Complete Guide to Free Library Museum Passes by State
Find Participating Libraries & Library of Things Near You
One of my favorite travel hack discoveries was learning that my library card could unlock free museum passes and more. As I started researching, I realized libraries across the country offer incredible perks, but the information is scattered and a single resource is hard to find.
To make things easier, I'm creating this growing directory of libraries that offer free museum passes, zoo tickets, botanical gardens, state park passes, and other unique programs like Library of Things. My hope is that it becomes a one-stop resource to help you discover amazing experiences without spending a fortune right in your own backyard.
👉 New to library card museum passes? Get my complete guide explaining how it works.
🚧 This directory is continually expanding as I work on adding new library museum pass programs from across the United States. Bookmark this page and check back often for updates. Don’t see your favorite library card museum pass program here? Leave a comment and I’ll be sure to add it.
Directory at a Glance
📚 45 Library Systems
🗺️ 24 States
🏛️ 550+ Museums & Attractions
🎒 20 Library of Things Programs
💰 Potential Savings: Hundreds of dollars per family each year
Table of Contents
☀️ Western United States
Arizona
📍 Phoenix Public Library
Program: Culture Pass
Top Attractions:
Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve
The Arb at Flagstaff
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Website: https://www.phoenixpubliclibrary.org/services/unique/culture-pass
Unique Collections & Service: https://www.phoenixpubliclibrary.org/services/unique
California
📍 Los Angeles Public Library
Program: Discover & Go
Top Attractions:
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles
Los Angeles Zoo
Website: https://www.lapl.org/explore-la
Library of Things: https://lacountylibrary.org/tools/
📍 Orange County Public Library
Program: Discover & Go
Top Attractions:
Aquarium of the Pacific
Santa Ana Zoo
Mission San Juan Capistrano
Website: https://www.ocpl.org/discoverandgo
Library of Things: https://ocpl.org/books-more/library-things
📍 San Diego Public Library
Program: Discover & Go
Top Attractions:
San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Museum of Art (Balboa Park)
San Diego County Fair
Website: https://www.sandiego.gov/discoversd
📍 Sacramento Public Library
Program: Discover & Go
Top Attractions:
Sacramento History Museum
Sacramento Zoo
CA State Park Passes
Website: https://saclibrary.discoverandgo.net/
Library of Things: https://www.saclibrary.org/browse-borrow/special-collections/library-things
📍 San Francisco Public Library (and participating Bay Area Libraries)
Program: Discover & Go
Top Attractions:
The Exploratorium
The Walt Disney Family Museum
San Francisco Zoo
Website: https://sfpl.discoverandgo.net/
Colorado
📍 Denver Public Library
Program: Museums & Cultural Passes
Top Attractions:
Buffalo Bill Museum
American Musuem of Modern Art
Denver Botanic Gardens
Website: https://denverlibrary.libcal.com/passes
Library of Things (includes State Parks): https://www.denverlibrary.org/library-things
Idaho
📍 Boise Public Library
Program: Insitution Passes
Top Attractions:
No passes availabe as of July 2026
Website: https://boisepubliclibrary.libcal.com/admission
📍 Ketchum Community Library
Program: None required
Wood River Museum of History + Culture - Entry is completely free for all visitors, supported by The Community Library
Website: https://comlib.org/museum/
Oregon
📍 Multnomah County Library (Portland)
Program: My Discovery Pass
Top Attractions:
Portland Art Museum
Portland Opera
Artists Repertory Theatre
Website: https://multcolib.org/my-discovery-pass
Utah
📍 Salt Lake City Public Library (The City Library)
Program: Community Exploration Card
Top Attractions:
Natural History Museum of Utah
Tracy Aviary (10% discount)
Website: https://services.slcpl.org/discount
📍 Salt Lake County Library
Program: Community Exploration Card (via lottery system)
Top Attractions:
Utah Museum of Fine Art
Natural History Museum of Utah
Clark Planetarium
Website: https://slcls.libnet.info/event/8181223
Library of Things: https://www.slcolibrary.org/what-we-have/library-of-things
Washington
📍 Seattle Public Library
Program: Museum Passes
Top Attractions:
Seattle Aquarium
Seattle Children’s Museum
Pacific Science Center
Website: https://www.spl.org/programs-and-services/arts-and-culture/museum-pass
📍 Spokane Public Library
Program: Museum & Cultural Passes
Top Attractions:
Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture (the MAC)
Mobius Discovery Center
Spokane Symphony
Website: https://www.scld.org/unlock-cultural-experiences-free-museum-cultural-passes-for-you-your-family/
Library of Things: https://www.spokanelibrary.org/libraryofthings/
🌾 Midwest
Illinois
📍 Chicago Public Library
Program: Explore More Illinois
Top Attractions:
Chicago Children's Museum
Chicago History Museum
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Website: https://exploremoreillinois.org/
Library of Things: https://www.chipublib.org/news/check-out-cpls-library-of-things/
Indiana
📍 The Indianapolis Public Library
