Absolutely! Google Universal Analytics short-time unique user tracking identifier. Your email address will not be published. LACMA-ArtMuseums Free admission to 24 art museums nationwide. Which science centers and museums participate in the program? Then we got into the Living Desert Zoo for an additional $50 which was the half price discount. In this article, we are going to do our best to help you understand what each reciprocal program offers, and the best ways to go about joining these programs. Childrens Classes, Playtimes, & Storytimes, Childrens Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, Playground at the Mansfield Community Center, The Lutz Childrens Museum (changing from $100/year to $125/year), Kidcity(changing from $100/year to $125/year, although Kidcity will still offer a Kidcity-only membership for $100/year), Imagine Nation (changing from $100/year to $125/year), Childrens Museum of Southeastern Connecticut (changing from $100/year to $125/year). Sounds like you picked a great membership for your family. The benefit includes free general admission at participating science centers and museums outside of your local area (90-mile radius from the science center or museum where you are a member and from your residence). ACM/ASTC Reciprocal Network Membership. I have a membership in Indianapolis (for which I paid $70 for the family) and got into Chicago's Field Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, and Adler's Planetarium for free. I was most impressed with the science and nature museums. Thats right. Pingback: Roadschool's RVer Dictionary - Roadschool % % %, Your email address will not be published. Additionally, EAA has a free ASTC option for kids ages 819 and their families. USA. In consideration for participation in the above mentioned Fulltime Families event, I hereby RELEASE, WAIVE, DISCHARGE AND COVENANT NOT TO SUE Fulltime Families, LLC, their officers, agents, or employees (hereinafter referred to as RELEASEES) from any and all liability, claims, demands, action and causes of action whatsoever arising out of or related to any loss, damage, or injury, including death, that may be sustained by me or my family (hereinafter referred to as ATTENDEES), or to any property belonging to ATTENDEES, WHETHER CAUSED BY THE NEGLIGENCE OF THE RELEASEES, or otherwise, while participating in such activity, or while in, on or upon the premises where the activity is being conducted. Participating science centers and museums located within a 90-mile radius of each other are excluded from the program. This essentially means that if you have two ASTC-participating museums in your city and you belong to one of them, you cannot go to the other one for free. The kids could spend days playing at these museums. p.m. Open tomorrow from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 2023 Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, Association of Science-Technology Centers. Your information will never be shared or sold to a 3rd party. For a full-benefit (not just 50% off) AZA standalone pass, go through Ellen Trout Zoo in Lufkin, TX. Please contact your local participating science center or museum for more information. Yes! BIG mistake. You see, Im a member of a museum in Connecticut that is part of the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC). This means that by purchasing such a membership to your primary museum, you may also qualify for free or reduced admission to numerous other museums across the state and around the country. PDF What is the ASTC Travel Passport Program? - discoveryworld.org a.m. to We love science centers, they are educational hands on learning and play areas for kids and adults. The website cannot function properly without these cookies. Parking is not included as a reciprocal benefit in many cases. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. You will need to provide proof of your residence. So in the one day, we saved money by shopping around and got a better discount for the rest of the year. Beyond the free memberships, there is plenty for other organizations and businesses to partner with sponsorship and matching gifts. Unless it is specified in the admissions policy, you do not receive discounts on museum store purchases. 2. Wondering what museums are on the list? The Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) is a membership organization of science engagement institutionsespecially science and technology centers and museums in North America and around the world that provide opportunities for lifelong learning about science and technology; connect science, technology, and society; engage diverse communities; and partner to tackle global and local challenges. Our Audience Development team would love to chat about how to make the most of your membership program. Usually a membership saves you money if you visit four or five times annually, and then the ASTC Passport Program is a nice added value that may even get you into other local museums. Many museums offer these types of reciprocal memberships, but often the ins and outs of that reciprocity can be a little hard to follow. Tax benefits. Cookies are small text files that can be used by websites to make a user's experience more efficient. Head here for more details and learn more.! Can I receive Passport Program benefits at my local science center or museum? Discounts at zoos and aquariums -AZA Association of Zoos & Aquariums (https://www.aza.org), Half price at Childrens Museums ACM Association of Childrens Museums (http://www.childrensmuseums.org). I just found this post on researching the ASTC and ACM programs. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. 9:30 Bryanna is passionated about sharing family travel to help others get out and travel more with their kids! Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Knowing these limitations will help you make the best decisions for your family. Before traveling we had no idea about these reciprocals. This membership costs $125, but during the week of Black Friday, they had a sale and it was only $62! The residency restriction was introduced in 2006 to close a loophole through which individuals would search online and purchase the least expensive membership to a Passport Program venue in order to visit their local science center or museum for free. 8y If you have a friend that works at one of these museums, they might have a program where they can add people onto their own membership plan for a discount. I hope this works for others! Analytics cookies help website owners to understand how visitors interact with websites by collecting and reporting information anonymously. They are located in River Grove, Illinois. Click here to view a list of museums you can visit with your Lancaster Science Factory membership. You will need to bring your ID and your membership card with you to get into the attraction for free. Ill update that information in the post as well. You can also learn more by visiting the ACMs website or the ASTCs website. Can I receive Passport Program benefits at my local science center or museum if I purchase a membership at a participating science center or museum out of state? The cardholder must be present for discounted admission. Cookie Notice BTW-We love the Ecotarium in Worcester, MA. While we are not aware of any major changes to the reciprocal museum membership programs, it is possible that information in this postcould be outdated. We've trained museum staff in the US, Canada, Australia, Norway, Korea and other awesome countries. What are the benefits of the Passport Program? I am sure there are LOTS of folks who have run into the same issue. Our entire family of 7 got in free. How do I know if I am eligible for Passport Program benefits at a science center or museum? However there are some restrictions for the ASTC one about it not working within 90 miles of your home address either I havent tested this yet but may be worth making some phone calls if this impacts you. And, at some locations Free parking too. Enter your name and email and get our latest blog post straight to your inbox it's FREE! You just call and tell them you want the $136 membership and verify to make sure that it includes the ASTC, AZA, and ACM reciprocal program. Its important to know exactly what youre getting so you can ensure that its the best solution for your traveling tribe. We want to hear about it! Special programs and events are excluded. The intention is to display ads that are relevant and engaging for the individual user and thereby more valuable for publishers and third party advertisers. Visit www.astc.org/passport for a list of participating venues. A Gold Pass can be obtained for under $100 and includes access to every Six Flags park in the country. If you'd like more flexibility, add the Caregiver pass for $50, which can be used by a different adult every visit. Call us at (773) 947-3161 or email us. One point for clarification: the Connecticut Science Center is an ASTC member; however, the center doesnt participate in the Passport Program. 3. Share this article your friends will love it too! At our first stop we had already saved money. At our first stop we had already saved money. However, we too have run into difficulties at the Childrens Museum in West Hartford in their honoring reciprocity or made it very difficult holding up the line on multiple occasions. Please visit www.astc.org/passport for a list of participating venues. What the heck is a reciprocal program anyway? Required fields are marked *. The prices vary greatly so we always check ahead of time. Exclusions apply and benefits vary. Membership | EcoTarium Admissions staff reserve the right to request proof of residence for benefits to apply. Participating venues are not required to grant benefits to visitors who forget their cards. 1. Best of all, membership is a great value. Members can gain free access to the exhibit gallery for up to four people. Below you will find a few examples of the incredible opportunities that await your memberships with ASTC. 4:00 Check out Hipcamp and come stay with us! So how are museums competing for visitor attention? Lets begin by laying out the various museum, zoo, and garden reciprocal programs out there. Details of the ASTC Passport Program: *The ASTC Passport Program entitles visitors to free general admission. Membership. The Best Money Saving Reciprocal Memberships | Fulltime Families Visit www.astc.org/passport for a list of participating venues. The Passport Program is a travel benefit that only offers reciprocal admission benefits at participating science centers and museums outside of your local area (90-mile radius from the science center or museum where you are a member and from your residence). The Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) is a membership organization of science engagement institutionsespecially science and technology centers and museums in North America and around the world that provide opportunities for lifelong learning about science and technology; connect science, technology, and society; engage diverse What is the difference between the ACM and the ASTC? Zoos & Aquariums https://www.aza.org/reciprocity/ What happens if I forget my membership card? MSI belongs to the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC), a global organization of science centers and museums. In order to take advantage of the museum, zoo, and garden reciprocal programs, you must choose a participating attraction to become a member of. It is unfortunate that there is that 90-mile restriction. So when Mandy suggested that we should put together a post outlining the basics of the two major reciprocal programs, the Association of Childrens Museums (ACM) and the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC), I jumped at the chance to educate myself right alongside our readers. We have literally saved hundreds of dollars since we bought ours back in January! Last but not least, we must mention the option of reciprocal memberships for seeing the amazing natural wonders of the USA. We always go to the free ones is we are nearby and we check the rates if they are half off. I further hereby AGREE TO INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS the RELEASEES from any loss, liability, damage or costs, including court cost and attorney's fees, that they may incur due to my participation in said activity, WHETHER CAUSED BY OR CONTRIBUTED TO IN WHOLE OR PART by any action or failure to act, negligence, breach of contract, or other misconduct on the part of RELEASEES or otherwise.