Like many families, you probably have a garden, zoo, or museum membership. Guess what? Many of these places have reciprocal agreements with other attractions, saving you lots of money on the go.
Zoos & Aquariums
Many zoos and aquariums have reciprocal agreements with other Association of Zoos and Aquariam (AZA) members. Discounts typically are 50% and cover only general admission. The current list of participating members and contacts can be found here. It is not the easiest to use, but generally red 50% means a 50% reduction on general admission, the blue 100% or 50% depends on the destination zoo's reciprocal agreement. Green attractions are free to the general public, but may offer other benefits. Some sites handle all ticketing online so you will need to contact the zoo or aquarium before arriving. Be sure to take your membership card with you.
Reciprocity agreements run on a calendar basis beginning in March, but it is updated occassionally throughout the year. There is a "proximity exclusion" option for zoos or aquariums, but there isn't a standard distance. If another property is close to your home zoo, confirm that the two attractions don't exclude one another.
Science Museums
The Association of Science and Technology Centers has reciprocal agreements called Passport. Benefits that are updated quarterly so be sure to check close to your trip for participating members here. Free admission is available for members and their families with a valid ID. The name on the membership must match the ID. Also note that family size varies by site and is listed on the participating members download.
There is a 90 mile exclusion not only from your home museum, but also your residence - you'll need an ID with your address to confirm. Note that this distance is measured by the distance as the crow flies. To do this, find the two museums on Google maps. Make sure your save them.
Now, pick one, right-click on the destination, and select Measure Distance. You will then need to find the other location (your home or home museum) on the map. Click on it and a measurement pops up.
The example for the Perot and the Mayborn are just under 90 miles as the crow flies, but 96 miles by the road. For something this close, it is worth asking the attraction if reciprocity is avaiable.
Botanical Gardens
The American Horticultural Society manages the group of reciprocal gardens in Canada and the US. A membership to the AHS or membership at a garden participating in their Reciprocal Agreement Program both provide benefits.
Their website is the most user friendly with an interactive list by state. Select a state or territory and a pop-up open with all the including gardens, general information, and benefits. Note: If neither Free Admission nor Free Parking appear in the garden’s description, this garden likely doesn't charge.The Reciprocal Agreement Program is continuously updated so what you see is what is current on that day.
There is a 90-mile exclusion area with some exceptions. Benefits are only for regular entrance hours unless otherwise stated. For example, Fort Worth Botanical Gardens offers reciprocity to the Dallas Arboretum members despite being only 40 miles away, but not vice versa.
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