There are travelers that either love museums, or ones that don’t, and regardless of how you feel towards visiting them, what if we told you that you can visit the best museums on your next trip to Philadelphia for free? Travelers are taking to Reddit to discuss just how much the simple museum admission hack of purchasing a museum reciprocity pass membership is worth the money, and will end up saving you a ton of cash.
Whether you’re interested in scoping out the 18 best museums to visit in London on your next trip across the pond, or have always wanted to check out must-visit museums on a trip to New York City, it’s no secret the cost of museum entries can be pricey, especially if you have a few on your list. With the reasonably priced museum reciprocity membership, offered by a few different museum associations around the globe, travelers reap the benefits of enjoying a cultured experience without breaking the bank.
In the r/TravelHacks subreddit, a user by the name of Equivalent_Soft_6665 apprehensively asks if the travel hack is in fact legitimate. “My local town museum has a membership for 25 euro, and apparently it gets me into dozens of huge museums abroad. feels like a hack. Has anyone done this? Any catches? Is this frowned upon or just good value for travelers?” User Camylopez encourages the original poster by saying, “Reciprocal arrangements are the only reason I join my local club. All these people talking about how good it is, I agree.”
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Unlocking the perks: How museum reciprocity memberships can elevate your travels
Visitors walking around a large museum room – Vlad G/Shutterstock
For a yearly fee, which may vary depending on the museum that you purchase your membership at, the reciprocity pass for museum goers is one of the best money saving hacks travelers can buy. Some museum networks not only offer reciprocity for the U.S., but abroad as well, making it even more attractive. Reclaiming Wonders blogger and writer Bobbie, wrote on one blog post that their “family of six has saved thousands while exploring incredible museums, gardens, and exhibits,” using a reciprocity membership in the U.S.
Knowing which museum to snag your membership from is also important, since smaller museums may offer cheaper memberships. One of the most popular museum networks that offer a reciprocity pass is NARM (North American Reciprocal Museum Association), which offers members access to various museums all across North America, discounts on museum shops, lectures and even concerts held at venues. On the NARM official website, be sure to check out a list of participating museums based on category, and membership costs have been noted to be approximately $150 per year.
Other main museum networks that have been mentioned by Redditors are ROAM (Reciprocal Organization of Associated Museums), focusing on mainly art museums, and ASTC (Association of Science and Technology Centers), which focuses on museums based around tech and science.
Extra guidelines for the museum reciprocity membership
Two people looking at art in a museum – John Coletti/Getty Images
While the thought of getting into numerous museums sounds fantastic, it’s crucial to do your research before purchasing any membership and assuming you can use it anywhere. Consider what type of museums you are interested in prior to purchasing a membership, as some reciprocity benefits are only to those museums on designated lists. NARM museums are only for North American museums, which also includes access to museums in Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda.
With reciprocity programs, distance may matter. Some museums may only allow access to the reciprocity program to members that live a certain distance away from the museum that’s closest to a member’s home address. Because reciprocity memberships in North America cannot be used overseas in places such as Europe, there may be another option, however you must be a current or former employee of a museum, or be a student enrolled in a museum studies program. With a yearly ICOM (International Council of Museums) membership, it will provide free access to over 50,000 museums in 134 countries across Europe, Canada, Africa, and Asia.
The best way to use your museum reciprocity membership is to plan ahead and ensure you have your proof of address and identification on you. On Reclaiming Wonders’ blog post, Bobbie also mentions, “If you know you want to save money on travel within the next year, definitely look at that area’s museums. For the cost of one trip to the local museum plus one museum on vacation, you have practically paid for a year’s membership.”
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