A variety of passes to local children’s museums and other area attractions are available to cardholders through the Young Minds Department at the Ives Main Library. Some are also available at our branches. 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.
Passes may be checked out for two days and are subject to $1 per day late fee. Passes that are currently checked in can be reserved via the phone (203.946.8129 for the Children’s Department, click here for contact information for all other branches) and will be held for one hour only. Passes must be returned directly to the branch they were checked out from and cannot be renewed. Only one pass may be checked out per card at one time. Passes may only be checked out on an adult card.
| 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 *NEW HAVEN RESIDENTS ONLY* |
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 *For New Haven residents only* |
| Beardsley Zoo -Available at all 5 NHFPL locations 1875 Noble Avenue, Bridgeport Admit up to six people at $5 each. |
Peabody Museum -Available at all 5 NHFPL locations 170 Whitney Avenue, New Haven Up to four free admissions |
| Mattatuck Museum -Available at Ives Main and the Mitchell Branch. 144 West Main Street, Waterbury Free admission for 4 people |
Mystic Aquarium -Available at all 5 locations Exit 90 off I-95, Mystic $5 off per person, up to four people and 10% off membership |
| Shore Line Trolley Museum -Available at Ives Main 17 River Street, East Haven Admits party of 6 at 50% discount |
New Haven Museum -Available at all 5 locations 114 Whitney Ave., New Haven Up to four free admissions |
| 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 |
Wadsworth Atheneum -Available at Ives Main and the Mitchell branch. 600 Main St., Hartford Free general museum admission for two adults (Youth 17 & under are always free!)/Buy one, get one free film admission |
| 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 |
| Connecticut’s Old State House -Available at Ives Main and the Mitchell branch. 800 Main St., Hartford Free admission for up to two adults and two children |
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 RESIDENTS ONLY* |
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 |
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| Connecticut State Capitol Tours Hartford, CT |