Oh the Places You'll Go!

Natural history museum with blue whale skeleton (Pixabay)

When my daughter was little, we visited aquariums, big and small museums, science centers, historical places, zoos and farms, art galleries, children's museums, attractions, and more. We used museum passes from our local library to try new experiences, and purchased memberships of favorite places, especially ones that included special perks (like discounted parking at New England Aquarium) or reciprocal and affiliate programs. We still do.

It pays to shop around when buying an annual membership. As a mid-level member, you pay a higher annual price, but get so much more in return.* For example, in Massachusetts:

EcoTarium's You & Me dual membership ($150) includes free or reduced admission to 350+ ASTC locations; 50% off general admission at 200 ACM children’s museums; and free admission to 1,000+ NARM museums, botanical gardens, and zoos.

Historic New England's Contributor membership ($148) includes unlimited free tour admission to all 38 HNE sites for three adults plus the primary members' children or grandchildren under age 18, and reciprocal admission to 1,400+ NARM museums and cultural sites.

Old Colony History Museum's Supporter membership ($100) includes free admission for up to four adults to the museum and library and two member cards with NARM benefits.

Peabody Essex Museum's Sponsor membership ($300) includes unlimited free admission for two and reciprocal admission to 1,500+ NARM and CAMM sites.

Worcester Art Museum's Level 3 membership for two members ($125) includes free admission to the museum and all exhibits, free tickets to programs and events, and reciprocal membership at 1,400+ museums through NARM, MARP, and ROAM programs.

Zoo New England's Dual membership ($100) includes free or reduced admission to 140+ other zoos nationwide.

* Benefits also may include discounts for food, shops, events and special programs, guest tickets, parking, priority entry, and more. 

So what do those acronyms mean? 

ACM: Association of Children’s Museums (look for a red R button for ACM Reciprocal Network): https://findachildrensmuseum.org/

AHS: American Horticultural Society: https://ahsgardening.org/ahs-garden-network/

America the Beautiful—the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass: https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm

ANCA: Association of Nature Center: https://natctr.org/membership/reciprocal-program

ASTC: Association of Science and Technology Centers: Passport Program: https://www.astc.org/membership/find-an-astc-member/passport/

AZA: Association of Zoos and Aquariums: https://www.aza.org/reciprocity/

CAMM: Council of American Maritime Museums: https://councilofamericanmaritimemuseums.org/membership/reciprocal-admissions/ 

MARP: Museum Alliance Reciprocal Program: https://sites.google.com/view/marplist/list-by-state 

Museums for All: an initiative of the Institute of Museum and Library Services for free or reduced admission to more than 1,600 museums throughout the United States simply by presenting your EBT card and a photo ID https://museums4all.org/

NARM: North American Reciprocal Museum Association: 1,400+ art museums and galleries, historical museums and societies, botanical gardens, children’s museums, zoos, and more https://narmassociation.org/ 

ROAM: Reciprocal Organization of Associated Museums: 500+ institutions: https://sites.google.com/site/roammuseums/home/reciprocal-benefits-and-guidelines?authuser=0 

Smithsonian Affiliations: https://affiliations.si.edu/affiliate-directory/ 

Smithsonian Institution: https://www.si.edu/ 17 free museums and the National Zoo in Washington, DC

Other tips

Check with your town or city to learn about free admissions or special pricing for locals. For example, people who live or work in Salem, Massachusetts, receive free admission to the Peabody Essex Museum. Boston has free residents' days at local institutions. And whenever you travel, check for free and discounted pricing at the welcome center or city website.

Your local library may offer free or discounted passes for library cardholders.

AAA and AARP memberships offer discounts to museums, zoos, attractions, events, and travel.

Book review: The Royal Palaces: Secrets and Scandals

With its beautiful watercolors, The Royal Palaces is the perfect keepsake for the places you’ve visited in Britain or ones that you wish to. But it’s more than that. Kate Williams is an expert on the British monarchy and she’s filled the pages with fascinating details—beyond when and which royals lived at each location, when it was built and in which architectural style, who made renovations, and if it’s still in use or in ruins and why.

For example, Windsor Castle was first built by William the Conqueror of 1066 fame and today is the oldest inhabited castle in the world. Henry VIII and his favorite bride Jane Seymour are buried there, but without all the pomp that he had planned. Windsor also was a favorite of Queen Victoria, even though she almost met her demise there eight times!

With brother Edward VI on the throne, young Elizabeth lived with her father Henry VIII’s widow Katherine Parr until improprieties forced her to leave. She was at Hatfield House when she found out sister Mary had died and she had become queen.

At Lochleven Castle, Mary Queen of Scots was forced to abdicate her crown, shortly after a traumatic miscarriage of twins fathered by a man she’d been coerced into marrying. Yet George I and his son George II blithefully kept their mistresses and illegitimate offspring at St. James Palace while on the throne. And, not surprisingly, there’s at least one secret passage from one royal residence to another.

Amid the opulence or decay of these 30 royal homes, you’ll learn of intriguing stories that will bring history to life.

rating: ★★★★

The Royal Palaces: Secrets and Scandals
by Kate Williams
Quarto Publishing Group