Program: Does not currently offer museum or experience passes
Library of Things: https://www.indypl.org/books-movies-music/special-collections/library-of-things
Minnesota
📍 Hennepin County Library/Ramsey County Library
Program: smARTpass
Top Attractions:
Minnesota Fringe
Hennepin History Museum
The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
Website: https://smartpass.melsa.org/
Ramsey County Library’s Library of Things: https://www.rclreads.org/library-of-things/
📍 Ramsey Free Public Library
Program: Museum Passes
Top Attractions:
Guggenheim
Newarm Museum
MoMA
Website: https://www.ramseylibrary.org/museum-passes
Library of Things: https://www.ramseylibrary.org/libraryofthings
Ohio
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📍 Columbus Metropolitan Library
Program: Culture Pass
Top Attractions:
Columbus Zoo
Ballet Met
Chamber Music of Columbus
Website: https://www.columbuslibrary.org/culture-pass/
📍 Worthington Libraries
Program: Culture Pass
Top Attractions:
Colubus Museum of Art
Columbus Clippers games
The Dawes Arboretum
Website: https://www.worthingtonlibraries.org/borrow/culture-passes
Library of Things: https://www.worthingtonlibraries.org/borrow/gear
🌳 Southern United States
Florida
📍 Jacksonville Public Library
Program: Free Admission
Top Attractions:
Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville (MOCA) - last Friday of each month ONLY by showing library card
📍 Miami-Dade Public Library
Program: Museum Pass Program
Top Attractions:
Coral Gables Museum
Museum of Miami
Miami Children’s Museum
Website: https://mdpls.org/miami-dade-public-library-system/museum-pass
📍 Orange County Library (Orlando)
Program: Local Wanderer Culture Pass
Top Attractions:
Orlando Ballet
Orlando Museum of Art
Florida Children’s Museum
Website: https://mdpls.org/miami-dade-public-library-system/museum-pass
Library of Things: https://ocls.org/library-things/
📍 Palm Beach County Library/City of West Palm Beach Library
Program: Explorer’s Pass
Top Attractions:
Cox Science Center and Aquarium
Lighthouse ArtCenter
Norton Museum of Art
Website: https://www.pbclibrary.org/explorerspass/
Library of Things: https://www.wpb.org/Departments/Mandel-Public-Library-of-West-Palm-Beach/Browse-Borrow/Library-of-Things
📍 Tampa-Hilsborough County Public Library
Program: Discovery Pass
Top Attractions:
Tampa Museum of Art
Tampa Bay History Center
Florida Museum of Photographic Arts
Website: https://hcplc.org/services/discoverypass
Borrow a Go Pro from Hillsborough Co. Public Library Cooperative: https://hcplc.org/books/gopro
Georgia
📍 Fulton County Library System (Atlanta)
Program: Partnership Passes
Top Attractions:
Alliance Theatre
Mimms Museum of Technology and Art (formerly Computer Museum of America)
Shakespeare Tavern Theatre
Website: https://www.fulcolibrary.org/library-services/partnership-passes/
Kentucky
📍 Louisville Free Public Library (Includes libraries in Bullitt Co., Jeffersonville Township, Charleston-Clark Co., Floyd County, Harrison Co.)
Program: Cultural Pass
Top Attractions:
Louisville Zoo
Louisville Nature Center
Kentucky Derby Museum
Website: https://louisvilleky.gov/government/arts-culture/cultural-pass
Independent Louisvile Tool Library: https://www.louisvilletoollibrary.com/
📍 Warren County Public Library (Bowling Green)
Program: Community Pass Program
Top Attractions:
National Corvette Museum
Russell Sims Aquatic Center
Website: https://warrenpl.org/communitypass/
Library of Things: https://warrenlib.org/content/libraryofthings
Louisiana
📍 Lafayette Public Library
Program: Museum Pass Program
Top Attractions:
Acadiana Center for the Arts
Lafayette Science Museum
Children’s Museum of Acadiana
Website: https://lafayettepubliclibrary.org/services/museumpasses
📍 New Orleans Public Library
Program: Culture Pass
Top Attractions:
Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
Audubon Aquarium & Insectarium and Audubon Zoo
National WWII Museum
Website: https://nolalibrary.libcal.com/passes
Tool Library: https://nolalibrary.org/location-specific-services/tools/
📍 Shreve Memorial Library (Shreveport)
Program: Louisiana Museum Pass
Top Attractions:
Sci-Port
National WWII Museum (New Orleans
Capitol Park Museum (Baton Rouge)
Website: https://www.shreve-lib.org/698/Check-Out-Louisiana-Museum-Passes
North Carolina
📍 Charlotte Library
Program: Museum and Park Pass
Top Attractions:
Birds of Vermont Museum
Vermont History Museum
Vermont State Parks & State Historic Sites
📍 Greensboro Library
Program: Greensboro Culture Pass Program
Top Attractions:
The Science Center
The Miriam P. Brenner Children’s Musuem
GSO Symphony
Tennessee
📍 Knox County Public Library
Program: Read City Explorer Pass
Top Attractions:
Knoxville Children's Theatre
Zoo Knoxville
Knoxville Symphony Orchestra
Website: https://www.knoxcountylibrary.org/read-city-explorer-pass
Library of Things: https://www.knoxcountylibrary.org/things
📍 Nashville Public Library
Program: Community Passport
Top Attractions:
Country Music Hall of Fame
Electric pedal-assist bicycles (e-bikes)
Website: https://library.nashville.gov/services/community-passports
Library of Things: https://library.nashville.gov/services/library-things
🍁 Northeastern United States
