Science Museums, Zoos and Aquariums

The fourth annual Museum Day, presented by Smithsonian Magazine, will be held on Saturday, September 27, 2008. According to the Smithsonian web site, "Museum Day is a day when museums and cultural institutions nationwide open their doors free of charge to Smithsonian magazine readers and Smithsonian.com visitors. A celebration of culture, learning and the dissemination of knowledge, Smithsonian's Museum Day reflects the spirit of the magazine, and emulates the free-admission policy of the Smithsonian Institution's Washington, DC-based properties."

Participating museums will provide free admission to attendees plus one guest who present a Museum Day Admission Card, which can be found in either the September issue of Smithsonian Magazine or downloaded here from the Smithsonian Magazine web site.

Several hundred museums across the U.S. are participating in Museum Day, so visit the Find The Venue page on the Smithsonian Magazine web site to see if your local museum will participate.

Fine print
Unless otherwise specified, the Museum Day Admission Card is only valid for a single use on Saturday, September 27, 2008. Free admission is provided to the person presenting the card plus one guest. One admission card per household. The admission covers general admission only. It does not cover special exhibits or IMAX screenings.

Association of Zoos and Aquariums Reciprocal Admissions Program

If you live in the Washington, D.C. area and visit the National Zoo often, you'll want to join the Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ). There are several different levels of membership, each with its own benefits. Our family has a Household membership. That membership level provides several benefits, including:

• Free parking while visiting the zoo


• 10% discount in National Zoo stores


• ZooGoer magazine


• Discounts on tickets to popular zoo events, like Boo at the Zoo


• Invitation to exclusive members-only events, such as Cockadoodle Zoo


• Free cookies!

A Household membership costs $60/year. You can purchase a two-year membership for $108. The parking benefits alone are with the cost of the membership. Parking at the zoo costs $10 for the first hour, $15 for 2-3 hours and $20 for more than 3 hours.

My family and I love the National Aquarium in Baltimore. Not only have we visited the aquarium more than half-a-dozen times, my daughter and I have participated in an overnight, "Breakfast with the Dolphins" program also. What makes the aquarium so great?

First, there's the location. The National Aquarium in Baltimore is located in the heart of Baltimore's Inner Harbor. Quick hint: The aquarium offers a $3 parking certificate that you can use at the Inner Harbor Garage on S. Gay Street. Park on the 3rd floor landing and you'll be able to cross Light Street via the skywalk and be directly in front of the aquarium.

Second, there's the various exhibits. Right now (Sept. 2007), my favorites are Animal Planet Australia, Frogs! A Chorus of Colors and the dolphin show, Play! The dolphin shows are very popular. I recommend buying advance tickets either through Ticketmaster or directly from the aquarium's ticket center.

Last, and certainly not least, the volunteers and employees at the aquarium are top-notch. They're friendly, knowledgeable and always ready to help.

Helpful Hint #1: According to the aquarium, the best times to visit during the summer are:

• Every day before 10am
• Weekdays before 10am or after 3pm
• Friday nights after 5pm

Helpful Hint #2: If your family loves the aquarium as much as my family does, invest in a Family Membership. A one-year advance purchase Family Membership costs $109. A single visit to the aquarium without the dolphin show for a family of 4 with kids aged 3 - 11 will cost $70.

Purchase National Aquarium tickets now.

If your family love visiting science museums as much as mine, run, don't walk, to the Association of Science-Technology Centers web site to find a science center nearest you that participates in the program.

In a nutshell, you purchase a membership at a participating science museum and can receive free admission to numerous other science museums across the U.S. (and world). There are more than 290 museums that participate in the ASTC Passport Program. There are a few caveats though. First, the program doesn't apply to centers within a 90-mile radius of your "home" musesum. Second, the free admissions is typically just for general admission to the museum and does not include IMAX shows, planetarium shows or any other "special" activities. Third, you must bring your membership card to the out-of-town science museum to receive the benefits from the program.

We have a family membership at the Maryland Science Center and have used the ASTC Passport program at both the Science Museum of Minnesota and the Carnegie Science Center. It's a terrific program and a great way to save money!

While updating this lens, I stumbled across a Google Adsense ad for a program sponsored by Bank of America called Museums on Us. In a nutshell, Bank of America customers can show their check, credit or ATM card to receive free admission to over 70 museums across the country on the first weekend of the month. The museums are located in the following states: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and Washington.

The next free weekend will be September 6th and 7th, 2008.

There are some restrictions so please visit the Museums on Us web site for more details.

Maryland Science Center
Science Museum of Minnesota
Carnegie Science Center
Orlando Science Center
Maryland Zoo in Baltimore