Reciprocal Admission Programs and How They Save You Money

Travel gets expensive fast, especially when you start adding in museums, zoos, and activities for a whole family. We are not luxury travelers. Quite the opposite. I am always looking for ways to keep our travel budget down so we can travel for longer. 

Reciprocal Admission programs are one of my favorite ways to support our travel budget. If you’ve never heard this term, hold on and prepare to be excited. 

What is Reciprocal Admission?

Reciprocal admission means you can purchase a membership at one museum and receive free or reduced admission to another museum that is part of the same program. We have participated in three different programs: ASTC, AZA, and NARM.

When I am planning a trip I always head to the current list and look at all the participating museums along our route because it can completely change which stops we include. I add them to my Google Map and color them purple so I know they are free options for us. The list can change each year, so make sure you always pull up the most current list.

Programs We have Used

ASTC

The program we most often participate in is called ASTC, which stands for Association of Science and Technology Centers. You can purchase a family membership to any participating organization and then receive entry to other member museums when you travel. 

When we first started participating I purchased a membership to our local science center. But, over the years their price rose and our enthusiasm for the center waned. So, I purchased a membership to a museum across the state. Then, while doing research for one of our trips I found a member museum with a membership price that couldn’t be beat in my state. 

Using our ASTC membership has easily saved us thousands over the years in museum admissions. My kids like it too because it makes me more willing to consider a purchase from overpriced museum stores.

You can find more information on the program and the current list of participating organizations at the ASTC Passport Program page. There are a few organizations outside the US across seven countries, with most being in Canada.

**Something to note. The interwebs say there is a 90 mile limitation and that you can’t use the program for museums within 90 miles of your “home” museum and 90 miles within your residence. BUT, I have used our membership from our “home” museum fthat is from a museum in California to visit the science museum in our home city. So, I’m not sure how strictly the 90 miles from your residence requirement is enforced. Just be aware of this possibility though. 

AZA

When my kids were younger and liked visiting zoos we would buy a membership to our zoo which is a member of AZA. AZA is the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The AZA program is a little more complicated, so you definitely have to know your member zoo’s status. With AZA some zoos are 50% while others are 100%. 

If your member zoo is at the 50% reciprocal level, you will receive 50% off at other zoos you visit. If your member zoo is 100% you will receive 100% at other organizations that also offer 100%. However, even if your member zoo offers 100%, you will only receive a 50% discount at any zoo offering the 50% reciprocal rate. 

You can find out more information about AZA on their webpage and look at the current list of member organizations. 

If I know there will be zoos or aquariums we want to visit on a trip I will look up the admission cost for each and whether they are an AZA member and the reciprocal rate. I can then do the math to see if buying a membership from a participating organization will save us money. 

NARM

This is the last program we have personally used. NARM stands for North American Reciprocal Museum Association. This program covers a large variety of museums from history to art. 

When we participated in NARM I purchased a membership to our local art museum. We used this membership extensively on our six week trip through the pacific northwest. 

According to the NARM website, there are over 1,500 member museums throughout the US, Canada, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, and Puerto Rico. 

We used our NARM pass to visit many history and cultural museums in Washington and north Idaho, including the Museum of Glass in Tacoma (great museum. The gift shop is a bit stressful with kids). 

Other Programs to Be Aware Of

The programs above are not the only reciprocal programs out there. There are several others that I have not personally used:

• ACM- Association of Children’s Museums- focusing on children’s museums

• ROAM- Reciprocal Organization of Associated Museums- focusing more on art museums

• AHS- American Horticultural Society- focusing on gardens

• Time Travelers- focusing on history museums

Important things to Know

• Always pack your membership card. You must be able to prove you have a membership to a participating museum. There is also an app called eMembership Card that allows you to input your memberships all in one place. ***But, we have had memberships that we couldn’t add.

• Always double check that you are looking at the most recent reciprocal admission list for your program. The participating organizations do change.

• When buying memberships make sure that the membership includes entry to the reciprocal admission program. This is especially important for NARM. We had to purchase a higher level membership to our museum in order to have access to NARM. 

• Make sure you know all the details regarding your program and the museums you plan to visit . There’s nothing worse than showing up thinking you will get in for free and then having to pay. Ex. At Springs Preserve in Las Vegas only parts of the facility can be accessed via ASTC. You will have to pay for full access at a reduced rate.

Reciprocal admission programs are a great way to learn about museums you might not otherwise come across, and are a great way to save money on your travels. Admission fees can easily add up, especially if your family is larger. These programs are definitely worth your time to research. 

On the flip side, memberships can be spendy, so if you do not plan to travel and visit many museums in a given year, a membership may not save you money. Always do your research. Membership cost minus admission costs for all museums you want to visit. 

Want to Skip the Research?

When I plan trips, I build all of this into my route, including which stops qualify for reciprocal admission and where it actually makes sense to use them.

If you’d rather start with a fully built plan instead of figuring it out yourself, you can check out my research packs to find your next trip here: (link to shop page)