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Museums You Can Visit for Free with a Library Card in Tampa Bay

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Turn Your Library Card into Free Family Fun at Local Museums

When it comes to affordable family outings in Tampa Bay, your library card might be one of the most powerful tools you’re not fully using yet. Many local library systems offer free museum and attraction passes that give families access to popular museums—at no cost.

These passes are perfect for spontaneous outings, educational experiences, and stretching your family fun budget even further. Availability is limited and passes are first-come, first-served, so planning ahead is key.

Here’s how to unlock free museum visits across Tampa Bay using your library card.

1. Hillsborough County Library – Discovery Pass Program

Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative

Hillsborough County library cardholders can reserve Discovery Passes that provide free, one-time admission to select local museums and attractions.

How It Works:

  • Passes are available for a 7-day checkout period

  • Your checkout receipt serves as your admission

  • Passes are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis

  • Reservations are made through participating library branches

Participating Museums May Include:

  • Imagine Museum of Contemporary Glass Art

  • Tampa Bay History Center

  • Glazer Children’s Museum

  • American Victory Ship and Museum

 

  • Tampa Theatre

  • Henry B. Plant Museum

  • Florida Museum of Photographic Arts

  • Tampa Museum of Art

  • Florida Holocaust Museum

  • The Florida Orchestra

  • Straz Center for the Performing Arts

  • The Florida Aquarium

(Additional museums may rotate throughout the year.)

📌 Pro tip: Check availability early in the week—passes tend to go quickly before weekends.

Learn more about the Hillsborough County Library Discovery Pass

2. Pasco County Library System – Discovery Museum Pass

Pasco County Library System

Pasco County residents can access free museum admission through the Discovery Pass program, which offers access to hands-on and family-focused attractions.

How It Works:

  • Reserve passes through the library’s online catalog

  • Available to verified Pasco County residents

  • One pass per museum per household

  • Admission is valid for 7 days

  • No return required—your receipt is your ticket

Museums Commonly Included:

  • Glazer Children’s Museum

  • Florida Holocaust Museum

  • Imagine Museum

  • Tampa Bay History Center

  • Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg

  • Richey Suncoast Theatre

Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg

 

⚠️ Blackout dates and restrictions may apply—always confirm directly with the museum.

Learn more about the Pasco County Library Discovery Pass

3. Pinellas County Library – Museum Pass Program

Sunken Gardens

Pinellas Public Library Cooperative

Pinellas County libraries offer Museum Passes that allow families to explore some of the area’s most popular cultural attractions—completely free.

How It Works:

  • Family passes are valid for 7 days

  • Each library branch typically has limited quantities

  • Passes are first-come, first-served

  • Availability can change quickly

Museums You May Access:

Learn more about the Pinellas County Library Discovery Pass

 

4. Lakeland Libraries – Culture Pass (Florida Children’s Museum)

Lakeland Public Library

Through the Culture Pass program, Lakeland library cardholders can receive free admission for up to five people to:

Florida Children’s Museum

Located inside Bonnet Springs Park, this museum is packed with hands-on exhibits focused on science, creativity, and real-world learning.

About Florida Children’s Museum

Located inside Bonnet Springs Park, Florida Children’s Museum is a hands-on, nonprofit children’s museum offering interactive exhibits and programs focused on creativity, science, and real-world learning.

How the Culture Pass Works:

  • Two passes available per day at each Lakeland library location

  • Passes are first come, first served

  • Valid for same-day admission for up to 5 people

  • One pass per family at a time

  • An adult must accompany minors

  • Your checkout receipt serves as your admission ticket

  • Blackout dates and restrictions may apply

📌 Tip: Arrive early—Culture Passes often go quickly.

Florida Children’s Museum

Learn more about the Lakeland Culture Pass

 

5. Hernando County Public Library – Museum Passes

Hernando County Public Library

Hernando County library cardholders can check out museum passes that provide free admission to several local and regional museums—making this an excellent option for educational outings and low-cost family adventures.

How the Hernando Museum Pass Program Works:

  • Your checkout receipt/due date slip acts as your admission ticket

  • Passes are valid for 7 days from checkout

  • Limit one museum pass per cardholder at a time

  • Passes must be presented at the museum entrance

  • Always confirm hours, closures, and blackout dates before visiting

Museums Available with a Hernando County Library Pass

1. Florida Holocaust Museum

An impactful and educational museum dedicated to honoring Holocaust victims while teaching the importance of human dignity, tolerance, and preventing future genocide.
Pass valid for admission of up to 4 people.

2. Tampa Bay History Center

Located on Tampa’s Riverwalk, this interactive museum brings 12,000 years of Florida history to life through immersive exhibits, artifacts, and rotating galleries.

3. Hernando Historical Museum Association

A local history organization preserving Hernando County’s past through historic buildings, artifacts, and educational exhibits across multiple sites.

4. 1885 Train Depot

Step inside a restored 19th-century train depot featuring railroad history, large artifacts, and exhibits connected to Hernando County’s role in early transportation.

5. Countryman One Room Schoolhouse

Travel back in time with hands-on lessons in an authentic one-room schoolhouse where kids experience historic classrooms, life skills, and the original “three R’s.”

6. May-Stringer House

A beautifully preserved Victorian “Painted Lady” featuring themed exhibit rooms, period décor, and stories of Brooksville’s past, all set in a National Register home.

1885 Train Depot

Keep Exploring More Free & Family-Friendly Fun in Tampa Bay

Your library card can unlock so much more than just museum visits. If you’re looking to keep planning affordable outings, be sure to explore our guides to free museum days, library perks families should know about, rainy-day activities, and educational attractions around Tampa Bay. We’re always updating our content to help families discover new ways to explore, learn, and have fun—without stretching the budget.

👉 Start browsing more free and low-cost family activities on Family-Friendly Tampa Bay and turn everyday planning into easy, stress-free fun.

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