Free passes at your library: Get free admission to zoos, museums, state parks and more

Your Milwaukee-area library card is a golden ticket to dozens of museums, nature centers, the zoo, state parks, and cultural attractions — all completely free. Libraries across six counties collectively offer passes to more than 30 institutions, from the Milwaukee Art Museum to Road America, and the programs keep expanding. Most families have no idea this perk exists, yet it can save hundreds of dollars per year on family outings. Here's everything you need to know, organized by library system, to start exploring.

How it works: the basics every family needs

Library pass programs go by different names — Explore Passes, Experience Passes, Adventure Passes, Explorer Passes, Attraction Passes — but they all work similarly. Libraries purchase memberships or admission passes to local and regional attractions, then lend them to cardholders like books. Each pass is a physical item you pick up at the circulation desk, use within the checkout window, and return.

Critical rules that apply almost everywhere:

• Passes must be picked up and returned at the specific library that owns them — not through the book drop, and not at a different branch

• Most passes are first-come, first-served with no advance reservations or online holds

• No Beanstack or digital reservation system is used for passes in the Milwaukee metro area; availability can sometimes be checked in each system's online catalog

• Checkout periods range from 3 to 7 days depending on the library (Wisconsin Historical Society passes get 3 weeks)

• Overdue fines are steep — typically $10 per day — because passes are expensive for libraries to replace

• You generally need to be 18 or older to check out a pass

• Most programs limit borrowers to one pass per household at a time

The most important tip: You don't need a card from the specific library branch — you need a card from that library system. A Milwaukee Public Library card works at any of the 15+ Milwaukee County Federated Library System (MCFLS) libraries. A card from any Bridges Library System library works at all 24 Waukesha/Jefferson County libraries. This dramatically expands your options.

Milwaukee County

The Milwaukee County Federated Library System (MCFLS) offers the greatest variety of passes across its member libraries. Any MCFLS library card — whether from MPL, Shorewood, Wauwatosa, or any other Milwaukee County library — works at all participating locations. Search for availability in the CountyCat catalog at countycat.mcfls.org by searching "Attraction Pass."

Shorewood Public Library — 18 institutions

Shorewood (3920 N. Murray Ave.) operates the most comprehensive pass program in the entire metro area, offering passes to 18 different institutions:

• Above & Beyond Children's Museum (Sheboygan) — up to 12 guests

• America's Black Holocaust Museum — 2 adults + children under 18

• Betty Brinn Children's Museum — up to 6 guests; discounted parking

• Bookworm Gardens (Sheboygan) — 2 adults + unlimited children; seasonal May–October

• Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame — 2 adults + children under 18

• Grohmann Museum — 2 adults + children under 17

• Harley-Davidson Museum — 2 adults + children under 17; 50% off additional tickets; 10% off shop and MOTOR restaurant

• International Crane Foundation (Baraboo) — cardholder + immediate family + 2 guests; seasonal May–October

• Jewish Museum Milwaukee — 2 adults + children under 18

• John Michael Kohler Arts Center (Sheboygan) — access to special activities/events

• Milwaukee Art Museum — 4 adults + children under 18; 10% off dining/shopping; 20% off parking

• Milwaukee County Zoo — up to 8 guests + parking for 1 vehicle

• Mitchell Park Domes — 2 adults + children under 18; 10% off gift shop

• Museum of Wisconsin Art (West Bend) — 4 adults + children under 18

• Schlitz Audubon Nature Center — up to 4 adults + children under 18

• Villa Terrace Museum & Gardens — card user, family, and friends

• Wehr Nature Center — parking pass for 1 vehicle (admission is always free)

• Wisconsin Historical Society (11 statewide sites including Old World Wisconsin, Circus World, and Black Point Estate) — 2 adults + children under 18; 3-week checkout

Shorewood's checkout period is 3 days with a 3-day grace period. You can join a waiting list by calling (414) 847-2670 or emailing shorewood@mcfls.org. Several passes — including the Grohmann Museum, Jewish Museum Milwaukee, Villa Terrace, and International Crane Foundation — are exclusive to Shorewood among Milwaukee County libraries.

Other standout MCFLS libraries

Greendale Public Library (5647 Broad St.) offers 11 institutions on a generous 7-day checkout, including the unique Little Village Play Cafe pass not found elsewhere. Overdue fee is $10/day with a $25 penalty for returning to the wrong library.

Whitefish Bay Public Library (5420 N. Marlborough Dr.) stands out with a 7-day checkout, 3-day grace period, and the lowest overdue fine at just $0.50/day. It's also among the few MCFLS libraries offering both Wisconsin Historical Society and state park day passes.

