The Museum has a wide range of programs that provide free or deeply discounted access to the Museum for thousands of children and families, as well as providing free learning art kits to partner social service organizations in the community. Click on pink text to learn more about each program.
Through the Museums for All initiative, visitors can present a WIC Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) or SNAP card and photo ID at the Welcome Desk to receive $5 admission for up to 4 people.
Museums for All, is a collaborative initiative between the Association of Children’s Museums and the Institute for Museums and Library Services that encourages families of all backgrounds to visit museums regularly and build lifelong museum habits.
We provide Museum memberships at a reduced cost for EBT/SNAP/WIC cardholders (from any state) and all dependents.
Our Museum maintains a partnership with Voices for Children and its CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) program, granting free admission to children and CASA volunteers. To take advantage of our program, just come in to the Museum with your CASA identification card and your case child or children to enjoy a free day at the Museum. For more information contact us at education@thinkplaycreate.org.
San Diego Public Library cardholders can now reserve a free pass to visit the Museum for any specific date that we are open. The pass covers admission for 2 adults and up to 6 children (8 people total). Learn more about the pass and how to reserve here.
The Museum participates in countywide access initiatives through the San Diego Museum Council, a network of more than 70 museums and cultural institutions across San Diego County. These programs provide meaningful entry points for local residents and visitors alike:
Museum Month (February): Families receive 50% off general admission on select days, encouraging exploration of museums throughout the region.
Kids Free October: The Museum offers free admission for children on select days, welcoming families who may be visiting for the first time.
These initiatives bring thousands of families into the Museum each year, increasing access to hands-on art experiences, play-based learning, and cultural engagement.
The New Children’s Museum is also an active member of the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM), a national network of more than 200 children’s museums across the United States. Through ACM’s reciprocal membership program, Museum members receive free or discounted admission at participating children’s museums nationwide. This benefit extends access beyond San Diego, supporting affordable learning and play for families wherever they travel
Rx for Art + Play is The New Children’s Museum’s innovative, physician-prescribed program that supports the mental, emotional, and behavioral wellness of young children while strengthening family connection through creativity. Designed for low-to-moderate income families, the program integrates literacy-based artmaking and open-ended play into everyday routines, reinforcing early learning, stress reduction, and healthy social-emotional development during a critical stage of childhood.
Through partnerships with pediatricians at five CPCMG clinics serving under-resourced San Diego communities within 15 miles of the Museum, Rx for Art + Play is prescribed to all children ages three to five during their annual well-child visits. Each prescription removes financial and access barriers by providing families with a free, take-home literacy-based Art + Play kit to complete together, a year-long membership to The New Children’s Museum for up to six people, and free parking during visits. This program creates sustained access to creative experiences, joyful play, and meaningful family engagement, reaching thousands of children and caregivers with tools that nurture wellbeing, imagination, and belonging.
Made possible by Dr. Seuss Foundation, Prebys Foundation, GitHub Inc., The Parker Foundation, David C. Copley Foundation, First 5 San Diego, and annual organizational fundraisers.
Dr. Ingrid Martinez-Andree shares how Rx for Art + Play helps children thrive through creativity, connection, and care.
Thousands of children each year come for school visits at little to no cost through our School Visits/Title I Access Program. We also work with an increasing number of organizations who serve children with disabilities and other life challenges. See our School Visits page for more information.
Virtual School Visits are an online alternative to the Museum’s onsite school visits program. Our Virtual School Visit classroom kits include an online video tour of the Museum’s art installations and studio spaces with standards-based art activities and supplies, and are made free to educators at Title 1 schools. Learn more about Virtual School Visits here.
School and group visits are made possible by The Rice Family Foundation.
