In addition to the straightforward Washington State homeschool law, families who are homeschooling in the Puget Sound area are able to enjoy free museum admission to several area museums each month. Planning these visits to coincide with learning goals in the homeschool curriculum can make museums a fantastic free homeschool resource.
Art Museums in Seattle
The Seattle Art Museum (SAM) is free on the first Thursday of each month. Their free day admissions include some special exhibits, but not all of their offerings. For more information about what areas are accessible with a free admission pass, see the website or call the museum front desk. The Frye Art Museum is always free, but they accept donations. The Wing Luke Asian Museum is free on the First Thursday and Third Saturday of each month. The Experience Music Project offers free admission from 5-8pm on the first Thursday of every month.
Art Museums in Tacoma
Tacoma's Museum of Glass is free on the third Thursday of each month from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. The Tacoma Art Museum is also free on the third Thursday, with free admission from 10:00 a.m. 8:00 p.m.
Free Tacoma Museum Passes
Another way to get into Tacoma museums for free is to borrow an Art Access Pass from the Pierce County Library. A library card is an important part of the homeschool curriculum for many families. With a library card, you can check out this pass to get up to 4 people into the Tacoma Art Museum for free. These passes are good for people over the age of five, since children under five are generally admitted free of charge anyways. The Pierce County Libraries also offer a Play Pass, that allows library users to access the Tacoma Children's museum. The requirements for accessing and using these passes are available at the any branch of the Pierce County Library system.
Seattle and Tacoma Children's Museums
Children's museums in Seattle, Tacoma, and the surrounding areas also offer free admission days. The Seattle Children's Museum doesn't list any free days on its website, but there is a fantastic informative parent's section regarding the importance of play for a child's intellectual development.
The Children's Museum of Tacoma offers free admission on the first Friday of every month. KidsQuest in Bellevue offers free admission Fridays from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. The Kids Discovery Museum on Bainbridge Island offers free admission on the first Thursday of each month.
Tacoma and Seattle Science Museums
The Pacific Science Center does not offer free days, but memberships cost just a little more than a day's admission and come with IMAX theater tickets, guest passes, discounts at museum stores and more. The Museum of Flight in Seattle offers free admission, complements of Wells Fargo on the first Thursday of each month from 5:00 p.m. To 9:00 p.m.
History Museums in Seattle and Tacoma
The Shoreline Historical Museum offers “Hands-On Days” on the fourth Saturday of every month. Children and families can drop in on from 11:00 a.m. To 3:00 p.m. and create monthly themed projects at no charge. They get to bring home their projects and there's no charge for participation. In Seattle, the Museum of History and Industry and the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture offer free passes for admission the first Thursday of every month. In Tacoma, the Washington Museum of History offers free admission every Thursday evening.
For a homeschooling family, keeping track of museum free days can save a bundle on your field trip budget. Explore the membership levels and prices, because sometimes a day spent paying full price at the museum costs as much or very near to the membership price for the entire year. Members also often get free magazine and newsletter subscriptions, special discounts and admission to private functions and exhibit openings. Local museums can be an important part of the homeschool curriculum. Families in the Puget Sound area are lucky to have access to so many museums.
Mid-Week Tacoma Museum Discounts
The three larger museums in Tacoma have created a pass called Mid-Week at the Museums. These passes are good for Wednesdays only and allow visitors to enjoy the Tacoma Art Museum, the Museum of Glass and the Washington State History Museum for one price, which is lower than paying for each ticket individually. Each of these museums has information about the Mid-Week pass on their website.
Resources
SainT MAMA; Seattle and Tacoma Museums Admissions and Membership Analysis
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