Connecticut
📍 Bridgeport Public Library
Program: Museum Passes
Top Attractions:
Beardsley Zoo
Stepping Stones Museum for Children
Westport County Playhouse
Website: https://bportlibrary.org/museum-passes/
Maine
📍 South Portland Public Library
Program: Park, Museum and Attraction Passes
Top Attractions:
Boston Museum of Fine Arts
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
Portland Museum of Art
Website: https://southportlandlibrary.com/museum-and-attraction-passes/
Maryland
📍 Baltimore County Public Library
Program: No traditional museum pass program
Library of Things: https://www.bcpl.info/books-and-more/library-of-things
📍 Enoch Pratt Free Library (Baltimore)C
Program: Ticket to Discovery
Top Attractions:
Port Discovery Children’s Museum
Massachusetts
📍 Boston Public Library
Program: Museum Passes
Top Attractions:
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Museum of Science, Boston
Zoo New England & New England Aquarium
Website: https://www.bpl.org/museum-passes/
Library of Things: https://www.bpl.org/library-of-things/
New York
📍 Brookly Public Library
Program: Culture Pass
Top Attractions:
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (“The Met”)
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (“The Guggenheim”)
Whitney Museum of American Art (“The Whitney”)
Website: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/event-series/culture-pass
Library of Things: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/library-of-things
📍 Florida Public Library
Program: Museum & Park Passes
Top Attractions:
American Museum of Natural History in NYC
Empire Pass
FDR Presidential Library & Museum
Website: https://www.floridapubliclibrary.org/museum-passes/
📍 New York City Public Library (Brookly Public Library/Queens Public Library)
Program: Culture Pass
Top Attractions:
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (“The Met”)
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (“The Guggenheim”)
Whitney Museum of American Art (“The Whitney”)
Website: https://www.nypl.org/blog/2018/07/16/culturepass
Pennsylvania
📍The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (Allegheny)
Program: RAD Pass
Top Attractions:
Andy Warhol Museum
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Pittsburgh Botanic Garden
Website: https://www.carnegielibrary.org/rad-pass/
Library of Things: https://www.carnegielibrary.org/library-of-things-at-carnegie-library-of-pittsburgh/
Washington, D.C.
📍 DC Public Library
Program: Discover Summer
Top Attractions:
Natural Museum of American History
National Zoo
Museum of Illusions
Frequently Asked Questions
👉 Want more info on library card museum passes, start with my full guide on How to Get Free Museum Passes From Your Local Library, where I explain how the programs work and how to use them.
FAQs About this Resource Guide
How do I use this library museum pass directory?
Use this guide to find public libraries across the United States that offer free museum passes, cultural attraction passes, state park passes, or Library of Things programs. Start by finding your region, then look for your state or city to see which library systems offer programs.
Is this a complete list of every library museum pass program?
No. This is a growing resource that I will continue updating as I find more library systems with free museum passes and other perks. If your library offers a great program that is not listed, feel free to let me know so I can consider adding it.
Why isn’t my state listed yet?
This directory is being built over time. If your state is not listed yet, try searching your local library’s website for terms like museum passes, culture pass, Discover & Go, community passports, museum adventure pass, or Library of Things.
Do I need a library card from that specific library?
Usually, yes. Most museum pass programs require a valid library card from the participating library system and I have tried to indicate those that do not in this resource guide. Some libraries only issue cards to local residents, while others may offer cards to people who work, attend school, or own property in the area. Some also offer passes to non-residents
Can travelers use these library passes when visiting another city?
Most libraries required that you’re a local resident in order to get a library card from that library and most programs are designed for local cardholders. However, travelers may still benefit if they live nearby, have reciprocal borrowing privileges, or qualify for a non-resident library card (typically for a nominal fee).
How often is this directory updated?
This resource guide is updated regularly to add additional library pass programs, participating attractions, and Library of Things collections. Since library offerings change, always confirm details directly with the library before making plans.
What should I do if a link or pass program has changed?
Library programs can change frequently. If you notice a broken link, discontinued pass, or updated program, check the library’s official website for the most current information and please let me know either in the comments below or through my Contact Me page.
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