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. The spirit of a Union Station membership is for the benefits to be used by the family members listed on the membership. For a reduced rate of $5.00 each as long as one person is listed on the membership card. One point for clarification: the Connecticut Science Center is an ASTC member; however, the center doesnt participate in the Passport Program. Memberships have been simplified to Solo and Dual, with the option to add children and grandchildren to the Dual membership. However, you can only go to their general, and traveling exhibits are and the public simulators. Advance ticketing - no service fees. Museums that offer this are required to charge a minimum of $125/family for an annual membership. 109 0 obj <> endobj Please enable cookies in your browser. General Admission Includes admission to the aquarium, museum and zoo GSC Members: Free Adults (ages 14 - 64): $19.50 Seniors (ages 65+): $18.50 Children (ages 3 - 13): $17.50 Children 2 and Under: Free Want free admission for a year? With a large family, things can add up quickly so we are selective about our purchases. Google Universal Analytics short-time unique user tracking identifier. BTW-We love the Ecotarium in Worcester, MA. They will tell you it will not work within 90 miles of the museum you purchased from. A Pacific Science Center membership allows you to visit any ASTC museum for free. A very good place to start.. Thanks for all the info Jen at www.free2breathe.com! 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. Sometimes its a good price and other times well use our other memberships instead. Yup. a.m. to Ask around- ask family, friends, co-workers, call your museum or zoo of interest and search online. Thats a wonderful idea! Our family has found a great way to avoid the agrivation of the 90 mile rule that works for us. Before traveling we had no idea about these reciprocals. It includes over 300 organizations in more than 40 states across the country. Check out Hipcamp and come stay with us! Ive written it off our list. You will need a photo ID and proof of membership. The Indiana State Museum is though. We did the same thing. Looking for a museum to visit with your kids? Reciprocal admission is only available in person at the Perot Museum Box Office on the date of visit. Copyright Out and About Mom 2011 - 2021. Chicago, ASTC had=s attractions in all fifty states and some other . Check your museum memberships. If they participate in ASTC - reddit Members receive their first visit for free and additional tickets for only $4. Bryanna has been full time RVing with her husband and 4 kids since May 2014. Deepen your relationship with us and ensure Union Station continues to serve Kansas City. Apply now. ASTC- Association of Science-Technology Centers This membership gets you into about 300 science centers and museums for free. Give the gift of membership in the form of a gift voucher by clicking here. Featuring 400 new state-of-the-art theatre chairs, 4-K digital projection, and crystal clear sound, its the perfect venue to enjoy full-length first run and educational films. We regularly use our reciprocal benefits as they offer ASTC & AZA. COSI - Promotions & Discounts The Best Money Saving Reciprocal Memberships | Fulltime Families You can get a membership for as little as $60/year with ASTC privileges. Your membership is tax-deductible and, with it, you remain part of our historic family of supporters helping ensure our place in the community for years to come. With your ASTC passport, two adults and up to four children can get into the attraction for a day of fun. Out and About Mom is a blog providing Connecticut parents with fun and creative ideas for family-friendly outings. Pingback: Roadschool's RVer Dictionary - Roadschool % % %, Your email address will not be published. All other family members over four will get to pay the youth price. Example ASTC Travel Passport science centers and museums: Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) This program gives members free admission to a huge collection of science centers. If you are a member of a science center or museum participating in the ASTC Passport Program, you are eligible for benefits such as free general admission when you travel outside of your local area. Venues requesting proof of residence are marked by ( IDs) on the Passport Program participants' list. The gift of Membershipto Union Station is guaranteed to please, with great savings to year-round attractions and special touring exhibitions. Im so glad to hear that you have found a membership that works well for you and your family! SmithsonianFree admission into more than 50 Smithsonian Affiliate museums and educational organizations. 0 [CDATA[ (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//forms.aweber.com/form/97/1032023597.js"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, "script", "aweber-wjs-9fl4orvz7")); // ]]> There is also a less expensive option to purchase a membership without the ACM (Childrens Musuems) included in it. Present a valid military ID at time of purchase; at the museum only. %%EOF All memberships include discounted admission to over 300 science centers and museums across the United States and around the world through the Association of Science and Technology Center's (ASTC) Travel Passport Program. Costco says the time to raise membership prices is 'about now,' but it won't just yet: 'We'll let you know'. It didnt include the zoo membership, but we can always get online and buy from Baton Rouge again, or we can do some more research and possibly find another one that will save us more money. With your membership at Boston Childrens Museum, does that AZA get you into the Roger Williams Park Zoo for free or at a discounted rate? 1. We continued learning and the following year when the memberships were up for renewal we bought a membership from Dayton Society of Natural History, also called Boonshoft, for $145 and this membership gave us all three of the reciprocals. 