Access Programs

From its earliest years, Boston Children’s Museum was committed to welcoming all children to explore, play and learn, regardless of their economic circumstances. This tradition, of “access for all” has persisted to this day, 112 years later, and has been upheld by each of the Museum’s eight Presidents.

Over the years, access the Museum’s free and discounted, or “access” programs have included teacher and military discounts, access for foster-care families, and the much beloved $1 Friday night program (now $1 Sundays), which has been offered at the Museum every week for over half a century!

But in 2012, the Museum faced a challenge. It had to raise prices for the first time in many years and Carole and her team were concerned that families were still grappling with the aftermath of the Great Recession in 2007-2009. They wanted to ensure that those most in need of the Museum’s rich educational experiences could afford to visit. Ever a champion for children and families, Boston Children’s Museum created the first reduced admission program for EBT cardholders in the region. This program, the EBT Discount, was so popular that the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the Department of Transitional Assistance, along with other state, federal, and corporate partners joined forces to urge all Massachusetts museums, parks, zoos, and historic houses to participate in the program. They called in the Card to Culture program, which is now offered in 450 cultural institutions across the state. Over time, the Institute for Museum and Library Services in Washington DC modeled its own program after the Massachusetts program, naming it Museums for All.

For Boston Children’s Museum, the EBT Discount Program was a major step forward in removing barriers to attendance, but the Museum wanted to do more. The staff realized that these access programs did not adequately serve children with disabilities and challenging medical disorders. So, they created a new program, Morningstar Access, through which families could enjoy the Museum before the doors opened to the general public. That made it possible for families to visit who needed a sparsely populated Museum that had just been meticulously cleaned in order for their children to play safely. Even before the Americans with Disabilities Act, passed in 1990, staff had conducted various programs that were attentive to the different needs of visitors and now Morningstar has continued that tradition for the past ten years.

The EBT Discount, $1 Sunday program, Morningstar and other access programs are critical to the Museum’s mission of serving all children. We are proud that under Carole’s leadership, our access programs have expanded, ensuring that more children can enjoy the Museum’s joyful learning experiences.