This Program Lets Low-Income Families Visit Museums for Cheap

Museums are for everyone.

Visitors are one of the biggest reasons museums exist. This is why museums employ hardworking and dedicated individuals to create exhibits, programs, and other engaging experiences for the public. Unfortunately, many museums must also charge admission fees to help cover the cost of operations (and pay those staff members).

As a result, some families may struggle with being able to afford museum admission costs, and could miss out on the educational and entertainment opportunities museums offer. But if you know where to look, there are ways to save on costs for arts and culture experiences.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is a federal government agency that works to support and advance museums and libraries by offering grants and influencing government policy for the betterment of arts and culture. One of its initiatives is a program called Museums For All. Here's how the program works, and how it helps low-income families access museums.

Museums For All

The Museums For All program gives free or reduced-cost access to more than 1,000 museums across the United States to those receiving SNAP benefits. SNAP is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and it helps millions of lower-income Americans put food on the table.

To take advantage of Museums For All as a SNAP recipient, have a look at the program website, where you'll find a map and a search bar to locate participating museums. I checked my state and found two participating museums right in my very own city. Visit the participant of your choice (definitely call ahead or check online for hours) and show your SNAP EBT card and a photo ID.

You can get admission for $3 or less (and some museum admissions are even free!) for up to four people just by showing one SNAP EBT card. Note that you don't pay for admission charges using the card, this is just to verify that you meet the criteria. This is an easy way to get free or reduced-cost admission to museums and keep more money in your checking account -- and it couldn't come at a better time, as life is even more expensive than usual as of late!

Other ways to save on museum visits

Here are a few more ways to save money while getting your museum fix:

• Some financial institutions cover museum admission on certain days if you're a bank account or credit card holder. Flip through your wallet and see if any company you do business with offers a program like this.
• Think local, and you may get a sweet deal on museum admission. Some museums offer reduced ticket prices to area residents to get more of them to come visit. Give your city's history, science, or art museum a call and see if there are any perks for locals to stop by. Plus, visiting a museum in your town is a lovely staycation idea for the whole family.
• Some museums partner with others nearby to offer reduced admission to all participating institutions. This is especially handy if you're visiting a city for a few days and can take advantage of the deal by visiting one museum, then a second the following day.

If you're looking for a nice day out, try Museums For All if you're a SNAP recipient, or give one of these other tips a shot to save money on your next museum excursion.