3. They are located in River Grove, Illinois. Membership at Space Center Houston is intended for noncommercial use by individuals. **Free or discounted admission to ASTC Passport . Creating last memories for our community. North American Reciprocal Museum Association is a great program too. You can now personalize your membership to the needs of your family. 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. You will need to prove where you live because you must be at least ninety miles from your residence to qualify. Guests must present proof of current ASTC museum membership and a valid photo ID to receive . As such, they each have different rules when it comes to reciprocity. Thanks for de-mystifying the ACM reciprocal membership changes for everyone I know its going to be a bumpy ride come April 1st, but this post will surely help folks understand the changes. Do you know what that means? Sustainer member facility rental includes Haverty Family Yards, Arthur Stilwell, Jarvis Hunt, Innovation Center. * Facility must be located at least 90 miles or more from both the EAA AirVenture Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and your home address. For $62 we get free admission for our family of 7, to over 1,800 museums for the entire year. Our Premium Members receive FREE tickets to the exhibit and can book those tickets for any date, even dates that are sold out! endstream endobj startxref USA. Call us at (773) 947-3161 or email us. ASTC Association of Science Technology Centers https://www.astc.org/, NARM-NorthAmericanReciprocalMuseum One of the largest reciprocal membership programs in the world with members in the United States, Bermuda, Canada, El Salvador and Mexico! The two major member organizations that offer these reciprocal programs are the Association of Childrens Museums (ACM) and the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC). Paid for family admission at the Museum of Science and Industry last time we were in Chicago. I wish I would have known about this years ago. It is unfortunate that there is that 90-mile restriction. Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Those with an AZA pass will receive free or half-price admission to a large number of zoos and aquariums across the country. ACM-AssociationofChildrensMuseumsHalf price admission to over 200 childrens museums. A Union Station membership includes: Free admission to Science City for 12 months; Discounted tickets to exhibits; ASTC Travel Passport Program with discounted admission to 300+ museums At the end of the day, it wasnt such a travesty. For the last 6+ years they have explored all over North America and share their top tips on things to do in locations with kids, along with road trip ideas and tips on RVing. How do I know if my primary museum participates in one or both of these programs? 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 feel dumb now. Members also can get up to 10% off purchases from Star Store except for autographed books. You will also qualify for a 10% discount at the gift shop for museum purchases. Make sure you look for the acronyms ACM or ASTC or the word reciprocal when checking out the different levels of membership. You do have to renew your membership each year, but it pays for itself in no time. Thanks for your recommendations! When visiting a partner museum, just show your digital card for your membership to be honored. I am sure there are LOTS of folks who have run into the same issue. 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. When you are traveling full-time or even if you just like to travel a lot it is easy to spend a lot of money on extracurricular activities. Our favorite three favorite reciprocals have been the ASTC, ACM, and AZA. This site uses cookies. You can see the full list of participating museums at https://www.astc.org/membership/find-an-astc-member/passport/. Google Universal Analytics long-time unique user tracking identifier. I havent used an ASTC membership, but we have an ACM and an AZA membership, and they are fantastic for those of us that take LONG road trips. If you wish to attend the Intuitive Planetarium and the National Geographic Theater, it does cost extra. Birthdays at Science City are a blast of epic fun! EXCLUSIONS 1. You can apply the tickets you recently purchased toward the price of a membership. Additionally, membership rates for individual museums may have increased since this post was published. Members save 10% at Union Station Restaurants and Retail Stores, including: Escape Room, Museum of Illusions, Harvey's, Parisi Coffee, Pierpont's, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory & the Science City Store. This membership costs $125, but during the week of Black Friday, they had a sale and it was only $62! Unclassified cookies are cookies that we are in the process of classifying, together with the providers of individual cookies. What we have learned from our research and from talking to various museum directors is that you can get in free (or for the reduced rate) multiple times, with no limit. Frugality is the mental approach we each take when considering our resource allocations. So it never hurts to call ahead to see if your membership will be accepted. