Museum Passes Offer Deep Discounts
If you enjoy exploring local museums and parks, make sure to check the Museum Pass list on the library's website before you go. These passes, sponsored by the Friends, offer significant savings on entrance fees to nearby attractions. While some venues require you to pick up and return a physical coupon to the library, many passes may now be used virtually via a discount code.
A Day at the Aquarium
Kieran Fleming, age 6, recently enjoyed a day at the New England Aquarium with his mom Kim and his dad Ryan. “I heart penguins,” Kieran said, when asked what he most enjoyed about the trip, adding that the rockhopper penguins were his favorite.
Kieran Fleming checking out the penguins at the New England Aquarium
Kim said the process of reserving the museum pass was “really smooth,” and that she liked being able to use an online discount code instead of having to pick up a physical pass. “We appreciate the passes,” she said. “It’s such an expensive day, and the half-price ticket is a great money saver.”
Another highlight of the trip for the family came when Kieran, who is normally touch-sensitive, touched a ray and a shark at the Touch Tank. At the gift shop, he picked out a stuffed animal ray to bring home, so he would “always remember touching the ray.”
“We had a wonderful time!” said Kim.
Kieran and his mom Kim enjoying the Touch Tank
Museum of Science a Hit
The lightning show at the Museum of Science was a hit with the Riegert siblings, who recently visited the museum for the first time. Mitchell, age 11, Bridget, age 9, Miranda, age 7, and Carissa, age 6, all agreed that it was one of their favorite attractions.
Dana Riegert reserved the discounted pass through the library so she and her husband Matt could enjoy the day in Boston with their four children. “It was very easy,” Reigert said. “They emailed the code directly to me.”
Mitchell and Bridget were impressed by the Arctic Adventure Room, where they participated in a drone-flying simulation that allowed them to search the landscape for polar bears. Bridget, Miranda and Carissa liked the immersive experience of helping stop a flood threatening a Venice doorway. As the water rose, the girls, through CGI, were tasked with piling up blocks quickly enough to stop it.
“I wish the museum had been open longer,” Dana said, “so we could have had even more time in each area.”
Teens Enjoy Museum of Fine Arts
Jill Berlinski had not used the museum passes since her children were small. But she decided to take advantage of them again in July, when she was planning a trip to the Museum of Fine Arts with Apollo, now 14, Addy, now 13, and her husband Mike.
The family enjoyed the museum’s special exhibits, including the Dali exhibit, on loan through December 1, and the Dress Up exhibit, which explores the role of fashion in our lives and in society. They also liked Hallyu! The Korean Wave, a traveling exhibit no longer at the MFA, which showcased the popular culture of South Korea.
Addy and Apollo Berlinski take advantage of a photo op at the MFA’s Dress Up exhibit
Berlinksi said eating lunch in the courtyard and getting chocolate mousse from Taste, the MFA’s coffee bar, were also a fun part of the experience. Reserving the pass was “very easy,” she said.
About the Passes
The J.V. Fletcher Library’s museum passes are available to all Westford library card holders and to non-resident members of the Friends. They can be reserved in advance via the library's website. Some of the passes must be picked up and returned in person; many can be used virtually via a discount code.
There are currently two dozen attractions on the list. The most popular are the New England Aquarium, the Museum of Science, and the Discovery Museums in Acton. Other frequently used passes include the Museum of Fine Arts, Zoo New England, and the Boston Children’s Museum. Discounts to outdoor venues are available as well; you can save on admission to Drumlin Farm, The Botanic Gardens at Tower Hill, and Trustees of Reservations properties.
If you don’t see an attraction you are interested in on our list, be sure to check out what passes are available from other libraries in the Merrimack Valley Library Consortium. Each library has its own rules about who may use the passes, and you may get lucky. When Dana Riegert wanted to take her family to the Plimouth Patuxet Museum, she used a pass from the Andover library. “The savings were extraordinary,” she said. “If you don’t see something at the J.V. Fletcher, don’t stop your search there.”
The Friends pay for these discounted museum passes with the money we raise through book sales, memberships, and the fall appeal. Your donations to these endeavors allow us to provide this valued benefit to our patrons. Thank you for your support!