Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, our museum pass program has been put on hold. We hope to bring this very popular service back as soon as it is safe to do so! In the meantime, check out our fun activities page for some great virtual tours! The Connecticut State Parks website and the New Haven Parks, Recreation, and Trees page can also give you some ideas of activities to do in the area.
A variety of passes to local children’s museums and other area attractions are available in the Children’s Room at the Ives Main Library. Some are also available at our branches. Passes may be checked out by New Haven residents, with their adult Library Cards. Library cards must be in good standing in order to borrow a pass. You may only check out passes for two days. Passes must be returned directly to the branch they were checked out from and cannot be renewed. Passes may NOT be returned in book drops. Only one pass may be checked out per card at one time.
Each individual museum determines how many people its pass will allow, what the discount amount is, and what days and times it can be used. Click here for a printable flyer of all our passes.
| Long Wharf Theatre Available at all 5 NHFPL locations 222 Sargent Drive, New Haven Admit two for free, subject to availability at the box office, passes do not guarantee seats | Yale Repertory Theatre Available at all 5 NHFPL locations 1120 Chapel Street, New Haven Admit 2 for free, subject to availability at the box office, passes do not guarantee seats |
| Beardsley Zoo Available at all 5 NHFPL locations 1875 Noble Avenue, Bridgeport Admit up to six people at $6 each. | Peabody Museum Available at all 5 NHFPL locations 170 Whitney Avenue, New Haven Free admission (limit 4) |
| Mystic Aquarium Available at all 5 NHFPL locations Exit 90 off I-95, Mystic $4 off per person, up to four people and $15 off membership | New Haven Symphony Orchestra Available at all 5 NHFPL locations 41 Hamilton Street, New Haven Admit two for free, subject to availability at the box office, passes do not guarantee seats |
| New Haven Museum Available at all 5 locations 114 Whitney Ave., New Haven Up to four free admissions | Connecticut’s Old State House Available at Ives Main and the Mitchell 800 Main St., Hartford Free admission for up to two adults and two children |
| Discovery Museum and Planetarium Available at Ives Main 4450 Park Avenue, Bridgeport Up to 4 free child admissions with 1 paid adult admission, ASTC Travel Passport benefits at over 300 museums and science centers. | Connecticut State Parks and Forests Pass Available at Ives Main Covers the admission fee for two adults and four children at Dinosaur, Fort Trumbull and Gillette Castle State Parks. |
| Connecticut Science Center Available at all 5 locations 250 Columbus Blvd., Hartford 20% of general admission for up to four people | The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk Available at Ives Main, Mitchell, Fair Haven and Stetson branches 10 North Water St., Norwalk $2 off a combined Aquarium/IMAX ticket |
| Custom House Maritime Museum Available at Ives Main 150 Bank St., New London Two free passes |
FREE CONNECTICUT MUSEUMS
Admission is free at these locations with no pass required.
| Yale University Art Gallery New Haven, CT | Yale Center for British Art New Haven, CT |
| Leitner Family Observatory and Planetarium New Haven, CT | Knights of Columbus Museum New Haven, CT |
| Nautilus and Submarine Force Museum Groton, CT | Connecticut College Arboretum New London, CT |
| Flanders Nature Center Woodbury, CT | Davison Art Center Middletown, CT |
| White Memorial Conservation Center Litchfield, CT | Weir Farm & Burlingham House Visitor Center Wilton, CT |
| National Helicopter Museum Stratford, CT | New England Civil War Museum Vernon, CT |
| Connecticut State Museum of Natural History & Archeology Center Storrs, CT | Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry Storrs, CT |
| William Benton Museum of Art Storrs, CT | |
| Connecticut State Capitol Tours Hartford, CT |