With inflation high and everything costing so much, low-income families are struggling more than ever to find things to enjoy that are free or low-cost. It just got easier thanks to hundreds of museums across the nation offering free or reduced admission to individuals or a family (up to 4 people) who received food assistance (SNAP) with a program called "Museums for All". New York State has a number of participating museums in this program and here in our region of Chenango, Delaware, and Otsego Counties, there are several museums offering free admission. These are very popular museums in our local area and ones well worth a visit.

To get in for free, just present your SNAP EBT (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Electronic Benefit Transfer) card. Find a participating museum near you or browse our full list of participating museums.

You would think that the Museums for All initiative began in response to the COVID-19 pandemic but actually, it started up back in 2014. The pandemic merely highlighted the need for such a program to provide access to the nation's multitude of museums of all kinds to everyone.

Below is a list of participating museums in Central New York (highlighted ones are located in Chenango, Delaware, or Otsego Counties):

Albany Institute of History & Art
(Albany, NY)

The Arkell Museum
(Canajoharie, NY)

Chenango County Historical Society
(Norwich, NY)

The Children’s Museum at Saratoga
(Saratoga Springs, NY)

Corning Museum of Glass
(Corning, NY)

Delaware County Historical Society (always free with the exception of some events)
(Delhi, NY)

The Edmeston Museum (always free)
(Edmeston, NY)

The Farmers’ Museum
(Cooperstown, NY)

Fenimore Art Museum
(Cooperstown, NY)

Franklin Railroad and Community Museum (always free)
(Franklin, NY)

Hanford Mills Museum
(East Meredith, NY)

Historic Cherry Hill
(Albany, NY)

The History Center in Tompkins County
(Ithaca, NY)

miSci|The Museum of Innovation & Science
(Schenectady, NY)

Museum of the Earth
(Ithaca, NY)

National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
(Cooperstown, NY)

National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
(Saratoga Springs, NY)

Oneonta History Center (always free admission)
(Oneonta, NY)

Sciencenter
(Ithaca, NY)

SUNY Poly Children’s Museum of Science and Technology
(Troy, NY)

The Swart-Wilcox House (always free admission)
(Oneonta, NY)

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To get the list of all of the museums in New York State and other states participating in "Museums For All", click here.

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