Are you a member of a Milwaukee museum? You're entitled to admission deals at other museums, too
If you have a membership at a local museum, you probably know you receive free admission for the year, and — depending on your membership level — that free admission applies to family members or guests as well.
Memberships also often include additional benefits, such as free parking and discounts on food and gift shop purchases. Another perk is free or reduced admission to hundreds of participating museums across the country. That benefit is known as reciprocity.
Museum reciprocity has a lot of exclusions
Some museums have exclusions to reciprocity deals, however: some require membership cards and IDs, most limit the number of people that can receive discounts and deals, and most require the person who holds the membership to be part of the group. Also, participating museums and their rules sometimes change. For all these reasons, museums recommend reading the online rules, as well as calling ahead to the museum you plan on visiting in order to make sure you will receive reciprocity.
A major exclusion is that, for some organizations, museums within 90 miles of the member museum or the member's residence are not included in reciprocity deals.
According to the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC), "Restrictions based on residency were introduced in 2006 to close the following loophole: People discovered that they could search online for the ASTC member museum that offered the cheapest membership with Travel Passport benefits, then join that museum and visit their local institutions for free."
Here's what to know about Milwaukee Public Museum membership reciprocity
In addition to free admission to the Milwaukee Public Museum, a membership also entitles members to free admission to more than 300 museums that are part of the ASTC Travel Passport Program.
Some examples of participating museums according to the most recent ASTC travel passport list are:
Minnesota Children's Museum in St. Paul, Minnesota
The 90-mile reciprocity exclusion applies, so MPM membership rules note that Discovery World, Betty Brinn Children's Museum, the Atlas Science Center in Appleton and the Oshkosh Public Museum are not included in reciprocity deals. Reciprocity at the Madison Children's Museum is only available for the Milwaukee Public Museum family membership level ($135) or above. And Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry and the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum offer 50% discounts rather than free admission.
People with Milwaukee Public Museum Sustainer or Donor level memberships ($225 and above) receive free general admission for two people to nearly 300 additional museums through the Reciprocal Organization of Associated Museums (ROAM) program (these museums cannot be within 25 miles of the public museum).
Some examples of participating museums according to the most recent ROAM program list are:
Door County Maritime Museum in Sturgeon Bay
Here's what to know about Milwaukee Art Museum membership reciprocity
Through the ROAM program and the Museum Alliance Reciprocal program, Milwaukee Art Museum members at the art advocate level ($250) receive free admission for two adults to more than 500 museums that are not within 25 miles of the art museum. Additionally, benefits at participating museums often include discounts at museum stores and restaurants.
Some examples of participating museums according to the most recent ROAM program list are:
Minnesota Museum of American Art in St. Paul, Minnesota
University of Michigan Museum of Art in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Indy Art Center in Indianapolis
Donor level ($500) members and above receive reciprocal benefits from all museums offered to the art advocate level of membership, plus more than 1,000 additional museums through the North American Reciprocal Museum Association. NARM reciprocity benefits do not apply to museums within a 15-mile radius of the residence museum.
Some examples of participating museums according to the most recent NARM reciprocity list include:
Here's what to know about Milwaukee Zoo Pass reciprocity
If you have a Milwaukee Zoological Society Zoo Pass or are a Platypus Circle member, you get free or discounted admission to more than 150 zoos and aquariums that are part of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums. Most of the destinations on the list offer free admission or 50% discounts to two adults and two children.
Some examples of participating zoos according to the most recent AZA reciprocity list include:
Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley, Minnesota
Zoos considered in close proximity to the Milwaukee County Zoo do not receive reciprocity deals; that list includes Madison's Henry Vilas Zoo (which already has free admission), Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo, Green Bay's NEW Zoo and the Racine Zoo.
Here's what to know about Discovery World membership reciprocity
Discovery World members receive free or discounted general admission to more than 300 science centers and museums through the ASTC travel passport program.
Some examples of participating museums according to the most recent ASTC travel passport list include:
Science Museum of Minnesota in St. Paul, Minnesota
Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis
Discovery World notes that museums within 90 miles of either Discovery World or the member's home residence do not qualify for reciprocity. This includes both the Milwaukee Public Museum and Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry.
But through a separate agreement, Discovery World members receive 50% off general admission for up to two adults and four children at the Museum of Science and Industry.
Here's what to know about Betty Brinn Children's Museum membership reciprocity
Through the Association of Children's Museums Reciprocal Network, Betty Brinn Family+ members ($175) and Play Maker members ($250) receive 50% off general admission for up to six people at more than 200 participating museums.
Some examples of participating museums according to the most recent Association of Children's Museums Reciprocal Network list include:
Minnesota Children's Museum in St. Paul, Minnesota
Here's what to know about Mitchell Park Domes membership reciprocity
Friends of the Domes members receive free or discounted admission to more than 360 American Horticultural Society gardens, although some of them restrict benefits for conservatories within 90 miles.
Some examples of participating gardens according to the most recent American Historical Society reciprocity list include:
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska, Minnesota
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee museums with membership reciprocity deals
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