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Your browser is not compatible with this website. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Nonprofit or public science centers or museums, nature centers, aquariums, planetariums, zoos, botanical gardens, space theaters, natural history museums, and childrens museums that share an interest in inquiry-based learning and participatory science education. As part of its commitment to accessibility, The Museum of Flight is pleased to offer three ways to enjoy the Museum for those in our community who may be faced with financial barriers. Levels and Prices; Membership FAQs . Greensboro Science Center | Hours and Prices Thanks! Western NC Nature Center has reasonably priced dual memberships: https://wildwnc.org/membership, $69 for 2 adults and up to 4 children (age 3-17) Basically you buy an annual membership from a participating museum, zoo, or science center and you can use your membership for free or reduced admission at hundreds of others across the country. ASTC is our most used reciprocal. Members can gain free access to the exhibit gallery for up to four people. Google advertising cookie used for user tracking and ad targeting purposes. Press J to jump to the feed. Located in Hickory, North Carolina, the Catawba Science Center is an excellent place to explore the day with your family. 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. Preference cookies enable a website to remember information that changes the way the website behaves or looks, like your preferred language or the region that you are in. Its a fabulous place and we had a great time. Valid state-issued ID may be requested at the time of purchase. These are our passions. Members can buy a small popcorn for only $1. Google Universal Analytics short-time unique user tracking identifier. Costco Will Not Raise Its Membership Fee for Now Proof of eligibility required - a valid membership card with ASTC logo. Thats right. For answers to your Membership questions please call, Monday through Friday 9:00am-5:00pm: Membership Office Email: members@mdsci.org . We sincerely appreciate your membership donation to Union Station. She takes us and other visitors to Durham there to see the exhibits and for a break from the summer heat. There are many fantastic attractions within the Association of Science-Technology Centers or ASTC network. Top 12 Attractions Within the ASTC Reciprocal Network What's the cheapest membership on the list? Childrens Museums http://www.childrensmuseums.org/family-reciprocal-membership.html. These are only a few of the dozens of participating attractions you can get free or reduced admission to with an ASTC membership. And that has been our experience too. To check if a museum participates in the ACM Reciprocal Program, click HERE. Special programs and events are excluded. All Rights Reserved 2023. Hope to get there soon. Some are free and some are 50% off. The current annual price of the Montana membership is $60. Of course, thats not always the easiest thing to do when you have small children! RMSC Membership - Roper Mountain However, it does not include 3-D films, and if you want to watch those, it does cost $5 per person. At our first stop we had already saved money. This got us an ASTC membership. Ill update that information in the post as well. Analytics cookies help website owners to understand how visitors interact with websites by collecting and reporting information anonymously. ASTCs Commitment to Diversity, Accessibility, Inclusion, and Equity, ASTC Fellow Award for Outstanding Contribution, 2020 PIT Community Innovation Fellowship Program, Community Science Dialogue & Deliberation Fellowship Program, Thriving Earth Exchange Community Science Fellows Program, Accessibility Toolkit for Museum Digital Engagement, Center for Advancement of Informal Science Education, Sparks for Science, Community, and Equity, CCLI (Cultural Competence Learning Institute), Collaboration for Ongoing Visitor Experience Studies (COVES), Informal STEM Learning (ISL) Professional Framework, International Science Center and Science Museum Day, Diversity and Leadership Development Fellows Program, Dialogue & Deliberation Fellowship Program, Thriving Earth Exchange Fellowship Program, Public Interest Technology Community Innovation Fellowship Program, Learn about Science Center and Museum Member Benefits. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Memberships - Indiana State Museum Not long ago. The Cernan Earth and Space Center at Triton College offers free planetarium admission for up to four members of the same family membership to the ASTC. EAA is now hiring seasonal grounds crew employees! Become A Member | Union Station Kansas City Plan Your Visit - Tickets & Hours | Field Museum ASTC had=s attractions in all fifty states and some other countries, including Mexico and Canada. The next year got even better. Members receive instant savings on tickets to our exhibits. The website cannot function properly without these cookies. Hipcamp. Member benefits such as Science City admission cannot be used by guests who are not on the membership. M|_ww/go?A>0wwBo}G_?_g}H~?7|xq;z/zo;ZZ z/?__c~}~7?=yg>?