A New Bank of America Perk: Free Museum Passes

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Written by Abby Hayes
Last updated on July 23, 2019

Bank of America has a long history of supporting the arts through philanthropy and raising awareness. But they’re stepping up their game in 2017 with their Museums on Us program.

This program allows qualifying Bank of America members to get into local museums for free on certain weekends, through the rest of this year! Here are some details of the program:

Who is Eligible?

Anyone who holds a Bank of America credit or debit card or a Merrill Lynch debit or credit card can participate. You’ll just have to show up at the right museum on the right weekend with both your card and a photo ID.

Here’s the catch: this is only good for one free general admission ticket. It doesn’t apply to special events or exhibits. And you can’t bring guests with you.

However, if you have a Bank of America credit card with an authorized user, that person can get into the museum for free, as well. It sounds like an excellent option for a free date night to me!

Resource: The Best Cash Back Credit Cards of 2017

Plus, many of these museums already allow children under a certain age to get in for free, so it could make for a great family adventure at no cost. Even if the museum does charge for your children, the little ones are usually at a very discounted rate, making the adventure definitely worthwhile.

When Can You Go?

Do you fit the bill? Or have you been considering a Bank of America or Merrill Lynch credit card, anyway? Here’s when you can take advantage of this free museum admission:

  • August 5th and 6th
  • September 2nd and 3rd
  • October 7th and 8th
  • November 4th and 5th
  • December 2nd and 3rd

You’re responsible for figuring out if the museum is actually open on those days, of course, but most participating museums should be.

Related: Which Credit Card Should Be Your First?

Where Can You Go?

Here’s another catch: the list of participating museums is fairly short, especially if you’re outside of a major metropolitan area. But if you’re traveling to a larger city, you could have loads of options.

In Chicago, for instance, you have a long list of options. These include:

  • The Art Institute of Chicago
  • Chicago History Museum
  • Museum of Contemporary Art
  • National Veterans Art Museum
  • Shedd Aquarium
  • The DuSable Museum of African American History
  • The National Hellenic Museum

New York City has an impressively long list of participating museums, of course, as do Miami, San Antonio, and Charlotte, NC.

You can check out the full list of available options here. Just keep in mind that it could be a good idea to call ahead and confirm participation before you count on those free tickets!

Should You Get a Bank of America Card for This?

In short: probably not. There’s much more that goes into choosing a credit card than a random one-off perk that you might use once per year. The benefits or lower interest rate on another card might easily outweigh the free museum tickets.

With that said, it’s one perk to consider if a Bank of America credit card is already in your wallet or on your to-apply-for list!

So, how about you? Will you be taking advantage of this Bank of America perk?

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