NEW YORK, NY.- Brooklyn Public Library, the New York Public Library, and Queens Public Library announced that their joint initiative Culture Pass – a citywide library program providing free access to library cardholders to cultural institutions across the five boroughs – has resumed service at select participating institutions, with limited capacity. Created in 2018, Culture Pass has provided nearly 110,000 free passes to museums, gardens, historical societies, performance venues, and other cultural institutions. As institutions across New York City reopen to the public, the City’s tri-library system is providing library patrons select opportunities to visit New York City’s unparalleled arts and culture organizations which have reopened with updated safety protocols in place, free of charge.

Through Culture Pass, participating cultural institutions provide day-passes for library cardholders to reserve online and then present the printed or digital pass to gain free admission to a specified organization. As of November 1, 25 participating organizations including the Alice Austen House Museum, Brooklyn Museum, Kingland Homestead, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and New York Botanical Garden are offering in-person passes. Additional museums will offer passes on a rolling basis, as they re-open and are able to begin taking passes again. The list of Culture Pass institutional partners currently offering passes follow below.

Institutions offering Culture Passes as of November 1, 2020:




Alice Austen House Museum • American Museum of Natural History • Asia Society Museum • Brooklyn Museum • The Drawing Center • Dyckman Farmhouse Museum • Fraunces Tavern Museum • International Studio & Curatorial Program • The Jewish Museum • King Manor Museum • Kingsland Homestead • The Metropolitan Museum of Art • Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) • MoMA PS1 • Morris-Jumel Mansion • Museum of Arts and Design • Museum of the City of New York • National Lighthouse Museum • New Museum • New York Botanical Garden • The Noble Maritime Collection • The Noguchi Museum • Poster House • The Rubin Museum of Art • SculptureCenter

In accordance with guidelines from the State of New York, museums have limited capacity to 25%. The libraries are continuing to work with Culture Pass partners to ensure that they can continue serving library cardholders. Passes will be released on the first of each month for all available dates that month, with a limited number of passes per week at each participating location. Patrons reserving passes must read the details for each offer as most passes will not be valid for check-in unless the pass holder makes a timed-entry reservation for the specific venue the wish to attend on its website in advance. Culture Passes must be shown when checking in, either in print or digital form.

“Culture Pass makes the world-class cultural institutions on our doorstep accessible to all, and we are thrilled to resume this service for library cardholders safely and free of charge,” said Brendan Crain, NYC Culture Pass Project Manager. “Following our successful season of virtual programming earlier this year, we are excited to create more opportunities for patrons to be inspired by a work of art, the natural environment, and the vibrant history of the five boroughs.”

Through November 21, Culture Pass is also rebroadcasting online arts and cultural programs from New York City’s most distinguished cultural institutions free of charge to people everywhere. Audiences of all ages are invited to enjoy a musical performance from the comfort of their homes; participate in an art-making activity with the whole family; go on a digital tour of a leading museum, and more. The programs, offered in languages including Bengali, Mandarin, and Spanish can be accessed at culturepass.nyc/virtual-programs.