Welcome To ASTC’s Passport Program
If you are a member of a science center or museum participating in the ASTC Passport Program, you are eligible for benefits such as free general admission when you travel outside of your local area. Exclusions apply and benefits vary.
Join a Participating Museum
Join your local science center, museum, garden, zoo, or aquarium.
Find Other Participating Locations
Use the map below to find a participating location outside of your local area.
Visit & Enjoy!
Showing your ID and/or membership card may be required at entry.
Find Participating Locations
Choose your local science center or museum. We’ll show locations where your membership is accepted.
Status:
Please check each institution’s website for more information about their operations and eligibility, including any requirements for advanced reservations.
How to Use the Participating Locations Map
Search above to find participating institutions outside the linear 90-mile radius of either your home residence or the science center or museum that you belong to.
For example, if you live in New York City and are a member of the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, you would have to be over 90 linear miles away from home to be eligible for discounted or free admission at a participating location, such as the Connecticut Science Center.
Before You Travel
Check for exclusions
Make sure the science center or museum you are visiting is not located within 90 miles of either your home residence and the science center or museum that you belong to. This distance is measured as a linear radius, not driving distance.
Review the admittance policy
Review the family admittance policy of the venue that you intend to visit. Call before you visit to confirm your Passport Program benefits.
Pack your ID
Pack your ID (or other proof of residence). Admissions staff reserve the right to request proof of residence for benefits to apply. Passport Program venues requesting proof of residence are marked by “Proof of Residence Required”.
Pack your membership card
Passport Program venues are not required to grant benefits to visitors who forget their cards. There is no universal database with all Passport visitors’ member data for admission staff to reference. Some venues will allow you to call your home institution to confirm your membership, but they are under no obligation to do so.
Lost your card?
Please contact your home science center or museum. ASTC does not issue or administer membership cards.
Still have questions?
See our Frequently Asked Questions below.
FAQ
What is the ASTC Passport Program?
The Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) Passport Program is a reciprocal admission program that offers travel benefits to the members of participating science centers or museums.
The benefit includes free general admission at participating science centers and museums outside of your local area (more than 90 linear miles from both the science center or museum where you are a member and your primary residence).
How can I become a member of the Passport Program?
You can access over 350 museums by purchasing a qualifying membership at a participating local science center or museum. Please visit www.astc.org/passport for a list of participating locations and contact that organization directly for the next steps.
How much does the Passport Program cost?
Membership prices vary by institution. Please contact your local participating science center or museum for the cost of eligible memberships.
Which science centers and museums participate in the program?
Please visit www.astc.org/passport for a list of participating locations or select “Download Full List” in the map above. The list of participating organizations is updated twice a year. Lists are active from May 1 to October 31 and November 1 to April 30 of the following year.
What are the benefits of the Passport Program?
Benefits can include free admissions for the card holder and up to two adults and four children depending on the membership level. Organizations that offer free admissions provide other standardized alternative benefits (examples can include a 10% museum gift store discount or free parking).
For any questions about their admission policies and benefits for reciprocal Passport Program members, please contact the organization you plan on visiting for confirmation.
If an organization leaves the Program, will members still receive benefits?
Unfortunately, no. When an organization leaves the Program, their members no longer receive access to the Passport Program.
Who can I take with me for free?
It depends on your membership level. Individual memberships are eligible to receive free admission for the named cardholder while all Group memberships are eligible to receive free admissions for up to two adults and four children. Different museums title their memberships in different ways; check with the museum that you hold a membership with to see which type your membership is.
Why does the 90-mile restriction exist?
The 90-mile restriction was implemented in 2006 to ensure that the Passport Program is used as a travel benefit. It closes the loophole that saw individuals purchasing the most cost-effective membership to a Passport Program location—even if it was not their local science center, in order to visit their local science center or museum for free. This rule was put in place in guidance/adherence to United States Free-Market rules and fair trade regulations. You can check the linear distance on Google Maps by using these instructions and using the map above.
Before You Travel Checklist
- Confirm eligibility. Ensure the institution you are visiting is more than 90 linear miles from both your primary residence and home museum.
- Review admission policies. Individual memberships receive free admission for the named cardholder and group memberships can receive free admissions for up to two adults and four children. Please call before visiting another location to confirm your Passport Program benefits.
- Pack your membership card and ID. Proof of membership is required to receive reciprocal admissions.
- Lost your card? Please contact your home science center or museum for assistance.
- Questions? Read our Frequently Asked Questions or email passport@astc.org.