Free Passes to Local Museums and Parks
Follow the links to see up-to-date information.
Passes are available to any Pillsbury Free Library cardholder. To request a pass, contact the library at 603-456-2289 or via our contact page. For New Hampshire State Parks and for some museums, we can email you a pass to print. We strongly suggest you also reserve in advance for shows or tours, especially during school vacations.
We also have nature discovery kits in backpacks for children and adults. The children’s pack created by Sandra Martin for the Mt Kearsarge Indian Museum‘s Medicine woods trail has activities designed to get children engaged in observing the natural world. The Library Nature bags contain durable featherweight weatherproof identification guides for anything from animals to trees to bugs. The seashore bag includes beachcomber guides to shells and shore-land plants and animals. Check one out when you borrow our NH State Parks Pass or just want to go hiking.
New Hampshire State Parks
NH State Parks – Rollins State Park is the closest, at the top of Kearsarge Mountain Rd. This pass provides entry to most NH State parks for 2 adults and up to 4 children, normally $4 per adult, $2/child. NOT valid at Wallis Sands, Hampton Beach State Park, Flume Gorge, or Cannon Mountain Tramway, camping fees, or metered parking. Current access guidelines at https://www.nhstateparks.org. Updates are sometimes posted at https://www.facebook.com/NewHampshireStateParks/
You can make reservations in advance at www.nhstateparks.org/planning/day-use-reservations
NH Parks Patron Reservation instructions (pdf)
Museums
McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (& Planetarium)
The biggest space museum in the Northeast, now includes most of the Mt. Washington Observatory Center collection and a Science Playground (seasonal). Located at N.H. Technical Institute, Concord, NH. Pass: Free entry to the Center for up to 8 people per day; Planetarium shows are $7 extra per person. HOURS: Fall-Winter-Spring, the center is only open Wednesday-Sunday, 10:30 AM to 4 PM and also 6:30-8:00 PM on the first Friday of each month. During school vacations, and Summers they are usually open all 7 days, and some other holidays. Closed Easter Sunday. Check starhop.com for current details.
New England Aquarium (New for 2025)
New England Aquarium, Boston. January 1 – August 29, 2025. Coupon for 1/2 price entry with date-specific coupon for up to 4 people. Age 2 and under free. No reservation required (but reservation IS recommended for any extra people going for full price). Whale watch and movies not included in discount. https://www.neaq.org/visit/directions-and-parking/
Museum of Science, Boston (New for 2025)
Museum of Science in Boston. One pass allows four (4) visitors to enter the Museum at a discounted rate of 50% off per person. Children under 3 enter free. Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling 617-723-2500 (daily, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) or day-of by presenting the pass at the Box Office. https://www.mos.org/visit/directions One pass per day.
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Our MFA special promo code reduces the entrance fee to $10 per person over 6 yrs old (usual cost for adults is $27, or $34 if exhibits included). The Museum is open five days a week: Thurs.–Mon., 10 am–5 pm. (Fri. to 10 pm) Visit mfa.org/visit for information. Go to mfa.org/tickets, select the date and enter the promo code, then select library pass tickets. Contact the library for the code. To get in-person tickets at MFA, bring an email from the library with the code.
Mount Washington (NEW for 2025)
Free Tours of the Extreme Mount Washington Museum on the summit, for 2 adults and 3 children (usually $17 non-members). All season, 11 am, 1 pm, 3 pm – except Wednesdays. Reserve ahead! Trip to summit not included.
Cog Railway tickets: Buy One Get One Free (June weekdays, 9 am, 2 pm or 3 pm, biodiesel engine),
Or use for Mount Washington Auto Road admission – one passenger free (June only).
Currier Gallery of Art, Manchester.
The Library pass enables HALF PRICE entry for up to 4 adults and unlimited children per day (2 adults per pass, two passes allowed per day) 12 and younger are free. Entry to the Frank Lloyd Wright Zimmermann House, and Usonian Automatic is NOT included. Note: on the second Saturday of each month admission is free for NH residents.
John Hay Estate at the Fells
456 Route 103A in Newbury, NH. Library passes enable free admission and house tours for two adults and any children in the household. Multiple passes may be used per day.
Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum
18 Highlawn Road, Warner N.H. Pass: Free entry for up to 2 people per pass, 3 passes available per day. May through mid-October. Does not cover special workshops or pow-wows. Hours: Mon. through Sat., 10 am to 4 pm, Sundays, noon to 4 pm.
New Hampshire Telephone Museum
One Depot St., Warner N.H. Pass gets Free entry for up to 4 people per day to this charming history museum includes free parking and entry to the Warner Firefighters’ Museum. Open Tues. thru Sat. May -October, and Tuesday and Saturday. Hours: 10 am to 4 pm weekdays, 10 to 2 pm Saturdays or by appointment in March-April and Nov-December. Closed Jan and Feb except for groups by appointment.
Warner Firefighter’s Museum
Located under the N.H. Telephone Museum. As of July 2025, free access and Tours are available certain Saturdays 10 am – 2 pm from the door near the bell in the parking area of the Telephone Museum. On other days, there is access via the Telephone Museum when open, for self tours. Created to preserve 172 years of Warner’s firefighting history, the museum has a wide assortment of artifacts.