Any library card holder in New York City aged 13 or older can reserve free admission to more than 100 museums, gardens and historical sites through Culture Pass, a program run jointly by Brooklyn Public Library, the New York Public Library and Queens Public Library. Reservations open a month at a time and are capped at four active bookings per cardholder, according to the program's official site, culturepass.nyc.
Culture Pass began in 2018 as an extension of the three library systems' existing mission of free public access, according to the New York Public Library. Since then it has grown from roughly 30 participating venues to more than 100, per culturepass.nyc, spanning museums, historical societies, heritage centers and public gardens across the five boroughs.
Who is eligible for Culture Pass?
Culture Pass is open to cardholding patrons age 13 and older of Brooklyn Public Library, the New York Public Library or Queens Public Library, according to culturepass.nyc. A library card itself is free to obtain for New York State residents, and for those who work or attend school in New York City, the New York Public Library notes.
Not every card qualifies automatically. Online-only library cards, including those beginning with the numbers 25555 or 23333999, are not eligible for Culture Pass, according to the New York Public Library's account services guidance. Patrons who registered online must visit a branch in person with photo identification and proof of a current New York State address to upgrade to a card that can be used for reservations.
How many passes can one cardholder reserve?
A cardholder may reserve one pass per participating institution per calendar year, and may hold up to four active reservations at any given time, according to culturepass.nyc. Reservations for a given month become available on the first day of the preceding month, meaning passes are released roughly four weeks ahead of a planned visit.
Each pass, once booked, is tied to a specific date and institution. The New York Public Library has described individual passes as covering either two or four people depending on the venue, though cardholders should confirm current group sizes on the reservation page for the institution they plan to visit, since that detail can vary and change over time.
Which museums and institutions participate?
The program's official site lists more than 100 participating cultural institutions, though the specific roster changes over time and should be checked directly on culturepass.nyc before booking. The New York Public Library has previously cited the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the American Museum of Natural History, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and the Guggenheim Museum among the venues that have taken part.
Participating venues span all five boroughs and include historical societies and heritage centers in addition to art museums, reflecting the program's origin as a joint initiative of New York's three public library systems rather than a single cultural institution. The New York Public Library's service area covers the Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island, while Brooklyn Public Library and Queens Public Library each serve their respective boroughs.
How does a cardholder make a reservation?
Reservations are made directly through culturepass.nyc. A patron selects their library system, logs in with their library card number and PIN, then browses available passes by institution or date before confirming a booking. The pass must be printed or downloaded before the visit and presented along with identification at the participating institution.
Cancellations are only possible before a pass has been printed or downloaded; once that step is taken, culturepass.nyc states the reservation cannot be canceled. The site asks patrons who know they will not use a booked pass to cancel with as much advance notice as possible, ideally at least three days, so the slot can be released to another visitor.
What happens if a reserved pass goes unused?
A cardholder who reserves a pass but does not use it will not be able to book that same institution again until the next calendar year, according to culturepass.nyc. The policy applies per institution, so a missed reservation at one museum does not affect a patron's ability to book a pass elsewhere.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions below reflect current policy stated on culturepass.nyc as of August 2026; cardholders should confirm details on the site before booking, since terms can change.
For a related guides perspective, read New York's major art museums offer several routes around full-price admission.