits
This pass provides 50% off admission for the immediate family/household.
Please visit The Children's Piazza website to make a reservation prior to your visit. Reservations always encouraged - walk in play subject to availability
This is a printable pass.
Concord Museum
200 Lexington Road, Concord, MA 01742
978-369-9763
http://www.concordmuseum.org/
[Details/Reserve]
Founded in 1886, the Concord Museum is a repository of local history and a gateway to the town of Concord. It educates visitors from around the world about the history of Concord and its continuing influence on American political, literary and cultural life through permanent and changing exhibits, educational programs and publications. Its collection contains a range of unique items from the area, including a Paul Revere lantern; many objects that once belonged to Henry David Thoreau; a reproduction of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s study; and furniture, artwork, and objects from the colonial era on.
Pass Type: Circulating Pass (must be picked up and returned to the branch)
Pass Benefits
This pass offers $5 off admission to the Concord Museum for up to 4 people.
This pass must be picked up inside 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 Type: Printable/Digital Coupon Pass (link delivered by email)
Pass Benefits
This pass admits 3 visitors at 1/2 price admission per person; any additional visitors must pay the regular admission price.
Advance reservations are no longer accepted. Present this pass to Admissions staff when checking in and the discount will be applied to the cost of your visit.
EcoTarium
222 Harrington Way, Worcester, MA 01604
508-929-2700
http://www.ecotarium.org/
[Details/Reserve]
The EcoTarium is a unique indoor-outdoor museum in Worcester, MA. Set in an urban oasis, the museum offers a chance to walk through the treetops, take a multimedia journey through the galaxy at a digital planetarium, meet wildlife, stroll nature trails, and get hands-on with family-friendly exhibits.
Categories: Children, Family, Nature, Science
Pass Type: Coupon Pass (must be picked up from the branch, but does not require returning)
Pass Benefits
This pass provides a 50% discount for up to 2 adults and 2 children. Children under 2 free. It is not to be combined with other offers, group rates or special event prices. Please fill out the reverse side of the coupon pass prior to using.
*This is a coupon pass that must be picked up at the library
Harvard Museum of Natural History
26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
617-495-3045
https://hmnh.harvard.edu/
[Details/Reserve]
The Harvard Museum of Natural History was established in 1998 as the public face of three separate research museums at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA: the Harvard University Herbaria, the Mineralogical & Geological Museum, and the Museum of Comparative Zoology. The museum is home to the famous “Glass Flowers” collection and a collection of “Sea Creatures in Glass,” made by the same artists (a father and son); a collection of meteorite, mineral and gemstone specimens; and various exhibits on life both big and small: from microbes to dinosaurs—and everything in between. There is a gift shop on the premises.
Categories: Children, Family, History, Science
Pass Type: Coupon Pass (must be picked up from the branch, but does not require returning)
Pass Benefits
50% off regular museum admission rates for up to four people.
This pass also includes admission to the Harvard Museum of Natural History, the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East, and the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments.
Please be prepared to show the physical library pass and proof of Massachusetts residency when visiting the museum. Only one member of the party must be a MA resident.
*This is a coupon pass that must be picked up at the library
Historic New England
141 Cambridge Street, Administrative Offices: Otis House, Boston, MA 02114
https://www.historicnewengland.org/
[Details/Reserve]
Historic New England is a historic preservation organization which owns and operates historic house museums and properties open to the public throughout most of New England. The majority of the 36 properties are in Massachusetts, but locations exist in all NE states but Vermont. These include Castle Tucker (Wiscasset, ME), the Jackson House (Portsmouth, NH), the Spencer-Pierce-Little Farm, which (Newbury, MA), Roseland Cottage (Woodstock, CT), the Otis House (Boston, MA), the Lyman Estate (Waltham, MA), Gropius House (Lincoln, MA), and the Arnold House (Lincoln, RI). Styles represented include Federal, Colonial Revival, Victorian, Queen Anne, Arts & Crafts, and Modern, among many others. The website provides much detail, including directions, contact information, and history of each property.
