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
When you book this pass online, you will receive a confirmation email with a link for printing the pass. Please print out the pass or keep it digitally on a hand held device. If you do not own a printer or a hand held device, please call the Reference Desk at the Belmont Public Library at 617-993-2870 and ask to have the pass printed out for you and held for you at the Reference Desk of the Belmont Public Library.
After receiving a library discount coupon from the library, patrons must then reserve their visit online with Boston Children’s Museum. Due to safety measures walk-ins are not allowed. Museum capacity is limited at this time.
The Boston Children's Museum pass admits 4 people. With the pass, the current co-pay is half price per person. From July - September 5th, 2022, the Museum is open seven days a week, and reverts back to Wednesday through Sunday on September 6th, 2022. The Museum is operating hours are from 9 AM to 12:30 PM and from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM. The Museum is closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The Museum closes at 12:30 PM on Thanksgiving Eve, Christmas Eve, and New Year's Eve, and opens at 2 PM on New Year's Day.
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 printable pass admits 3 visitors at 1/2 price admission per person; any additional visitors must pay the regular admission price.
New mask policy: During most business hours, masks are strongly encouraged but not required indoors for all staff and visitors ages 2 and up. On Tuesdays through Fridays, from 9am to 10am, masks are required indoors for all staff and visitors ages 2 and up. Masks are not required in our outdoor spaces.
This pass is NOT a reservation; you must reserve a ticket for a specific day and time prior to coming to the Museum campus. You must check into the Museum within one hour of their reservation time, and may stay as long as you 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, either printed or on a mobile device, to Admissions staff when checking in and the discount will be applied to the cost of your visit.
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
This coupon pass provides 50% discount for 4 people (one must be a Massachusetts resident) to 4 Harvard Museums; Harvard Museum of Natural History, Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East, and Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments. The pass may be picked up a week in advance of the reservation and does not need to be returned.
Masks Recommended: We recommend all visitors aged 2 or older wear a mask indoors. Masks should fit securely over your nose, mouth, and chin. We suggest the use of surgical-style, cup-style, or double-layer cloth masks as an effective means of protection.
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
Pricing
Beginning February 1, 2023, library passes were increased to $10 per admission ticket (discounted from the regular fee of $20 per ticket). As usual, one library pass will be valid for up to two admission tickets at the discounted price. Current pricing and visitor information: https://www.icaboston.org/visit
Admission
The ICA is no longer requiring timed entry for admission to the museum, however advance reservations are strongly recommended. Please note the following:
1. Patrons must acquire a valid physical or digital library pass at their participating library.
2. Advance tickets are recommended and can be arranged online: https://www.icaboston.org/
3. Click on “Buy Tickets” and select your chosen date for ICA General Museum Admission
4. Click on “Library Pass Coupon” ticket price. Anyone 18 and under receive complimentary admission and should use the ticket price “Youth (0-12)” or “Youth (13-18)”
5. Follow steps to complete order. Your ICA tickets will be emailed to you.
6. When you arrive at the ICA, proceed to the visitor services desk with your tickets and your library pass. The library pass will be collected at this time (if physical) or shown to the staff member at the desk (if digital). If you have questions about the online ordering system, contact visitorservices@icaboston.org.
Your ticket is valid for entry any time during the date selected. Please note: last entry to the museum is 20 minutes prior to closing time. Tickets are final sale.
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
In accordance with the Gardner Museum's new health and safety requirements, they are open with a highly restricted capacity. You must reserve and redeem your coupon museum pass and reserve timed tickets online or through the Box office at least 48 hours prior to visiting. To redeem online, please go to gardnermuseum.org/visit; click “buy now” and select the date printed on your coupon museum pass and a time slot. Use the promo code printed on the pass to receive the discount.
You can also redeem your pass over the phone with the Box Office at 617-278-5156. The museum pass from the library must be shown upon entry to the Museum. The promo code can only be redeemed for the day you have reserved. Should you have any difficulty securing tickets online, please contact the Box Office at the number above.
FOR GENERAL ADMISSION MUSEUM VISITS: Effective March 5, visitors, staff, volunteers and vendors are no longer required to wear face coverings in the Museum for general admission, shopping at Gift at the Gardner, or visits to Café G. Proof of vaccination status is not required. Social distancing is no longer mandated in the Museum or on its grounds.
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum pass admits 4 people with a co-pay of $5 per person. Children under the age of 18 are not included in the admission count and are always admitted free. The museum is open on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 11 AM to 5 PM and on Thursdays from 11 AM to 9 PM. The museum is closed on Tuesdays. The museum is closed on New Year's Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and Patriots' Day. The museum closes at 3 PM on Christmas Eve day.
