Do you like museums? Do you like free stuff? Well, if you receive food assistance through SNAP and have an EBT card, guess what? You can visit tons of museums either free or at a deeply discounted rate. And you can even bring a friend.
It’s the “Museums for All” program that aims to make sure families can enjoy history and culture even if they’re financially challenged. It provides access to 1,400 museums and gardens around the country by showing an EBT card and photo ID. Museums cost $5 or less for up to four people per visit, and many are free.
(SNAP stands for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and EBT is the Electronic Benefit Transfer card.)
Note that this national program, launched in 2014, requires a SNAP membership — but some museums will also accept WIC, so check the individual spots. It operates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, so you can even enjoy it on vacation.
In some cases, you need to sign up in advance, so check the website of the individual place. Here’s a list of local museums that participate, and you can also search by museum or in other states.
Search at museums4all.org by museum name or state to find a participating museum near you!
Here are a few choices, but check the website for many more:
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles: If you’re a movie lover, this is the place for you, with exhibits on every aspect of filmmaking. (Reservations strongly recommended) Regularly $25. EBT cardholders and a guest can enter free. To get tickets online, choose date and time and then enter the first six digits of your EBT card into the “discount coupon code” box. The two highest price tickets should then cost zero. No credit card information is required. Open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays; closed Tuesdays. 6067 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. 323-930-3000. academymuseum.org
American Museum of Ceramic Art, Pomona: (Make a reservation at amoca.org.) Ths museum showcases the art, history, technology and creation of ceramics. Regulary $14; $3 admission for EBT cardholders. Open 11 a.m.-4 p.m.on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. 399 N. Garey Ave, Pomona. 909-865-3146. amoca.org
California Botanic Garden, Claremont: (Recommended reservation at calbg.org) Regularly $15. Free for EBT cardholder and up to four immediate household members. This 86-acre California Botanic Garden is the largest garden dedicated exclusively to the state’s native plants and works to conserve native and rare species. Open 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays. 1500 N. College Ave., Claremont. 909-625-8767, calbg.org
Holocaust Museum LA, Los Angeles: Founded in 1961 by Holocaust survivors, its mission is to honor those who died and educate the public about the Nazi concentration camps. An estimated 6 million people were killed, most of whom were Jewish, but also other targets of the Nazi regime, including homosexuals and Roma people. Exhibits include artifacts from Auschwitz, photographs, talks by living survivors, letters, newspapers and more. Regularly $15; free to all on Sundays. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. 100 The Grove Drive, Los Angeles. (At this writing, the museum was under construction, so enter through Pan-Pacific Park.) 323-651-3704. holocaustmuseumla.org
Kidspace Children’s Museum, Pasadena: Kids’ museum created for ages 10 and under on 3.5 acres with some 40 exhibits and hands-on play spaces. Regularly $15.50; $3 admission for EBT cardholders and tickets can be purchased online through the special link provided. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays; closed Mondays. 480 N. Arroyo Blvd., Pasadena. kidspacemuseum.org
A view from the front yard at the Kimberly Crest House on Wednesday, July 19, 2017 in Redlands, Ca. Morning tours of the historical home have been a recent addition to events at the property. (Micah Escamilla, Redlands Daily Facts, SCNG)
Kimberly Crest House & Gardens, Redlands: This 6-acre hilltop estate in Redlands includes a Victorian mansion built in the French chateau style in 1897, modeled on a castle the original owner had seen abroad. The Italian Renaissance styled gardens were added later. The property has many stairs, so call about accessibility. Regularly $15. To reserve Museums for All admission, email info@kimberlycrest.org with the tour date and time, plus number of tickets up to four. No children under 9 allowed on house tours. Gardens open and free to visit 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays-Fridays and Sundays. House tours are 1 to 4 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. 1325 Prospect Drive, Redlands. 909-792-2111, kimberlycrest.org
La Brea Tar Pits, Los Angeles: See skeletons of real saber-toothed cats, mammoths, dire wolves, mastodons and more at this remarkable museum and archeological site. Regularly $18; free admission with EBT. Tickets are available onsite only and do not include admission to the 3D theater or Encounters Show. 5801 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. 213-763-3499 tarpits.org
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. Los Angeles: Skeletons of giant dinosaurs, dioramas of dead animals, unique gems and minerals, nature gardens, kids discovery center and more in this huge museum in Exposition Park. Regularly $18. EBT holders show your card at the front desk for free admission. Open daily 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Closed first Tuesday of the month. 900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles. 213-763-3466. nhm.org
Riverside Art Museum and the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture. Riverside: The Riverside Art Museum is housed in a 1929 building designed by renowned architect Julia Morgan, best known for her work on Hearst Castle. The adjacent Cheech, which began with the extensive collection of humorist Cheech Marin, is a space devoted to showcasing Chicano art, its cultural and political impacts. Regularly $15.95. EBT or WIC card holders get in for $1 admission per person up to four people. Get tickets in person. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays and noon-5 p.m. Sundays. 3425 Mission Inn Ave.,, Riverside, 951-684-7111. riversideartmuseum.org
Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Santa Barbara: The 25,000-piece permanent collection has pieces including classical antiquities to modern exhibits. Regularly $15; EBT cardholders are free up to a group of four. Open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays (11 a.m.8 p.m. the first Thursday of the month). 1130 State St., Santa Barbara. 805-963-4364 sbma.net
Sherman Library and Gardens, Corona del Mar. Collections include a succulent garden, formal garden, more than 100 species of palms, 130 varieties of begonias, tropical conservatory with a koi pond, orchids and a carniverous plant. There’s also a research library specializing in the history of the Pacific Southwest, with books, archival collections, photographs, maps, and newspapers. Regularly $5. Gardens open daily 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Library reopening Tuesday, April 8; public hours 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays. 2647 E. Pacific Coast Highway. Corona del Mar. 949-673-2261. thesherman.org,
And keep looking at museums4all.org, we didn’t have room for all the cool places you can visit!