New Bedford Library Offers Discounted Passes to Boston Museums

The wonders of science, art and the world of marine animals are just a mouse click away for families on the SouthCoast who thought that bringing their children to the fabulous museums in Boston was simply just not affordable.

The New Bedford Free Public Library has sharply discounted passes available, and all you have to do is ask for them.

Passes for reduced admission to the Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of Science, Boston Children's Museum, and the New England Aquarium, as well as the Robbins Archaeology Museum in Middleboro, Plimoth Patuxet Museum in Plymouth, Children's Museum of Greater Fall River, and free passes for the Buttonwood Park Zoo are available year-round by contacting the library.

The program has existed for years, but it's surprising how many folks in the area don't know about it. With school vacations quickly approaching, now is the time to reserve the free and discounted passes to assure you get the dates you desire for your excursion.

To qualify for the reduced pass program, you must be at least 18 years old and have a SAILS library card that is in good standing. There are rules for how passes are reserved, where and how passes can be obtained, and penalties for late pass returns and lost passes.

Details of the Museum Pass program and a link to reserve passes for the museums can be found at the New Bedford Free Public Library website.

While reduced admission museum passes are available to anyone within the SAILS Network, free passes for the Buttonwood Park Zoo are available only to New Bedford residents.

The program is wonderful for families on tight budgets or anyone just looking to save some money. When my kids were young, we'd use the Boston museum passes often. Combined with a ride into Boston on the Red Line from the Quincy Adams station, it made for a full and adventurous day for the entire family.