Mass Audubon (Drumlin Farm)
208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773
781-259-2200 http://www.massaudubon.org/
[Details/Reserve]
Mass Audubon maintains about 100 wildlife sanctuaries in Massachusetts, more than half of which may be visited for walks on trails and visits to nature centers and museums. Among these is Drumlin Farm in Lincoln, a working farm with animals and crops, plus exhibits that include native wildlife, such as owls, foxes and deer. A shop on the premises sells items related to nature, such as bird feeders and binoculars.
Categories: Children, Family, Nature
Pass Benefits
To make the admission process contactless for patrons, we are issuing--at Mass Audubon's directive--single use, one day passes printed out on sheets of library letterhead (instead of the usual laminated passes). If you wish to visit sanctuaries that are using Mass Audubon's 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.
Due to limited lot space and high demand, visitors must reserve their parking spot at Drumlin Farm to ensure access on weekends when we typically reach capacity. Parking reservations made in advance will be required for weekend visitation starting March 12. Reservations will open the Tuesday before each Saturday.Patrons will need to check the Mass Audubon website at www.massaudubon.org before planning a visit. At this time, all nature centers and buildings (including most bathrooms) are closed and some sanctuaries are using timed ticketing. For the locations using timed ticketing, patrons will need to make a reservation for a time. 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.
The Mass Audubon Society pass admits up to four persons at one time (adults, seniors or children age two or older; children under two are admitted free) into any Mass Audubon wildlife sanctuary. The co-pay is $2 per person with the pass. The hours at Drumlin Farm are Tuesday-Sunday from 9 AM-5 PM. Other Audubon Society sites are open Tuesday-Sunday from sunrise to sunset.
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 Benefits
The pass may be picked up on the day of the pass reservation or the day before except for the Sunday pass which must be picked up on the preceding Saturday and for the Monday pass which must be picked up on Monday.
Please pick up the pass at the Reference Desk in the Reference Room of the Belmont Public Library; open hours of service can be found on the library website homepage.
The Massachusetts Parks Pass admits 1 car for free to state park facilities where parking fees are charged. For more information, you can find general information on the state parks here and information about parking fees here.
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
Starting on January 2, 2022, The Museum of Fine Arts is currently open six days a week: Wednesday through Monday, 10 am–5 pm.
Please reserve a Museum of Fine Arts printable museum pass through the Belmont Public Library; when you click"Print This Pass" in your confirmation email, the printable pass will open and you will see a promo code, located just beneath the barcode - it is a series of letters and numbers separated by a dash. You will use this code in its entirety to reserve a timed-entry discounted admission ticket through the Museum of Fine Arts website for admission to the museum. To reserve timed-entry discounted tickets online, please go to mfa.org/tickets, select the date of your visit and enter the promo code in the top right corner of the next page, which will activate the reduced admission rate ticketing option of "Library Pass" and "Library Pass Youth."
Children 6 and under are admitted free. 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.
Masks are not required but are recommended indoors.
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 printable 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 but must have a timed ticket.
1. Your Library pass can only be used on the date printed on the pass.
2. YOU MUST ALSO CALL THE MUSEUM TO RESERVE A TIMED TICKET. Call 617-723-2500 (daily, 9am – 5pm).
3. Please call at least 1-2 days ahead to reserve your time slot otherwise the Museum might be fully booked.
4. After you make your timed reservation with the Museum, they will send you an email confirmation with your reservation time.
5. Please bring both your library pass confirmation (printed or displayed on a phone) and your email confirmation from the Museum when you visit. Show both confirmations at the gate to enter. You do not need to stop at the Box Office.
6. 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.
Proof of vaccination is no longer required. Masks are no longer required but are encouraged.
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
New England Aquarium pass admits 4 people with a 50% discount. The current admission rates can be found on the New England Aquarium's website here. Children under the age of 3 are always admitted free. The New England Aquarium is open on weekdays from 9 AM-5 PM and weekends from 9 AM-6 PM. The New England Aquarium opens at noon on New Year's Day and is closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Library pass holders no longer need to make reservations. Tickets cannot be pre-purchased online nor over the phone. The printable pass coupon that you receive via email must be presented at the Aquarium Box Office("General Admission" line) at the time of the visit. Library pass holders will be granted immediate entry after purchasing discounted tickets, even if the Aquarium is sold out to the general public at the time.
MASK POLICY
Effective Saturday, March 5, the City of Boston has lifted its indoor mask mandate. Face coverings are encouraged for Aquarium guests, however they are no longer required on Aquarium property.
