A limited number of museum passes are now available to “check out” daily for free admission to MOPOP, Seattle Art Museum (SAM) and the Seattle Aquarium. These are in addition to the long-standing partnerships King County Library System (KCLS) has had with Bellevue Arts Museum, KidsQuest Children’s Museum and Washington State History Museum, which were participants of the first museum pass program initiated in the region by KCLS in 2009.
“KCLS is focused on connecting people with information, services and experiences that build knowledge, skills, and create communities,” said Sean Dean, KCLS Supervising Public Service Assistant. “The free museum pass program allows individuals and families, regardless of their financial means, to connect to art, culture, history, marine science and technology, supporting KCLS’ values in diversity, equity and inclusion.
Museum passes are available for reservation to KCLS cardholders two weeks in advance. Due to the popularity of the passes, each library cardholder may register for only one museum pass per month. New passes become available at 9pm each day and may be checked out by reserving an available pass online at KCLS Museum Passes.
“Similar to the community gathering spaces and wealth of books available at King County libraries, these museums offer an engaging, insightful and introspective experience for its visitors through its art exhibitions and creative programming,” said KCLS Business Analyst Manager Lisa Fraser, who started the program at KCLS in 2009, making it the first museum pass program in the Puget Sound.
Fraser also co-authored a chapter with then KCLS colleague Rebecca Tuck, titled “Museum Passes: A Low-Cost, High-Impact Partnership” in the professional anthology, The Frugal Librarian: Thriving in Tough Economic Times. This published guide offered help for other libraries within the region and nationwide to implement museum pass programs at their own libraries.
“Much in the way that our libraries serve as community gathering spaces, these museums give our library patrons the opportunity to gain cultural enrichment, and we’re pleased to partner with them through KCLS’ museum pass program,” said Fraser.
For additional details and to “check out” museum passes, visit KCLS Museum Passes.