Wauwatosa Public Library (7635 W. North Ave.) carries passes to 5 institutions: Betty Brinn, Harley-Davidson Museum, Milwaukee Art Museum (up to 8 guests — the most generous MAM admission in the system), Mitchell Park Domes, and Schlitz Audubon. Three-day checkout.

Franklin Public Library (9151 W. Loomis Rd.) offers Milwaukee County Zoo passes (up to 8 people + parking), Mitchell Park Domes, and Milwaukee Art Museum on a 5-day checkout, plus optional Explorer Backpacks for kids with binoculars, magnifying glasses, and scavenger hunts.

Hales Corners Library (5885 S. 116th St.) is notable because it's one of the rare libraries that allows holds on passes — you can reserve one, though you have a 1-day pickup window. Five-day checkout.

Milwaukee Public Library branches carry passes to the Milwaukee Art Museum, Betty Brinn, Discovery World (up to 6 persons), Mitchell Park Domes, Milwaukee County Zoo (up to 8 guests), Boerner Botanical Gardens, and Schlitz Audubon. MPL passes sit on "Lucky Day" shelves in branch lobbies — no reservations, purely first-come, first-served. MPL does not have a dedicated passes webpage, so ask at any branch's circulation desk.

Other MCFLS libraries with confirmed pass programs include Greenfield, Oak Creek, Brown Deer, North Shore (Bayside), South Milwaukee, St. Francis, West Allis, and Cudahy. Each carries a subset of the institutions listed above. North Shore has notably low overdue fines ($1/day, max $5). Oak Creek offers a 7-day checkout.

Waukesha County: Bridges Library System covers 16 libraries

The Bridges Library System (formerly Waukesha County Federated Library System) encompasses 16 Waukesha County libraries plus 8 in Jefferson County. Search for passes in the CAFÉ catalog at cafelibraries.org by entering "explore pass" or "experience pass."

New Berlin Public Library — the county's deepest collection

New Berlin (15105 Library Lane) calls its program "Experience Passes" and offers 19 confirmed passes — the most in Waukesha County. In addition to the standard Milwaukee museums, New Berlin carries passes to the Waukesha County Historical Society, East Troy Electric Railroad (6 people, 10% off gift shop), Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium in Waukesha (6 immediate family members; Wednesday and Saturday shows), Riveredge Nature Center in Saukville, and New Berlin ARC Gym/Track and Playground passes for up to 6 household members.

New Berlin's checkout period shifts seasonally: 2 days from Memorial Day through Labor Day, 3 days the rest of the year. The library also participates in the Wisconsin State Park pass program, though borrowers must simultaneously check out a book, movie, or other Library of Things item alongside the park pass.

New Berlin also hints at unpublicized "membership passes" that cannot be listed online due to institutional guidelines — always ask the desk staff what's available.

Brookfield Public Library — the gateway to Chicago attractions

Brookfield (1900 N. Calhoun Rd.) carries standard Explore Passes (Betty Brinn, Mitchell Park Domes, Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame, Milwaukee Art Museum) but uniquely participates in two additional programs:

• Museum Adventure Pass (museumadventure.org): Physical passes for 24+ Chicago-area cultural destinations including Brookfield Zoo (IL), Chicago Children's Museum, and Lincoln Park Zoo. Seven-day loan, one pass per family per loan period.

• Explore More Illinois: A digital pass program for Illinois cultural attractions, available 24/7 online with your library card. Up to 2 active reservations per card; must be 18+.

These Chicago-area programs make a Brookfield library card exceptionally valuable for families willing to make the drive.

Other Waukesha County libraries of note

Menomonee Falls Public Library (W156 N8436 Pilgrim Rd.) carries Schlitz Audubon, Betty Brinn, Discovery World, Milwaukee Art Museum, and Mitchell Park Domes, plus at least one undisclosed pass. Three-day checkout on the Lucky Day shelf.

Pewaukee Public Library (210 Main St.) has Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame, Schlitz Audubon, and Betty Brinn passes. Be warned: Pewaukee charges the highest overdue fine in the system at $50 per day, maximum $250.

Delafield Public Library (500 Genesee St.) is one of the few Waukesha County libraries confirmed to carry a Milwaukee County Zoo pass alongside Betty Brinn, Milwaukee Art Museum, and Mitchell Park Domes.

Waukesha Public Library (321 Wisconsin Ave.), Pauline Haass Public Library in Sussex, Oconomowoc Public Library, and Muskego Public Library all have pass programs — contact each for current offerings or search the CAFÉ catalog.

Ozaukee and Washington counties shine with unique offerings

Both counties are served by the Monarch Library System. Search the Monarch Catalog at search.monarchcatalog.org for "adventure pass" or "experience pass" filtered by library location. Checkout is typically 3 days with $10/day overdue fines.

