I love going to museums. I love looking at artifacts, at paintings, at old architecture, at sculptures.
Sometimes I don't even mind the rare typo in the descriptions of items at museums. I take that back. Those typos always annoy me.
But the museum pieces are always cool.
The price for entry, however, is usually not so cool, even if it does go towards supporting the facility (likely a not-for-profit).
I really miss the free museums in London - going into the British Museum, for free, is awesome.
But, we have a great local tool where you can still take advantage of our historic area while saving money. Get ready to be amazed. This great tool is called the library.
And at this wondrous place (kinda like a museum itself) they have passes to a lot of attractions. You can borrow these passes (usually coming with two adult and two children's tickets) for three days at a time - perfect for a summer day trip.
These passes, however, are also one of the more expensive items to return late - $5/day. And you can only take out one museum pass at a time. But sounds worth it to me.
I just took out the pass at the Troy library for the Normal Rockwell Museum. I'm thinking I might head out to Massachusetts tomorrow and want to keep my options open for things to do. I had wanted to take out the Clark Museum pass but that was already taken (at Troy and Cohoes). I guess that is the one downfall to the system,  you have to plan a little ahead of time.
My friend Chinasa, a local librarian in Albany, made this list for me and I thought I'd share. It shows all of the passes available, where they can be picked up, and the passes that can only be picked up using certain library memberships.
Stay cool in the air conditioned museum and enjoy summer :)

Hancock Shaker Village Museum

Norman Rockwell Museum

The Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute Museum

Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art Museum

Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art

Historic Cherry Hill Museum (Bethlehem, Cohoes, East Greenbush, RCSC)

Crailo State Historic Site Museum Pass (East Greenbush card only)

Iroquois Indian Museum Arkell Museum(Bethlehem, Colonie, East Greenbush, Guilderland, Voorheesville)

Old Stone Fort Museum (Bethlehem, Guilderland, Cheney Library (Hoosick Falls), Rensslaerville)

Berkshire Museum (Bethlehem, Brunswick, East Greenbush, Guilderland, Stephentown)

Schenectady Museum

Adirondack Museum (Guilderland)

Bennington Museum (Bethlehem, East Greenbush, Guilderland)

Cheserwood Museum

THe Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery (Colonie, Guilderland, Nassau)

The Hyde Collection Museum

The Museum at Bethel Woods (Guilderland)

Destroyer Escort Historical Museum

The Children's Museum at Saratoga (Bethlehem, East Greenbush)

Berkshire Botanical Garden (East Greenbush card only, RCS Community Library)