museum membership?

[Basylica]

I've never paid for one...I'm still stinging over the fact growing up all the chicago ones were free/cheap and now it's 100 bucks for an adult and 2 kids to go. GRRR!

I was a big fan of the "kids zeum" as the kiddos called it when they were small. it was cheap and when it was 100+ outside something fun for us to do. they raised the prices by 3x and halved the exibits and made half of it IMAX and extra pay. GRR!

They just opened a brand spanky perot sponsered museum downtown and membership is 100 a year.

it includes 2 adults and "all" kids. I work with another single parent who makes about half of what I do, so I could easily give him the other adult membership and we could seperately take our kids (he has custody of 2, and another daughter he has on weekends)

tickets are 15 for adult and 10 for kids. so 3 visits per year and the membership is paid for by me, moreso if coworker gets benefit.

My son is going for field trip this week, and my other kiddo's 9th bday is on 26th so I was thinking maybe this might be good. Esp since summer is SO brutal and I cannot handle heat AT ALL. I get woozy and pass out and UBER cranky because I feel feverish and nauseated.

so it would be great for us to use on weekends I have the kids during the summer for sure.

But 100 bucks is spendy!

(albiet I did spent 120 bucks on circ tickets AND paid 200+ for my dad to fly down for C's 7th bday belatedly in the summer that year. he wanted to do circ for his bday and was willing to wait 6 extra months!)

Thoughts??

[micah_mae_]

I'd do it!

We're lucky that my parents got us a zoo membership and my in laws got us a kids museum membership for Christmas this year. Money is tight and if we bring our own food we just have to pay for gas. If they hadn't gotten them for us we would have bought them ourselves. :)

[Basylica]

money was super tight for me when the kids zeum was a big hit. I think it was like 8 bucks for the 3 of us (youngest was free under 3 which sticks in my mind because of the usual 2 and under deal) and I took kids err...a year ago for bday "treat" and cost like 25 bucks for the three of us and it was cruddy. nothing open, HHUUUUUGGGE shark display and tour and movie and it was like 15 extra per person to do it. WTF?

when kids were little we'd hit it at opening and just call it a day around noon when it was little guy's naptime, but I expect we'll do picnic lunches now. Or else even indulge in overpriced cafe fare (always fun for eaters and non payers!) since I do OK money wise now.

I just worry if i will make it worthwhile, but i haven't been getting kids out as much as i'd like these days, and during summer its brutal. just walking to and from the car I get lightheaded and see spots. I only just bought kids bikes last year for bdays and both can't ride still because I can't do outside above 90. sucks.

I think if realistically we go atleast 4x in the year, it'll be worthwhile....hmmm...

[crunchy_mommy]

I would do it. For the past few years we've used Christmas/birthday money to buy a membership somewhere, or were given one as a gift, and we always thoroughly enjoyed it. This is the first year we don't have a membership anywhere and I already miss it after just one month, but it's just not in the budget. We usually alternate years between the children's museum and the zoo. We used the museum one A LOT for the same reason as you, I can't handle the heat (or the cold/rain/etc. other times of year).

How much money will you spend if you don't get the membership? Will you find other fun, free things to do with the kids? Or will you end up paying for lots of outings? Will this replace all the other paid outings you are likely to do, or will it be in addition to them? And can you get reduced-price admission to this museum from your library (or AAA or some other way)? If so, does the membership still seem like a good value?

[chel]

Usually have one membership a year. Look to see if it has benefits at other museums.

We usually have extra kids over the summer and find it cheaper to do a membership than pay the individual price

Most let you credit the individual cost to a membership so you can see if it is worth a membership

[34me]

Go to the museum site and look to see what their membership organization is (sorry I'm on my phone or I would link). Then see if there is a cheaper member museum. We belong to the big one in our state and we can go to the field museum and science and technology free. Next week we will use ours in Minnesota. You don't get discounts to the special exhibits but if that's no interest to you that could be a cheaper way to go.

[LeighPF]

We do a membership a year and in theory will rotate between what ever looks good. Right now it is an art museum that is easy to get to and where we like to take our frequent out of town guests. Also right next to the big downtown full of kids stuff in the summer park.

Great use of present money, or to ask for as a present. Cost per visit usually makes it pay for it self pretty quickly.

I know several single moms who make a 'household" with another parent to split memberships.

[Basylica]

Originally Posted by LeighPF 

We do a membership a year and in theory will rotate between what ever looks good. Right now it is an art museum that is easy to get to and where we like to take our frequent out of town guests. Also right next to the big downtown full of kids stuff in the summer park.

Great use of present money, or to ask for as a present. Cost per visit usually makes it pay for it self pretty quickly.

I know several single moms who make a 'household" with another parent to split memberships.

Yep, decided to do that.

Signed up male coworker and his 3 kids plus mine. And we *finally* made a playdate thing for the kids to meetup next weekend ON my son's bday. very exciting since we don't do birthday parties...we normally just do something "fun" and cake.

I did math and if I paid for all of us to go (only way coworker could really afford it. hes very broke) it would be 80 bucks for tickets!

so one visit and its nearly paid for.

plus now he can take his kids for free seperately too. thats awesome.

[mamarhu]

I have always done memberships - zoos, museums, even an amusement park one year, etc. My kids are now teens, and we still have memberships and LOVE museums! Saves us hundreds of dollars a year.
 

[mar123]

I love zoo and museum memberships! Now that my kids are all in middle and high school, they get free Zoo and Aquarium memberships based on grades! I love it! It even allows them to go with one other person if the GPA is high enough.

Many places have reciprocal membership, so I would look into that too. We used to pay $85 a year for the Zoo and Aquarium for an entire family; so worth it.

[vtgreenie]

do they have specials,classes,events,etc? we have a place here irenew yearlyfor (7 years) its 120$ for mmy family 4 trips pays for it and with all theirextras it makes it worth  it!

[justmama]

We have had a membership to the local zoo for 2 years now paid for by my parents as my mother's day present.  It's a LOT for a mother's day present($85) but it's very sweet and we gratefully accept.  But we find it worth it.  For myself and 3 children, 3 visits would make the membership worth it.  So it's not cheap and we wouldn't get to go if we didn't have the membership.  I think one membership a year is worth it, especially if you are definitely going to use it and even better if you can get part of it paid for by a friend/family member.  Maybe it would make a great family gift for Christmas from Grandma or a joint birthday present for the kids.  

[Sharlla]

we usually get a membership somewhere every year.  last year it was the zoo, this year the discovery center