This Labor Day Weekend go to a Museum, Free!

If visiting a museum is on your list of things to do this Labor Day Weekend, remember that Scranton Memorial Library offers free passes to a wide variety of Connecticut museums and attractions. If you're going to take advantage of that, plan in advance. The library will be closed Monday for the holiday. We've included a reservation form with this story, and details about the program at the bottom of the story.

In addition, if you’re a Bank of America of Merrill Lynch cardholder, you can visit one of three Connecticut museums this weekend for free.

The Labor Day weekend event is part of Bank of America’s "Museums on Us" program, Bank of America’s celebration this year of arts and culture that provides cardholders with free access to 150 museums and other venues nationwide on the first full weekend of every month. 

In Connecticut, the museums participating in the initiative are the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford and the New Britain Museum of American Art.

“Bank of America has strong long-term relationships with an array of institutions nationwide, including museums, science centers, botanical gardens and aquariums, and created “Museums on Us” to promote these institutions and provide a free cultural benefit to Bank of America and Merrill Lynch cardholders,” the bank said in a press release announcing the Labor Day weekend program.

Other institutions taking part in the program regionally include the Newport Art Museum in Newport, R.I., the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and several museums in New York City, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The offer is good only on Saturday and Sunday this Labor Day weekend. To gain free entry participants must show a photo ID and a valid Bank of America or Merrill Lynch credit or debit card at the time of visit. The offer is limited to one free general admission to each cardholder at a participating institution and does not include free admission to certain special events, such as fundraising events, special exhibitions and ticketed shows.

Information about the Scranton Memorial Library pass program from the Scranton Memorial Library:

How do I get a pass?

You may reserve a pass in person at the Library, from home through our webpage (www.scrantonlibrary.org), or you may call the Library at 203- 245-7365. Passes can only be reserved using an adult Madison library card. You may reserve passes up to 30 days in advance.

When can I pick up my pass?

Your reserved pass should be available after 5:00 pm on the day before your reservation; for Saturday or Sunday reservations, the pass should be available after 3:00 pm on the day prior to the reserve date. During sum- mer hours, Sunday passes can be picked up after 10:00am Saturday. All effort will be made to contact you if your reserved pass has not been re- turned on time by the previous patron. However, the Library cannot take responsibility for passes returned late.

Are there any limits or penalties?

You may reserve up to five passes per month, but you may not exceed two passes per week. If you fail to pick up your reserved pass you will be blocked from reserving another pass for thirty days. There is a $20.00 per day fine if the pass is not returned on time. If you lose or don’t return a pass you will be charged the replacement cost set by the individual muse- um, plus a $20.00 processing fee. The Library reserves the right to change loan limits during busy times of year, such as school and summer vaca tions.

When does the pass need to be returned?

The pass needs to be returned by NOON on the day following your reservation. During summer hours please return Friday passes by 10:00am Saturday. The pass may be returned in the book drop if the Library is closed.

What does the pass allow me to do?

Passes allow a set number of people to attend the museum or attraction for a reduced rate or free admission. These terms are set by the individual museum.

How do I cancel a reservation?

If you reserve a pass and change your plans you may cancel your own reservation from the Museum Passes page on our website, or you may call the Library. A reservation cancelled three days or less before the re- served date will be counted as a “no-show” and will result in you being blocked from reserving additional passes for the next thirty days. I want to learn more before I go! On the web page with the museum listing, click on the link Suggested reads before you go!    If you have provided the Library with an email address, you will receive this list of related books, movies and/or music owned by the Library via email in your reservation confirmation.

The E.C. Scranton Memorial Library 801 Boston Post Road in Madison, CT. The phone number is 203-245-7365. They are on the web at www.scrantonlibrary.org