I have spent years collecting every discount, coupon, and insider deal for Triangle family attractions. This is the comprehensive guide I wish someone had handed me when we moved here.NC Museum of Natural Sciences (Raleigh) — always free
NC Museum of History (Raleigh) — always free
NC Museum of Art permanent collection (Raleigh) — always free
Ackland Art Museum (Chapel Hill) — always free
Bennett Place (Durham) — always free
Historic Stagville (Durham) — always free
Duke Gardens (Durham) — always free Marbles Kids Museum — Free First Friday, 5-9pm
Kidzu Children's Museum — Free First Sunday, all day
Nasher Museum of Art — Free every Thursday
Durham Museum of Life and Science — Periodic community free days (follow their social media) Marbles Kids Museum passes
Various rotating museum and attraction passes
State park passes Durham Museum of Life and Science passes (saves $60+ for a family of 4)
Other rotating passes — check the library website quarterly Single visit for family of 4: $66
Break-even: 3 visits
Bonus: ASTC reciprocal gets you into 350+ science museums nationwide
Verdict: Best membership value in the Triangle if you will visit 3+ times Single visit for family of 4: $40
Break-even: 4 visits
Bonus: ACM reciprocal membership for other children's museums
Verdict: Worth it for families with kids under 10 who visit quarterly Single visit for family of 4: $60
Break-even: 2 visits
Verdict: Absolutely worth it if you go twice a year Marbles Kids Museum — $3 with EBT
Durham Museum of Life and Science — $3 with EBT
Check individual museums for current participation Various Triangle attractions
Hotels and restaurants
Check your AAA app for current Triangle deals NC Museum of Natural Sciences — always free anyway
Various attractions offer educator appreciation events Frankie's Fun Park discounted passes
Bowling alley deals
Trampoline park discounts
Restaurant deals
Search "Raleigh family" on Groupon regularly.Carolina Mudcats games
Theater performances
Special events
Check goldstar.com for current Triangle listings.Restaurant BOGO deals
Attraction discounts
Activity coupons townofcary.org/events
raleighnc.gov/parks
dprplaymore.org (Durham)
townofchapelhill.org/events Life and Science occasionally posts discount codes
Marbles announces special deals on social media
NC Zoo shares promotional pricing on Facebook Library summer reading program often includes free attraction passes as prizes
Many attractions offer early-bird membership renewal discounts
Free outdoor alternatives are plentiful — reduce your paid attraction budget Back-to-school promotional pricing at many attractions
Festival season means free entertainment options everywhere
Membership gift purchases for holidays often come with bonus months Holiday gift memberships sometimes include December bonus
January is historically the cheapest month for attraction visits
Indoor play places run January promotions to boost slow-season traffic Spring break packages at various attractions
Easter promotional events with discounted or free admission
End-of-school celebration deals [Free Museum Days and Discount Passes in the Triangle](/guides/free-museum-days-discount-passes-triangle)
[100 Free Things to Do with Kids in the Triangle](/guides/100-free-things-to-do-with-kids-in-the-triangle)
[How to Do a Fun Family Day for Under $10 in the Triangle](/guides/fun-family-day-under-10-triangle)
[Best Consignment Sales and Kids' Resale Shops in the Triangle](/guides/consignment-sales-kids-resale-shops-triangle)
[Where to Host a Kids' Birthday Party Under $200 in the Triangle](/guides/kids-birthday-party-under-200-triangle)
Free Days and Free Admission Strategies
Always-Free Attractions
Never pay for these:Rotating Free Days
Library Pass Programs
Wake County Library Museum Passes
Free with your Wake County library card. Check the online catalog and place holds:Durham County Library Museum Passes
Free with your Durham County library card:Pro tip: Check for pass availability on Monday mornings. Return passes promptly so other families can use them.
Membership Math: Best Values
Memberships That Pay for Themselves Fast
Durham Museum of Life and Science ($155/family)
Marbles Kids Museum ($125/family)
NC Zoo ($95/family)
Reciprocal Membership Networks
One membership can unlock dozens of free visits:ASTC (Association of Science and Technology Centers) A Life and Science membership gets you free or discounted admission at 350+ science centers. The catch: ASTC passport requires you to be 90+ miles from the home museum for free entry. But this means free admission to science museums when you travel.
ACM (Association of Children's Museums) A Marbles membership may get you reciprocal access at children's museums in other cities.
AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) NC Zoo membership may provide reciprocal discounts at other AZA zoos and aquariums.
Discount Programs
Bank of America Museums on Us
First full weekend of every month, Bank of America and Merrill Lynch cardholders get free admission to participating museums. The Triangle's free museums already participate, but this is valuable when traveling.Blue Star Museums
Active military families get free admission to hundreds of museums from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Triangle participating museums include several that normally charge admission.EBT/SNAP Discounts
Museums for All program offers $3/person admission (or free) for EBT cardholders:AAA Discounts
AAA members often get 10-20% off at:Teacher Discounts
Many Triangle attractions offer teacher discounts or free admission with a school ID:Coupon Sources
Groupon
Regularly features Triangle family deals:Goldstar
Discounted tickets to Triangle shows and events:Entertainment.com / Savings.com
Digital coupon books with Triangle family discounts. Some include:Triangle Town Websites
Most Triangle towns post free and discounted event listings:Social Media Flash Sales
Follow Triangle attractions on social media for flash sales:Seasonal Discount Strategies
Summer
Fall
Winter
Spring
Putting It All Together
My Annual Family Budget Strategy
1.
Buy one membership — Life and Science ($155/year for unlimited visits + ASTC reciprocal)
2.
Use library passes — for other museums (free)
3.
Hit free days — Marbles First Friday, Kidzu First Sunday, Nasher Thursdays
4.
5. Watch Groupon for occasional splurge activities at 40-60% off
Attend free festivals — SPARKcon, Lazy Daze, BugFest, Wide Open Bluegrass
6.
Stack free activities — museums + parks + greenways for full free days
Annual savings compared to paying full price for everything: easily $500-1000 for an active family.
The Triangle is one of the most generous regions in the country for free and discounted family activities. You just need to know the system, and now you do.
More Guides You'll Love
Mom Tip
Got a tip about this topic? We're building a community of Triangle moms who share their insider knowledge. Stay tuned.
couponsdiscountsbudgetsavingsraleighdurhamcaryfamily attractionsmembershipsfree