Triangle museums are incredible, but admission can add up fast with a family. The good news is there are so many ways to visit for free or at deep discounts that you should almost never pay full price. Here is everything I know.Free First Friday — 5-9pm on the first Friday of each month. This is the real deal — full museum access, completely free.
Target Free Family Night — Periodic special free nights sponsored by Target. Check their events calendar. Free First Sunday — All day on the first Sunday of each month. Very popular — arrive early. Free Every Thursday — Free admission for everyone on Thursdays.
Kids under 16 are always free regardless of day. Community Free Days — Several times per year, the museum offers free admission. Follow their social media for announcements.
Durham County Library Passes — Free passes available for checkout at Durham County Library branches. Free Admission for NC Residents on select promotional days (usually one weekend in spring or fall). Follow their social media for announcements. Marbles Kids Museum — Free family pass
NC Museum of Art special exhibitions — Discounted or free passes
Various traveling exhibitions — Passes rotate, check the Wake County Library website Durham Museum of Life and Science — Free family pass (HUGE savings)
Nasher Museum of Art — Free passes available
Other rotating options — Check quarterly Family membership: $125/year
Per-visit cost: $10/person
Break-even: 3 visits for a family of 4+ (two visits for adults + kids)
Verdict: Worth it if you will go quarterly or more Family membership: $155/year
Per-visit cost: $19/adult, $14/child
Break-even: 3 visits for a family of 4
Verdict: Absolutely worth it — you will go more than 3 times
Bonus: ASTC reciprocal membership gets you free or discounted admission at 350+ science museums nationwide Family membership: $95/year
Per-visit cost: $17/adult, $13/child
Break-even: 2 visits for a family of 4
Verdict: Worth it if you will go twice. The zoo is a full day and only 90 minutes from the Triangle. ASTC (Association of Science and Technology Centers) — Life and Science membership gets you into 350+ museums. Check the ASTC passport program.
NARM (North American Reciprocal Museum Association) — Check if your museum participates.
AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) — NC Zoo membership may get discounts at other zoos. Bank of America Museums on Us — Free admission to participating museums on the first full weekend of each month with a Bank of America or Merrill Lynch card. NC Museum of Natural Sciences and NC Museum of History participate (they are already free, but other participating museums nationwide benefit from this). Most Triangle museums offer discounted group rates for 10+ people.
Homeschool families can often access special reduced-rate or free homeschool days. Blue Star Museums — Free admission for active military and families at participating museums during summer.
Many Triangle museums offer year-round military discounts — ask at the front desk. First Friday: Marbles free night
First Sunday: Kidzu free day
Any Thursday: Nasher free day
Random month: Life and Science library pass or community free day
Weekdays: Always-free museums (Natural Sciences, History, Art, Ackland) [100 Free Things to Do with Kids in the Triangle](/guides/100-free-things-to-do-with-kids-in-the-triangle)
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Always-Free Museums
These Triangle museums never charge admission for their permanent collections:
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
11 W Jones St, Raleigh | Always free The largest natural science museum in the Southeast. Four floors plus the Nature Research Center across the street. Both buildings, always free.North Carolina Museum of History
5 E Edenton St, Raleigh | Always free North Carolina history from pre-colonial to present. The sports hall of fame and military exhibits are kid favorites.North Carolina Museum of Art
2110 Blue Ridge Rd, Raleigh | Free permanent collection Permanent galleries spanning 5,000 years of art are always free. Special ticketed exhibitions run periodically ($5-20). The 164-acre outdoor Museum Park is also free.Ackland Art Museum
101 S Columbia St, Chapel Hill | Always free UNC's art museum with rotating exhibitions. Always free, every day they are open.Carolina Basketball Museum
Skipper Bowles Dr, Chapel Hill | Always free If you have a sports fan in the family, this UNC basketball history museum is free.Bennett Place Historic Site
4409 Bennett Memorial Rd, Durham | Always free Civil War surrender site with museum and historic buildings.Historic Stagville
5828 Old Oxford Hwy, Durham | Always free Important plantation history site with free educational tours.Free Museum Days (Normally Paid Museums)
Marbles Kids Museum
201 E Hargett St, Raleigh | Normal: $10/personKidzu Children's Museum
105 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill | Normal: $10/personNasher Museum of Art
2001 Campus Dr, Durham | Normal: $7/adult, free for kids under 16Durham Museum of Life and Science
433 W Murray Ave, Durham | Normal: $19/adult, $14/childNC Zoo (Asheboro)
4401 Zoo Pkwy, Asheboro | Normal: $17/adult, $13/childLibrary Museum Passes
This is the biggest secret in Triangle family budgeting. Both Wake and Durham County Libraries offer free museum passes you can check out with your library card.
Wake County Library Passes
Available at all 22 branches. Reserve online or in person. Passes typically cover 2-4 people.Durham County Library Passes
Available at Durham County branches. Check the library website for current offerings.How to Get Library Museum Passes
1. Get a free library card (available to all NC residents) 2. Check the library website for available museum passes 3. Reserve online or ask at the front desk 4. Check out the pass (usually for 1 week) 5. Visit the museum during the pass loan period 6. Return the passPro tip: Popular passes like Life and Science go fast. Check first thing Monday morning for new availability.
Membership Math: When to Buy
Sometimes a membership saves more than hunting for free days. Here is the math:
Marbles Kids Museum Membership
Durham Museum of Life and Science Membership
NC Zoo Membership
Other Discount Strategies
Museum Reciprocal Programs
If you have a membership at one museum, you might get free entry at others:Credit Card and Bank Perks
Group and Homeschool Rates
Military and First Responder Discounts
Monthly Museum Strategy
Here is how I plan our museum visits:
You can visit a different museum almost every week and spend very little. The Triangle museum scene is genuinely world-class, and the free access makes it even better.
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