Columbus Metropolitan Library customers can borrow passes like they would with a book using their library card. The one-time pass, must be checked out in person (you can check availability online), grants customers with free access to places that charge admission fees like the Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus Zoo, Franklin Park Conservatory, National Veterans Memorial and Museum, Ohio History Center, and Wexner Center for the Arts saving customers $12-$20 per person. One pass allows for 2 adults and 6 children at the Zoo.

Current participating cultural organizations:

Columbus Museum of Art: Passes available at all 23 CML locations
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium: Passes available at CML’s Main Library and Barnett, Driving Park, Franklinton, Hilltop, Karl Road, Linden, Marion-Franklin, Martin Luther King, Northern Lights, Northside, Parsons, Shepard and Whitehall branches
Franklin Park Conservatory: Passes available at CML’s Driving Park, Martin Luther King and Shepard branches
National Veterans Memorial and Museum: Passes available at CML’s Main Library and Barnett, Franklinton, Martin Luther King and Parsons branches
Ohio History Center: Passes available at CML’s Karl Road, Linden, Northern Lights and Northside branches
Pizzuti Collection of the Columbus Museum of Art: Passes available at all 23 CML locations
Wexner Center for the Arts: Passes available at all 23 CML locations

The Culture Pass program offers each participating institution the opportunity to select which specific CML locations will offer their passes based on the neighborhoods and communities associated with their outreach, diversity and inclusion goals. Therefore, Culture Passes are only available for in-person customer checkout at the specific CML locations listed above. Culture Passes cannot be reserved like traditional library items, however customers can check their availability at columbuslibrary.org by typing “Culture Pass” into the catalog search bar.

Each participating organization offers their passes to CML and its customers for free. CML does not purchase passes as it does with traditional library materials. Each organization sets its own rules for how many individuals are covered under its passes and on which days the passes will be honored. Partner organizations also set the number of passes allotted to each designated CML location. Many of the participating organizations remain closed – or open in a limited capacity – due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, customers who check out a Culture Pass are advised to call the organization ahead of their visit for hours and rules, or to redeem their pass for a timed ticket. Information provided from columbuslibrary.org