Have you heard about the Culture Pass?

Summer is here and with it are three digit temperatures. Kids are just about out of school, the economy is not at its best. What is a family to do to have some fun, get out of the heat and not spend a bucket load of money?

Well, here is a GREAT idea! As of April 1st of this year and running through April 1st, 2010, you can get a group of 4 into several local venues for FREE. Yup…FREE! How does this work? Using what is called a Culture Pass anyone with a Library card in Scottsdale , Phoenix , Chandler , Mesa , Tempe and Glendale can go to their local library and ask to check out a pass for the particular place you would like to go. Each Library has been given 5 passes to each venue. You walk in, pick up the pass, take it to the check out desk and bada-BING! You are given a pass that is good for a one time admission for 4 which expires in 7 days. Nothing to bring back, even! How cool is that?!!

Here’s a tip. These babies are pretty popular and the place you may want to get passes for may be checked out. You cannot put passes on hold, however you can go online to the Library’s website and look at the availability and status of the Culture pass you would like to check out. The websites list the days the pass becomes available again. I wanted to take my kids to the Children’s Museum last week. I went onto the Phoenix City Library’s website, found out the date the pass was going back to “Available” status and was at the library when it opened. It’s worth a little advance planning to get what you want!

Here is a list of the available venues:
AZ Museum for Youth
AZ Museum of Natural History
AZ Science Center
The Bead Museum
Cave Creek Museum
Children’s Museum of Phoenix
Desert Botanical Garden
Heard Museum
Mesa Contemporary Arts
Phoenix Art Museum
Phoenix Zoo
Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Taliesin West

I just think this is the best thing to happen in Phoenix in a long time! I am looking forward to taking my kids to several of these venues during the summer. Fun, interesting places that are free and air conditioned? I am so there!

Check out more info about the culture pass here: http://www.showup.com/culturepass
Happy Summer!