Museum PR Announcements News and Information

New program helps Cincinnati Museum Center serve low-income families

Museums for All program offers Children’s Museum admission for $2 per ticket to EBT card holders

CINCINNATI – Cincinnati Museum Center will soon make it easier for guests from all backgrounds to have access to the Duke Energy Children’s Museum and an impactful learning experience. Starting July 1, Cincinnati Museum Center will begin participating in Museums for All , a program that provides discounted museum admission for families presenting a food assistance (EBT) card.

Cincinnati Museum Center familiesIndividuals in the US food assistance system are issued a food assistance card as a way for state public assistance departments to issue benefits directly through the magnetically-encoded card. Individuals qualify for the food assistance program based on numerous factors, most commonly income at or near the poverty level, depending on the size of the family. A case worker is assigned to those applying for aid who then gathers all necessary information to determine the amount and type of benefits that individual is eligible for.

Starting July 1, any person presenting a current food assistance card and photo ID can purchase admission to the Duke Energy Children’s Museum for just $2 per ticket for up to 10 individuals. They will also receive free parking by presenting their card. Valid cards from all 50 U.S. states will be accepted.

That means that for just $2 per ticket, families can splash around as they explore the principles of water, try their hand at veterinary medicine complete with lab coats and X-rays and floss giant teeth as they brush up on proper oral health in the Duke Energy Children’s Museum.

“We really appreciate Cincinnati Museum Center offering our consumers the opportunity to experience something that might otherwise be a little out of their reach,” said Moira Weir, director of Hamilton County Job and Family Services. “This is a win-win because that exposure will no doubt create a lifelong passion in some that will result in visiting the Museum Center long after they have worked their way off of food assistance and into higher incomes.”

In the past, Cincinnati Museum Center has reached low income families through Free Fridays, one Friday each month from June through October when museum admission was free to all guests from 4 to 8 p.m. Museums for All will help Cincinnati Museum Center reach a larger number of low-income families more effectively by offering greatly reduced admission during the entirety of museum operating hours 363 days a year.

“Families of all income levels should have the opportunity to enjoy the finest assets Cincinnati has to offer, and Cincinnati Museum Center is an amazing learning center for children,” said Hamilton County Commissioner Dennis Deters. “The restoration of Union Terminal, which has been supported by taxpayers Countywide, will only add to the experience at Cincinnati Museum Center, and I’m glad to see a unique partnership that will expand the Museum Center’s reach to more families across Hamilton County.”

“Every family, regardless of income, should have access to high-quality, transformative learning experiences that only museums can offer,” said Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune. “I’m excited to see that more Hamilton County families will benefit from all that Cincinnati Museum Center has to offer and that their children’s future will be brighter because of the opportunities it has to offer.”

Museums for All is a cooperative initiative between the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM) to offer signature access to children’s museums to people of all backgrounds, regardless of income. Museums for All helps museums reach their entire communities and, by greatly reducing or eliminating the cost of admission, removes the social and academic barrier children face when they are not exposed to high quality museum experiences.

“Visiting museums is such an important experience for children because it fosters intellectual curiosity and inspires children to pursue knowledge. It is the place where learning steps out of the classroom and comes alive in vibrant ways that captivate the mind,” says Elizabeth Pierce, president and CEO of Cincinnati Museum Center. “Museums for All helps us make those museum experiences a reality for children and families who otherwise may not have the financial flexibility to do so.”

Museums for All is made possible through the generosity of Rosemary and Frank Bloom. Special thanks to sponsor Procter & Gamble.

For more information on the Duke Energy Children’s Museum visit www.cincymuseum.org/childrensmuseum