Categories: Architecture, Family, History, Nature, Recreation
Pass Type: Coupon Pass (must be picked up from the branch, but does not require returning)
Pass Benefits
This pass offers free admission for two adults and children under 18 to 38 historic sites and the Library and Archives of Historic New England. Please go to historicnewengland.org for a full listing of historic sites to visit and to verify hours of operation.
This pass needs to be picked up at the library
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 Type: Printable/Digital Coupon Pass (link delivered by email)
Pass Benefits
Each pass allows up to two people a discounted rate of $10 each. The ICA is always free to children 18 and under.
Current hours and admission information are available at: https://www.icaboston.org/visit/
Reservations are encouraged, but not required.
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 Type: Printable/Digital Coupon Pass (link delivered by email)
Pass Benefits
Each pass provides up to 4 people with $5.00 admission per person. Children under the age of 18 are always admitted free.
Tickets can sell out fast, and may not be available at the door, particularly during popular days of the week and times of day. Buy your tickets in advance to avoid the line and guarantee entrance at your preferred time. See confirmation email for instructions.
John F. Kennedy Library & Museum
Columbia Point, Boston, MA 02125
617-514-1600
https://www.jfklibrary.org/
[Details/Reserve]
The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, dedicated to the memory of the nation’s thirty-fifth president, is located on a ten-acre park which overlooks the sea in an building designed by I.M. Pei. The Museum portrays the life, leadership, and legacy of President Kennedy, conveys his enthusiasm for politics and public service, and illustrates the nature of the office of the President, all through permanent and changing exhibits. The Library is available to students and scholars to conduct research using its collection of historical materials chronicling mid-20th century politics and the life and administration of the institution’s namesake.
Categories: Family, Governance, History
Pass Type: Coupon Pass (must be picked up from the branch, but does not require returning)
Pass Benefits
Passes are no longer required—the presentation of a valid library card grants the cardholder 50% off of one admission ticket—but please place a reservation for the desired date of your visit.
Mass Audubon has over 55 wildlife sanctuaries and centers throughout Massachusetts where visitors can learn about and interact with nature. More than 38,000 acres of protected land deliver inspiring hilltop views to breathtaking coastal landscapes, serene woods, and working farms. Visit their website for a list of locations.
Categories: Children, Family, Nature, Recreation
Pass Type: Coupon Pass (must be picked up from the branch, but does not require returning)
Pass Benefits
This pass may be used for up to four people per visit (adults, seniors, or children age two or older; children under two are admitted free). Each will be charged a discounted rate of $2 for admission to any Mass Audubon wildlife sanctuary.
You will need to check the Mass Audubon Website before planning a visit. Many sanctuaries are currently free admission. When you register online to reserve a spot, you should select the library pass option, and your admission will either be free or reduced, depending on location.
If you wish to visit sanctuaries that are using the online ticketing system, you should request the pass several days in advance for the date you wish to visit, to increase the likelihood that tickets will still be available for that date. Mass Audubon does not guarantee access on any specific date/time if tickets are not available.
Massachusetts State Parks (Department of Conservation and Recreation)
251 Causeway Street, Suite 900, Boston, MA 02114-2104
617-626-1250
http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/
[Details/Reserve]
The Massachusetts State Parks have locations in all regions of the Commonwealth, from Pittsfield to Boston, and from Gloucester to Provincetown. They include beaches, wooded parks, parkways, and reservoirs, each with its own unique activities and amenities like hiking, biking, swimming and boating, camping, and more.
Categories: Children, Family, Nature, Recreation
Pass Type: Circulating Pass (must be picked up and returned to the branch)
Pass Benefits
This pass provides free parking to one vehicle at over 50 facilities in the state parks system.
*This pass needs to be picked up at and returned to Reading Public 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 Type: Printable/Digital Coupon Pass (link delivered by email)
Pass Benefits
This pass uses a discount code. You will receive the discount code via email after booking this pass.
Children 6 and under are admitted free. The pass 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.
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 Type: Printable/Digital Coupon Pass (link delivered by email)
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 listed 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 Type: Coupon Pass (must be picked up from the branch, but does not require returning)
Pass Benefits
As of September 1st, this is a coupon pass. The pass will need to be picked up at the Borrower Services desk prior to the reservation date.
