$2 Museum Admission with ACCESS by Art-Reach

What’s a homeschooler’s best friend for out-of-the-box learning? MUSEUMS! One of the best things about living in southeast PA is its rich history and vast quantity of museums. The only downside is visiting all of these awesome places can get pricey in a hurry!

Have you heard of the ACCESS by Art-Reach program? It’s one of my family’s favorite benefits to enjoy local museums without the hefty price tag. If your child has Pennsylvania medical assistance due to disability, s/he was issued a yellow Pennsylvania ACCESS card (there are other Access cards for other state benefits). Show this ACCESS card plus a valid ID to give your child + 3 additional people deep discounts on admission and tickets to participating organizations. This is one of those things that “they” don’t tell you when you get approved for MA (at least not that I remember) & many parents have no idea this wonderful program exists.

According to their website, “Art-Reach is a non-profit organization that creates connections between the disability community and the cultural arts. ACCESS is the largest and fastest growing program at Art-Reach. ACCESS provides $2 admission to over 80 museums, theaters, gardens, and cultural sites throughout Greater Philadelphia and Delaware for individuals that have a qualifying state-issued ACCESS/EBT card or for people with disabilities that purchase an Art-Reach ACCESS Card.”

How does it work?

The program includes organizations in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey. You can use your state-issued ACCESS card to visit participating locations within your state. Simply present your card and ID when you purchase your tickets or admission. If you purchase tickets online ahead of time, like for Longwood Gardens, you may need to show your card & ID when you arrive at the venue. Some locations don’t have a way to pay for discounted tickets online, so you’ll need to do it at the counter (I like to call ahead of time to verify if it’s somewhere farther away).

Are you visiting somewhere that’s not on the list? Just ASK! Many places will accept it even though they’re not listed on the website. Also, we have found that some of the participating Delaware locations close to the PA/DE state line will gladly accept our Pennsylvania ACCESS card (thank you!).

What is the Art-Reach ACCESS Card?

It’s a little confusing, but there is also an Art-Reach ACCESS card for purchase. If you are an individual who self-identifies as having a disability and doesn’t have a PA or DE state-issued ACCESS Card, you can purchase an Art-Reach ACCESS Card, even if you live out-of-state. Purchased cards can be used at any location.

Museums for All

Another way to utilize your ACCESS card for museum admission is with the Museums for All program, which provides discounted or free admission to over 1,300 museums in the US. Museums for All is an initiative of the Institute of Museum and Library Services and administered by the Association of Children’s Museums and is designed for low-income families receiving SNAP benefits. This crosses over with the medical assistance many of our children receive through Pennsylvania, regardless of family income (PH-95 Category).

Search by state to find participating museums. Admission is $3 or less for up to four people per EBT card.

Have you used any of these programs? Where have you gone? Let us know in the comments!