To select a museum, click “Details/Reserve”, then select which Pass to reserve.
Monday, February 24, 2025
The House of Seven Gables
115 Derby Street, Salem, MA 01970
978-744-0991
https://www.7gables.org/
[Details/Reserve]
The House of the Seven Gables, one of the oldest surviving timber-framed mansion houses in continental North America, was the setting of Nathaniel Hawthorne's famous 1851 novel of the same name. The historic site which includes the house (a National Historic Landmark District) includes a guided tour of the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion (the House of the Seven Gables) and visits to the Nathaniel Hawthorne Birthplace, the Colonial Revival seaside gardens, and the Counting House, with a maritime discovery zone called “Kids' Cove at The Gables.” (An audio tour of the gardens, grounds, and waterfront is available through the UniGuide App.) Lectures and seasonal living history labs are scheduled throughout the year, and a changing annual exhibition examines various aspects of the institution's 350 years of history. There is a gift shop on the premises. The website has virtual field trips and interactive exhibitions that can provide helpful background information before a visit.
Categories: Children, Family, Science
Pass Type: Coupon Pass (must be picked up from the branch, but does not require returning)
Pass Benefits
Patrons receive 50% off admission for up to four people (either the Guided Tour Package or Grounds Pass.)
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
Pass admits up to four adults at $5 admission per person. Children under 18 are always free (when reserved as a child ticket).
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
The Parks Pass entitles the bearer to free parking at over 50 facilities in the Massachusetts State Parks System that charge a day-use parking fee.
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
The pass admits 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 printed on the pass.
• Please bring your library pass (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 if you 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 pass on a phone, you may print out a copy, 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: Printable/Digital Coupon Pass (link delivered by email)
Pass Benefits
Pass admits up to 4 people with a 50% discount. The current admission rates can be found on the New England Aquarium's website. Children aged 2 and under are always admitted for free.
This pass does not provide any other discounts and cannot be applied to combo tickets.
Note: Library passes will not be available June 1, 2025 – August 31, 2025.
New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill
11 French Drive, Boylston, MA 01505-0598
508-869-6111
https://www.nebg.org/
[Details/Reserve]
Located in Boylston, MA, and open year-round, the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill features carefully planned gardens and collections of ornamental, edible and native plants, with a number of trails that traverse the 132-acre property. In addition, there are many programs and events, including classes, lectures, art exhibits and concerts. The Garden is run by the Worcester County Horticultural Society, the third oldest active horticultural society in the United States.
Categories: Art, Crafts, Family, Nature
Pass Type: Circulating Pass (must be picked up and returned to the branch)
Pass Benefits
Pass admits 2 guests at half price off general admission
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
Pass allows you to purchase up to two tickets at the reduced rate of $12 each. The code you'll receive is for one time use only and is not combinable with any other discount.
Real Pirates Salem
285 Derby Street, Salem, MA 01970
978-259-1717
https://www.realpiratessalem.com/
[Details/Reserve]
This museum centers on the history of the Whydah Gally—a slave ship that went down over 250 years ago off Cape Cod—and the artifacts and “treasure” recovered from the wreck in 1984. Exhibits and interactive activities focus on the story of Black Sam Bellamy, a famous pirate from the early 1700s, and his capture of the slave ship and its sinking. Items in the collection include coins, jewelry, weapons, and other valuable objects that sank with the Whydah Galley in the early 1700s. Their Discovery Lab teaches visitors about the archeological preservation efforts that went into recovering the shipwreck. There is a gift shop on the premises.
Categories: Children, Family, History, Science, Technology, Ocean
Pass Type: Printable/Digital Coupon Pass (link delivered by email)
Pass Benefits
This digital pass allows you to purchase tickets with a 30% discount on general admission.
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
This pass is valid for one-time use at any of our 100+ properties that collect an admission fee. Pass holder will pay an admission fee equivalent to that of a Trustees Family Level membership (two adults & children 17 and under.)
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
Pass admits up to 9 people to the museum for free. This pass is valid for the museum only and not for the ship.
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 allows up to 6 people to purchase discounted admission ($9.00/adult and $6.00/child) to the Stone Zoo or the Franklin Park Zoo.
Library passes are good for daytime admission only, and not valid for Boston Lights or ZooLights.