|` z;T~9{[rvqkZyn]*tgY8RgQCwh_IS:Rmk:#kI[iA. The name of the ASTC reciprocal program is the Passport Program, which makes me think they are encouraging people to travel by offering reciprocity. Senior Discount Seniors (ages 60 and up) receive a $2 discount on COSI general admission. Providing unique experiences designed to spark scientific inquiry and creativity since 1933. Its always a good idea to call the membership office if you have any doubts about which membership levels include reciprocity. Buy Membership. Members of these organizations can receive a variety of exclusive benefits and privileges, such as free admission, gift shop discounts, and more. The museum you are visiting has to be more than 90 miles from your "home" museum that you are a member of. ASTC Museums Travel Passport Program | EAA To sign up for an Access Membership, visit us in-person or call (206) 443-2844. 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 Natural History Museum of Los Angelos County. All who currently serve or have served in the U.S. Military receive a $3 discount on Museum Admission and a 10% discount on Dual through Family Plus memberships. Our membership (premium level) also includes 2hrs of fee parking, bonus tickets to Omni, Planetarium and guest passes (more tickets for Premium level vs Basic level). The US Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, will grant free admission to one adult and up to two children free with membership to ASTC. They wouldnt be much of a benefit if you stay in one place, but they have provided us with a way to go to so many different places and it only costs us the gas to get there. Whoa, you have to pay to go into your museums? We got our ACM membership in San Diego, which was one of the more expensive childrens museums, but we were just learning and we still got our moneys worth. Thanks for being your awesome selves. Located in Little Rock, Arkansas, this incredible museum will allow two adults and up to three children from the same household to enjoy a day of exploring. You were my first inspiration to this fulltime lifestyle and I still come back to your site for info all the time! Your membership is tax-deductible and, with it, you remain part of our historic family of supporters helping ensure our place in the community for years to come. We loved the Evergreen Aviation Museum outside of Portland, Oregon and the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman. Plus, your membership is tax-deductible and, with it, you become part of our historic family of supporters helping ensure our place in the community for the next 100+ years! from Memberships have been simplified to Solo and Dual, with the option to add children and grandchildren to the Dual membership. Students, Seniors 55+, and Military can receive $5 off when they purchase their membership at the box office with a valid ID. It is an awesome program for anyone that likes to visit museums but especially for people who travel a lot! Our family drives from the Chicago area all the way to southern California, and the come back through Phoenix/Tucson. Hi Mandy, The kids are always excited to go to a zoo. 136 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<02AB88942348AD4ABF77BBF7C2E2C9FF>]/Index[109 72]/Info 108 0 R/Length 128/Prev 444798/Root 110 0 R/Size 181/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream EAA members can present the EAA Membership card to enjoy nearly 400 museum and science centers worldwide free of charge, thanks to a partnership with the Association of Science-Technology Centers and its ASTC Travel Passport Program. Science centers and museums located within 90 miles* of the science center/museum where the visitor is a member. As someone who lives in Canada and travels to the US frequently with my young children this has been a god send the last few years. MOSI in Tampa and the Orlando Science Center were both really cool! Questions/Comments. Zoos & Aquariums https://www.aza.org/reciprocity/ We apologize for any inconvenience. Cookies are small text files that can be used by websites to make a user's experience more efficient. Parking passes for Premium members must be picked up at the Box Office during business hours. Please check with the museum that you would like to purchase a membership to and/or the museum that you plan to visit to make sure they are still participating in the reciprocal membership program. ASTCs Commitment to Diversity, Accessibility, Inclusion, and Equity, ASTC Fellow Award for Outstanding Contribution, 2020 PIT Community Innovation Fellowship Program, Community Science Dialogue & Deliberation Fellowship Program, Thriving Earth Exchange Community Science Fellows Program, Accessibility Toolkit for Museum Digital Engagement, Center for Advancement of Informal Science Education, Sparks for Science, Community, and Equity, CCLI (Cultural Competence Learning Institute), Collaboration for Ongoing Visitor Experience Studies (COVES), Informal STEM Learning (ISL) Professional Framework, International Science Center and Science Museum Day, Diversity and Leadership Development Fellows Program, Dialogue & Deliberation Fellowship Program, Thriving Earth Exchange Fellowship Program, Public Interest Technology Community Innovation Fellowship Program, ASTC Passport Participant List, November 1, 2022-April 30, 2023, ASTC Passport Participant List,November 1, 2022-April 30, 2023. Within CT, we have free access to: Beardsley Zoo, Discovery Museum, West Hartford Childrens Museum (with a hassle), Stepping Stones (require ID), Lutz Museum, and I cant remember the others, but those are the ones we use regularly). The museum you are visiting has to be more than 90 miles from your home address. Children under six are always free. How to Sign up for Reciprocal Museum Memberships? Memberships are non-refundable and non-transferable. There are some museums and zoos that are listed as discounted admission, like the Philadelphia Zoo and are clearly identified on the MOS website.