Orchard House
399 Lexington Road, Concord, MA 01742
978-369-4118 http://www.louisamayalcott.org/
[Details/Reserve]
Categories: Children, Family, History, Tours
Pass Benefits
Valid for 50% discount for up to 2 Adults/Seniors/College Students and up to 4 Youths. This is a coupon pass that must be picked up at the library.
We urge all passholders to make a Timed-Entry Admission reservation at least one day in advance of their desired visit date. They must, of course, first secure a date for your Pass, but we hope they will then take advantage of our quick and easy online system to reserve and pre-pay for their tickets (we are still offering a 50% discount on all admission categories to your patrons). Patrons can make Timed-Entry reservations on this webpage: https://louisamayalcottsorchardhouse.ticketspice.com/orchard-house-timed-entry. They would scroll down to the ticket category called “Libraries,” select the number and type of tickets, and then provide payment and contact information. The Timed-Entry system will automatically generate a confirmation email for the patron. Patrons will still need to show the Library Circuit Pass when they check in at our Front Desk, as well the Timed-Entry Admission email confirmation either on their smart phone (preferable) or printed. Details about how to reserve Timed-Entry Admission are noted on the Library Circuit Membership card.
Masks are required indoors.
Orchard House is open year-round on the following schedule:
November 1st-March 31st: Monday-Friday: 11 AM to 3 PM (Last tour at 3 PM)
Saturday: 10 AM to 4:30 PM
Sunday: 1 PM to 4:30 PM (Last tour at 4:30 PM)
April 1st-October 31st: Monday-Saturday: 10 AM to 4:30 PM (Last tour at 4:30 PM)
Sunday: 1 PM to 4:30 PM (Last tour at 4:30 PM)
Orchard House is closed on Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Orchard House opens at noon on Patriots' Day (the third Monday in April).
The pass may be picked up on the day of the pass reservation or the day before.
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
Please reserve a Peabody Essex Museum printable museum pass through the Belmont Public Library; when you click "Print This Pass" in your confirmation email, the printable pass will open and you will see a promo code, located just beneath the barcode - it is a series of letters and numbers. You will use this code in its entirety to reserve a timed-entry discounted admission ticket through the Peabody Essex Museum website for admission to the museum. To reserve timed-entry discounted tickets online, please go to https://my.pem.org/events, select the date of your visit and enter the promo code in the top right corner of the next page, which will activate the reduced admission rate ticketing option of "Library Discount (limit 2)."
The Peabody Essex Museum pass admits 2 people for general museum admission. The co-pay is $12 per person. Youth who are 16 years old and younger receive free admission. The museum is open Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays & Sundays 10 am–5 pm, Fridays 10 am-7 pm. The museum is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
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
Patron must obtain a pass from the library and present it to the guest services staff upon arrival at the Museum 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
The Trustees GO pass admits 2 adults and any children under the age of 18. With a Trustees GO pass from The Trustees of Reservations, you have access to natural, cultural, and historical places across Massachusetts, including the deCordova Sculpture Park. The deCordova Museum is closed for 2 years to update the HVAC system. When purchasing tickets select "GO PASS" and the number of tickets you need. Find a list of Trustees of Reservations locations here. Open hours and discount rates vary from place to place; please check The Trustees of Reservations web site for more information.
The pass may be picked up a week in advance of the reservation and does not need to be returned.
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
Museum Hours:
Open Daily; Winter Hours: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM; Summer Hours: 9:00AM - 6:00PM. The Museum closes for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day, and closes early on Christmas Eve.
About the Museum:
The USS Constitution Museum, located in the Charlestown Navy Yard, serves as the memory and educational voice of USS Constitution by collecting, preserving, and interpreting the stories of “Old Ironsides” and the people associated with her. The museum offers a variety of engaging activities, exhibits, and programs, including our interactive exhibit, All Hands on Deck: A Sailor’s Life in 1812, where visitors can furl a sail, sleep in a hammock, and scrub the deck as they join Constitution’s crew in 1812! For more information about the museum’s galleries, programs, and resources, visit www.usscm.org.
In order to board the ship one must have a passport or a real government ID.
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
Please pick up the pass at the Reference Desk in the Reference Room of the Belmont Public Library; open hours of service can be found on the library website homepage. You do not need to make an advanced timed ticket reservation either by phone or online in order to visit either of the Zoo New England locations.
The Zoo New England pass admits 6 people to the Franklin Park and Stone Zoos. The co-pay with the pass is $9 per adult and $6 per child. Children under 2 years old receive free admission. The Zoos are open Monday-Sunday from 10 AM-5 PM.