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Last-Minute Gifts: Museum memberships offer year-round fun

Christmas is nearly here and maybe a few of us are scrambling for one or two final gifts to stick in the stocking or pop under the tree. Here's why museum memberships make for an easy and great gift.

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Hideaway Woods at the Museum of Life and Science
By
Sarah Lindenfeld Hall
, Go Ask Mom editor
Editor's Note: This is a post I update each year about museum memberships, one of my favorite gifts for my kids to get for Christmas or birthdays!

Christmas is nearly here and maybe a few of us are scrambling for one or two final gifts to stick in the stocking or pop under the tree. Annual museum memberships offer a load of benefits and last all year. Another great benefit: The cost of the membership is usually tax deductible.

Sure, this year is different. Many museums have reduced their hours. They've limited capacity and even closed some exhibits. But some also are offering special opportunities for members right now, including extended visiting hours and deals on virtual programs. If you love these places, they also could use your support. Getting a membership is a great way to give a little something — and get a lot in return.

Here's what you get with your memberships at some local and state destinations:

Marbles Kids Museum: Family memberships start at $130 a year and get you free admission for a year; discounts at the store, restaurant, and for birthday parties; early registration for summer camps and invitations to members-only events. For $150, you can get all that plus discounted or free admission to museums around the world. And for $170, you get all of that plus free admission for one additional guest, which is great when you're bringing a friend or grandparent with you. Daily admission to the museum is $9 per person.
The new play piece is part of the revamped TreeTunes exhibit at the downtown Raleigh museum.
N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences: It's always free to go to the downtown Raleigh museum, which leads some to wonder why you'd need a membership here. Here's why my family has loved ours: For $75 a year, family memberships include free or discounted admission to special exhibits; free or discounted admission to more than 300 science museums around the world; invitations to members-only events; a discount at the museum store; behind-the-scenes tours led by museum staff; hospitality areas at some of the museum's massive events such as BugFest; and priority registration for the museum's fantastic camps. We typically go to the museum's special exhibits multiple times for free. The members-only events that we've attended have been a lot of fun. And the early camp registration had made it possible for my kids to get slots before they fill up.
Museum of Life and Science: The Durham museum offers an annual membership for four people for $185, less than the cost for a family of four with two kids ages 3 to 12 to visit three times in one year. Admission is $23 for adults and $18 for kids ages 3 to 12. Memberships go up to $260 for an annual membership for eight people. Annual memberships get you free admission for a year up to the number on your membership. That can be anybody, including friends and family not in your immediate family. You can go early, a great benefit for those of us with early risers. The museum opens at 9 a.m. for members each day it's open. Benefits also include early registration for popular events; members-only tours; discounts on birthday parties, camps and classes; and more(as they are available). Members also get free or discounted admission to science centers around the world.
Courtesy: Museum of Life and Science
Morehead Planetarium and Science Center: Morehead's family membership is $70 a year and includes a host of deals. Members get free admission for up to five members of your family for all regularly scheduled planetarium shows; priority registration and a discount on the very popular summer science camps; discounts on birthday parties; and two guest passes for free admission and four one-hour parking vouchers.
N.C. Museum of Art: Admission is free to the Raleigh museum, but tickets are required for some of the museum's special exhibits, children's programs, concerts and outdoor movies. For $75 a year, families can get two free admissions for two adults and all children living at the same address for ticketed exhibitions, plus free or discounted admission to various events at the museum and advanced registration and discounts for the museum's very popular summer camps. We have held a membership to the museum and have really enjoyed going to the special exhibits for free and getting discounts to concerts and family programs. The museum also has put together a Gift of Membership set, which includes museum membership, along with a note card set that's inspired by the museum campus and collection.
Santa takes a dive at the N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher.
Credit: N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
N.C. Museum of History: Admission is free to most of the Raleigh museum, but there are still advantages to getting a membership here. The family membership runs $100 and includes free or reduced admission price for ticketed exhibitions; discounts at the store and museum cafe; and members-only events.
Kidzu Children's Museum: At University Place, Kidzu features a big treehouse, climbing wall, preschool play and The Makery where kids can get creative and crafty. Memberships start at $145 for two people and go up to $225 for six. Right now, Kidzu is offering special members-only hours.
Rhea, a hamadryas baboon at the North Carolina Zoo, holds her newborn Zanzibar. The baby, whose sex has not yet been determined, was born May 29.
N.C. Zoo: For $84, a family can get in free to the N.C. Zoo in Asheboro for a year. The membership also gets you admission to 150 other zoos and aquariums around the country for free. That deal includes the N.C. aquariums at the beach. This is a great deal if your family's travel plans include stops at any of those locations. A trip to the zoo costs $52 for a family of four with two kids between the ages of 2 to 12. Admission would be $48 for the same group of people to visit one of the state's aquariums. So, if you plan to go to both once in 2020, you'd save $16 just by getting a zoo membership.
N.C. Aquariums: Families also can buy a membership to the state's three aquariums at the beach for $89 a year for families. The membership gets you free admission to the aquariums and other zoos and aquariums around the country. That includes the N.C. Zoo.

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