Oscar Grady Public Library (Saukville) — the region's most innovative program

Oscar Grady (151 S. Main St., Saukville) has aggressively expanded its Adventure Pass collection to 15+ institutions, including several you won't find anywhere else:

• Road America Race Pass (Plymouth) — 2 adults + children 16 and under; valid for public race weekends only

• Wisconsin Maritime Museum (Manitowoc) — 2 adults + children under 17; includes USS Cobia submarine tour

• Waterpark Super Pass — one family pass covering four community pools (Port Washington Pirates' Hollow, Grafton Family Aquatic Center, Cedarburg Pool, and Mequon Community Pool); June–August only

• YMCA Pass (Kettle Moraine) — 2 adults + children under 17 at Feith Family and West Washington locations; limited to twice per family per calendar year

• Horwitz-DeRemer Waukesha Planetarium — up to 6 people

Oscar Grady is also adding Milwaukee Art Museum and Wisconsin Historical Society passes in 2027. Unlike most libraries, Oscar Grady allows phone reservations at the circulation desk.

Jack Russell Memorial Library (Hartford) — Washington County's powerhouse

Hartford's Jack Russell Memorial Library (100 Park Ave.) carries 14+ unique passes, the most in Washington County. Highlights include the Racine Art Museum, International Crane Foundation, East Troy Railroad Museum, Fond du Lac Children's Museum, and a Wisconsin Historical Society pass covering 12 statewide sites. Multiple copies of the Harley-Davidson Museum pass (3 copies) are available. Loans alternate between Tuesday–Thursday and Friday–Monday windows.

Frank L. Weyenberg Library (Mequon-Thiensville) — strong core collection

The Weyenberg Library (11345 N. Cedarburg Rd., Mequon) carries 9 institution passes including Milwaukee County Zoo (family admission + free parking), Milwaukee Art Museum, Harley-Davidson Museum, Betty Brinn, Mitchell Park Domes, Schlitz Audubon, Bookworm Gardens, Above & Beyond Children's Museum, and a seasonal Mequon Community Pool pass.

Slinger Community Library stands out for transparency — its website lists exact quantities and $150 replacement costs for each of its 10 passes, including 4 copies of the Milwaukee County Zoo pass and 4 of the Milwaukee Art Museum pass.

West Bend Community Memorial Library carries Betty Brinn, Mitchell Park Domes, Milwaukee County Zoo, Schlitz Audubon, and Kettle Moraine YMCA passes.

Cedarburg Public Library does not appear to run its own pass program but Cedarburg cardholders can use passes at any other Monarch Library System location.

Racine, Kenosha, and Walworth counties round out the south

These counties are served by the SHARE Consortium, meaning a card from one SHARE library works across the network (though pass policies may restrict to local cardholders).

Burlington Public Library — the southern gem with 13+ passes

Burlington (166 E. Jefferson St.) runs the most extensive program south of Milwaukee with 13+ passes spanning museums, recreation, and entertainment:

Beyond the standard Milwaukee institution passes, Burlington uniquely offers Aurora Wellness Center (one visit), Towne & Country Lanes bowling (1-hour lane rental + 6 shoe rentals), Capelli's Traxside Skating (1 adult + 1 child), Plaza Theater (2 movie tickets), and Burlington Community Aquatic Center passes. Burlington also participates in the Museum Adventure Pass network for 24+ Chicago-area attractions and carries Wisconsin Historical Society and Wisconsin State Park passes. Seven-day checkout; first-come, first-served at the Reference Desk.

Lake Geneva Public Library — prime for Black Point Estate visits

Lake Geneva (918 W. Main St.) offers Museum Adventure Passes, Wisconsin State Park passes, Mitchell Park Domes, Wisconsin Historical Society (including nearby Black Point Estate & Gardens on Geneva Lake), and Milwaukee Art Museum. Passes are for permanent cardholders only. Reserve at the circulation desk.

Kenosha Public Library — growing collection across 5 branches

KPL offers passes to the Milwaukee Art Museum, Betty Brinn, Milwaukee County Zoo (up to 8 + parking), and Mitchell Park Domes, plus Wisconsin State Park day passes through the DNR OutWiGo program. State park pass info is at mykpl.info/stateparks/. Experience passes can be found by searching the KPL BiblioCommons catalog.

Racine Public Library — Racine Art Museum access

Racine PL (75 Seventh St.) offers a Racine Art Museum/Wustum Museum pass (2 adults + children under 18, 7-day checkout) and Wisconsin State Park day passes. Notably, Kenosha PL cardholders can also borrow Racine's RAM pass.

Wisconsin State Park passes: one free day at any park

The "Check Out Wisconsin State Parks At Your Library" program is a statewide collaboration between the Wisconsin DNR, Department of Public Instruction, and 200+ library locations. Now in its fifth year, the program provides a free single-day vehicle admission sticker valid at any Wisconsin state park, forest, or recreation area.

