Did you know your Tufts Library card was good for more than just access to books? Your membership gives you access to a wide array of services and memberships that might surprise you. Everything from digital media and streaming services to discounted passes to zoos and museums are included with your Tufts Library membership. Read on to discover what’s available to you.
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Get FREE and cheap museum passes from Tufts Library!
The advantages of a membership to the Tufts Library go beyond the library doors. Your Tufts Library membership provides discounts and free passes to museums across Massachusetts and throughout New England.
Boston
Boston Children’s Museum is a fun option for children of all ages. The museum includes mazes, play areas, crafts, and exhibits. Admission is normally $17, but for Tufts Library members they only charge $8.
Institute of Contemporary Art offers a wide arrange of art exhibitions, music and dance performances, film viewings, lectures, and art programs for the entire family. Admission is generally $15 per person but your Tufts Library membership provides you with passes for only $5 on select days.
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum offers the public a glance at the massive private collection of 19th century socialite Isabella Stewart Gardner. The Gardner Museum is known both for its exceptional collection of fine art as well as the being the location of the largest art heist in history. Adult admission is normally $15 but Tufts Library members are offered admission for only $5.
John F. Kennedy Library and Museum is the presidential library of America’s 35th President. It contains permanent exhibits that give the history of President Kennedy’s legacy as well as a changing selection of temporary exhibits that covers a wide variety of history and art. Admission is normally $14 for adults and $10 for children, but your Tufts Library membership offers adult passes for $3 and free admission for children.
Museum of Fine Arts is an excellent art museum in Boston that has exhibits ranging from ancient Greece to the American Revolution. Adult admission is normally $25, but with your Tufts Library membership you only pay $10.
Museum of Science is a great learning resource in Boston for adults and children alike. The Museum has a planetarium, an IMAX theatre, and permanent exhibits that include dinosaur fossils and a butterfly garden. General admission is $25 for adults and $20 for children, but with a Tufts Library membership you get access to the Museum of Science for only $10 per person.
New England Aquarium is one of the largest aquariums in the country. The aquarium has a variety of exhibits that include viewing and interacting with live sea creatures. The aquarium also provides lectures and houses an IMAX theatre. Adult admission is normally $27.95 and admission for children is $18.95. With your Tufts Library membership you’ll only pay $10 to experience this one of a kind aquarium.
Cambridge
Harvard Art Museums are actually a collection of three separate art museums on the Harvard campus: Fogg Museum, Busch-Reisinger Museum, and Arthur M. Sackler Museum. These museums house a large variety of ancient and modern art. General admission is $15 but with your Tufts Library membership admission is free.
Harvard Museum of Natural History is an interesting array of scientific discoveries made primarily by Harvard Researchers. Their exhibits include animal skeletons and photographic exhibits. Admission is $12 for adults and $8 for children, but with your Tufts Library membership you pay only $6 per person.
Dorchester
Zoo New England offers not one but two separate zoos in Dorchester. Both zoos offer a wide variety of animals, playgrounds, and science exhibits. Tickets are $19.95 for adults and $13.95 for children, but Tufts Library members only pay $9 per adult and $6 per children. Your membership is also good for a discount at gift shops and concessions.
Mystic (CT)
The Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Connecticut also provides incredible offers for library members. The aquarium is home to rare Beluga whales and African Penguins and has a steady amount of events for the entire family. Your Tufts Library card is good for a $5 discount on admission.
Plymouth
Plimoth Plantation provides a look into our own 17th century history. The Plantation houses a replica of the Mayflower as well as a replica village. Tickets are $28 for adults and $16 for children, but thanks to your Tufts Library card you will only have to pay $16 per adult and $10 per child.
Providence (RI)
The Roger Williams Park Zoo is another option for family fun. The Zoo has exhibits for amphibians, birds and reptiles along with a historic carousel park. Your Tufts Library membership gives you access to a $3 discount for up to four people.
Get FREE movies, music and more!
Tufts Library has fully embraced the digital age which means more options than ever for anyone on a budget. A Tufts Library membership gives you access to an enormous library of E-books, music, movies and audiobooks available online any time you want. Tufts Library memberships give you access to three different digital media services: OverDrive, Hoopla, and RBdigital.
OverDrive is a popular service that provides access to E-books, digital audiobooks, comic books, movies, and television episodes. OverDrive can be accessed through a web browser on your computer or even on your mobile device with the Libby app. Libby is available for iOS, Android or Windows devices. OverDrive allows you to check out up to 10 items at a time for up to 14 days. Once the 14 days are up any unreturned selections return automatically.
Hoopla is another great service that comes free with your Tufts Library membership. Hoopla grants access to a large library of e-books, digital audiobooks, music, comic books, graphic novels, movies and television. Hoopla can be viewed on a web browser or on their app. Hoopla lets you check out up to 8 items per calendar month. Movies and TV shows can be viewed for 3 days. Music albums may be borrowed for up to 7 days. All other media is available to you for up to 21 days.
RBDigital, formerly known as Zinio for Libraries, is the third digital service that comes with your Tuft Library membership. RBDigital provides you access to a large library of magazines and periodicals. Magazines can be perused on their website or through their app. There is a helpful user guide for using the app, which is available on iOS, Android or Kindle devices. There is no limit to the number of magazines you can check out and they will remain on your account until you delete them.
Free access to genealogy research!
Interested in researching your family tree but missing the room in your budget to pay for genealogy resources? You’re in luck! A Tufts Library membership comes with free access to two genealogy services: Ancestry Library Edition and HeritageQuest. These services are free to use but must be accessed from the library.
Ancestry Library Edition is billed as the world’s largest family history resource. Ancestry Library Edition gives you access to their enormous database that includes hundreds of years of records and billions of historical documents. They even include the ability to view millions of historical photos and documents. Ancestry Library Edition offers an advanced search engine that combs through over 30,000 databases that put your family history at your fingertips.
HeritageQuest is an immersive collection of American genealogical resources going back to the 1700s. HeritageQuest provides access to census data, interactive census maps, revolutionary war records, local history books and civil war era bank records.