Each pass admits up to 4 people at 50% off the rate of admission.
You may find current rates by viewing https://www.neaq.org/visit/tickets/
Passes do not apply to Aquarium boat programs, IMAX shows or school group visits.
Advance reservations are no longer required for library patrons with coupons. Library patrons should present their discount pass on-site at the Aquarium ticket booth. Once tickets are issued, library patrons will be admitted to the Aquarium.
North Shore Children's Museum
10 Main Street, Peabody, MA 01960
978-538-5765
https://www.nschildrensmuseum.org/
[Details/Reserve]
Located in downtown Peabody, MA, the North Shore Children's Museum offers 15 hands-on exhibits geared towards explorative and imaginative play for children ages 2 to 8. A child may become a superhero in the Comic Room, a builder in the Gross Motor Room, an artist in the Makerspace, and more. All exhibits are in ADA-accessible spaces.
Categories: Children, Family, Science
Pass Type: Printable/Digital Coupon Pass (link delivered by email)
Pass Benefits
Library passes for North Shore Children's Museum admit up to 5 people (adults and children over 12 months) at 50% off admission price.
This is an ePass that can either be presented on a mobile device or as a print-out to receive the discounted admission rate in-person.
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 Type: Printable/Digital Coupon Pass (link delivered by email)
Pass Benefits
This pass uses a discount code. You will receive the discount code via email after booking this pass. Purchasing tickets in advance is recommended. See confirmation email for instructions.
Pass admits two adults at $12 per person. Includes admission to the Yin Yu Tang, the Chinese house. Access to special ticketed exhibitions also require a separate fee. Visitors using a library pass are not entitled to any other member benefits.
Salem Witch Museum
19 1/2 Washington Square, Salem, MA 01970
978-744-1692
http://www.salemwitchmuseum.com/
[Details/Reserve]
Based on actual trial documents and using life-size stage sets with figures, lighting, and narration, the museum's principle exhibit examines the 1692 Salem witch trials. In a second exhibit, “Witches: Evolving Perceptions,” guides take you through changing interpretations of witches, the truth behind the stereotypes, witchcraft practice today, and witch hunting. A gift shop is on the premises.
Categories: Children, Family, History
Pass Type: Circulating Pass (must be picked up and returned to the branch)
Pass Benefits
This pass allows the bearer a discounted admission rate ($13.25 for adults, $10.75 for children ages 3-14) for up to six visitors.
You must purchase tickets from the museum ahead of time. See confirmation email for instructions.
*This pass needs to be picked up at and returned to Reading Public 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 Type: Coupon Pass (must be picked up from the branch, but does not require returning)
Pass Benefits
Pass provides free or reduced admission for 2 Adults and children under 18 to Trustees properties across the state, including the deCordova Museum in Lincoln. Pass holder will pay an admission fee equivalent to that of a Trustees Family Level membership. Passes will provide 20% off regular admission to Crane Beach.
Reservations for some properties are strongly encouraged. Please check the Trustees website for information and availability. https://thetrustees.org/content/passes/
Please check the hours of the specific location you are visiting.
Pass is not valid for use at Trustees parking kiosks, stores, cafes, Inns, Campgrounds at special events and programs, or in place of any permits or passes.
The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, except holiday Mondays (MLK Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, & Veteran’s Day).
*This is a coupon pass that must be picked up at the library
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 Type: Printable/Digital Coupon Pass (link delivered by email)
Pass Benefits
This pass allows free admission to the museum for up to 9 people per day.
This is a printable pass.
You must be able to print this pass at home or present it on a mobile device at the museum.
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 Type: Coupon Pass (must be picked up from the branch, but does not require returning)
Pass Benefits
Pass is valid for Franklin Park Zoo in Boston and Stone Zoo in Stoneham, MA.
Admits 6 people at $9.00 per adult and $6.00 per child. Children 2 years and younger are free.
Note: This pass is no longer an online discount code- it is a coupon pass that must be picked up at the library. To use the library discount, you must present the physical library ticket at the Zoo's admission booth. Reservations are not required for this discount.
Library passes may be used for general daytime admission only. They cannot be used for the evening Boston Lights or ZooLights events.