Key details about the state park pass program:

• The pass is a windshield sticker — you write the date of use on it and affix it to the lower left corner of your windshield. It is not returned to the library.

• Valid for one vehicle with Wisconsin license plates for one day. All passengers ride free.

• You can visit multiple state properties on the same day with one pass

• Not valid for state trail passes, camping fees, or other special fees

• Most libraries limit to one pass per family per month (varies by library)

• Supply is limited — popular libraries run out early in the season, sometimes by April

• Passes come with an informational kit including maps, stickers, and accessibility information

Confirmed Milwaukee-area participants include libraries in Whitefish Bay, Franklin, Hales Corners, North Shore/Bayside, Oak Creek, Shorewood, Wauwatosa (Milwaukee County); New Berlin and other Bridges System libraries (Waukesha County); Kenosha, Racine, Burlington, and Lake Geneva. The full list of participating libraries is available as a PDF on the DNR website at dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/outwigo/library.

What about national parks and "Peaks and Passes"?

America the Beautiful / National Parks passes are not available through any Wisconsin library. Extensive searching confirmed no Wisconsin library system lends the federal interagency annual pass. You'll need to purchase one ($80/year) through Recreation.gov or at a federal recreation site.

No program called "Peaks and Passes" exists in Wisconsin. This term doesn't appear connected to any current Wisconsin library or DNR initiative. It may be confused with the "Check Out Wisconsin State Parks At Your Library" program described above.

For families with fourth graders, the Every Kid Outdoors pass (free at everykidoutdoors.gov) provides free access to all federal recreation sites for the student's family for one school year — but this is obtained directly online, not through libraries.

Your strategy for maximizing library passes

The smartest approach is to hold cards from multiple library systems, which is entirely free for Wisconsin residents. A Milwaukee County resident can get an MCFLS card, then also obtain cards from Bridges (Waukesha), Monarch (Ozaukee/Washington), and SHARE (Racine/Kenosha/Walworth) systems. This unlocks the full universe of 30+ institutions.

For the biggest bang: Start at Shorewood Public Library for the widest MCFLS selection (18 institutions). Complement with New Berlin or Brookfield in Waukesha County, Oscar Grady in Saukville or Jack Russell in Hartford for unique offerings like Road America and the Maritime Museum, and Burlington for Chicago-area Museum Adventure Passes.

Timing matters: Zoo and outdoor passes vanish fast in summer. State park stickers can run out by mid-spring. Visit early in the week and early in the season for best availability. Some passes — particularly the Milwaukee County Zoo — are kept behind the desk due to high demand, so always ask staff even if you don't see passes on display.

Quick-reference table of the most popular passes

Institution Guests Admitted Where to Find Milwaukee Art Museum 4 adults + kids under 18 Nearly every library in all 6 counties Milwaukee County Zoo Up to 8 guests + 1 vehicle parking Shorewood, Whitefish Bay, Franklin, Hales Corners, Delafield, Mequon, Slinger, West Bend, Kenosha, and others Betty Brinn Children's Museum Up to 6 guests Nearly every library in all 6 counties Mitchell Park Domes 2 adults + children under 18; AHS reciprocal admission to 360+ gardens nationwide Nearly every library in all 6 counties Harley-Davidson Museum 2 adults + kids under 17; 50% off extra tickets Shorewood, Wauwatosa, Greenfield, Greendale, North Shore, Whitefish Bay, Mequon, Saukville, Hartford, Slinger Discovery World Up to 6 persons (max 2 adults) MPL branches, Menomonee Falls Schlitz Audubon Nature Center 2–4 adults + children under 17 Most MCFLS and Bridges libraries Wisconsin Historical Society (11–12 sites) 2 adults + children under 18 Shorewood, Whitefish Bay, Greendale, Hartford, Burlington, Lake Geneva, Waukesha, Sussex Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame 2 adults + children under 18 Shorewood, Greendale, Pewaukee, Brookfield, Hartford, Sussex Wisconsin State Park Day Pass 1 vehicle, all occupants 200+ libraries statewide

Conclusion

Milwaukee-area library pass programs represent one of the best-kept secrets in family budgeting. Shorewood Public Library remains the single most valuable destination with 18 institutions, but the real power move is combining cards across systems — unlocking unique passes like Brookfield's Chicago-area Museum Adventure Pass, Oscar Grady's Road America pass, or Burlington's bowling and skating passes. The programs are funded largely by Friends of the Library groups and community sponsors, so they can change from season to season. Always call ahead to confirm availability, especially for high-demand passes like the Milwaukee County Zoo. The Wisconsin State Park sticker program continues to expand, but passes do run out — grab yours early. No national park passes or "Peaks and Passes" program currently exists through Wisconsin libraries, though the state park program more than compensates with access to 50+ stunning properties.