Museums For All is a national, branded access program that encourages individuals of all backgrounds to visit museums regularly and build lifelong museum habits. It is open to participation by any type of museum, including art, history, natural history/anthropology, general museums, children’s museums, science centers, planetariums, nature centers, historic houses, sites, zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens and arboretums.
The program allows individuals and families who receive SNAP benefits (food stamps) free or reduced general admission to many museums simply by showing their active EBT card at the admissions desk. Cost of admission should never be a barrier to someone visiting a museum.
In the state of Florida, there are 22 participating venues. Within the Tampa Bay area, there are several, including the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) in Tampa, the Tampa Bay History Center in Tampa, the Tampa Museum of Art next to Curtis Hixon Park in downtown Tampa, the Explorations V Children’s Museum in Lakeland, the Great Explorations Children’s Museum in St. Petersburg, the Morean Art Center in St. Petersburg and the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota.
The program offers museums a way to broaden their visitor base and it allows underserved communities a way to visit museums, where the visitors can be inspired and have their creativity ignited.
The program is an initiative of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. It is administered by the Association of Children’s Museums.
Since its launch in 2014, Museums for All has served more than 2.5 million visitors nationwide.
There is no limit to the number of times an individual or a family can visit the museum. They can get admission for 43 or less for up to four people per one EBT card. At the Tampa Museum of Art, for instance, families receive free admission thanks to funding from PNC Bank.
A representative from the Tampa Museum of Art said, “We are so proud to offer this national program to the Tampa Bay community during this critical time.”
For more information on the Museums For All program and to find out about participating museums, please visit www.museums4all.org.
