Zoo and museum reciprocity!

With summer travel coming up for those phil&teds users in the USA, here is something I wish I had used more in our travels.  In our recent trip to Arizona (my husband played Romeo with Arizona Opera in the late Fall)  I got very excited to use our reciprocal museum benefits through the Association of Science and Technology Centers.  I LOVE going to museums with my kids.   I knew some museums had reciprocal benefits before, but I became fairly obsessed going everywhere we could on this trip. 

In Tucson, Arizona, we spent a fun day at the International Wildlife Museum. I like the photo in the top left where our phil&teds is protecting my baby from the bear!   

We also enjoyed both the Tucson Mineral Museum and the Arizona Science Center (of Phoenix).  We liked both places so much, we went to each place two days in a row. 

The Arizona Science Center has a fun exhibit on the body.  The exhibit includes a huge model of a human stomach that kids can climb up and slide down.  There are very loud digestive noises, including lots of flatulence as kids move around.  As we seem to be in a potty humor phase, my kids were delighted.  My four year old Jane explained, "I like it because it farts and it is a slide."  Oh my.

On our drive back from Arizona, we spent the night in Las Vegas.  We used our reciprocal benefits to go to the Las Vegas Natural History Museum.  To continue our potty humor, I thought the photo of our kids watching their Dad going through the colon crawl was hilarious.  This was an special exhibit about parasites, that I chose to not explain very well to my kids.  I do not need kids having parasite nightmares.

Not on our pass, but we spent a late night on the Strip with our kids.  I kept thinking, "who are those irresponsible parents with their three kids walking all over Las Vegas so late at night?"  Oh, it was us.  We love the Bellagio fountain shows.  We also found the new pirate show at Treasure Island is made for 12-15 year old boys (it was so stupid, not made for little kids!)  

Below, although technically too big, our older kids both fell asleep in our explorer after walking over four miles of the Las Vegas strip. 

SO, if you have a membership to your local children's museum, science center, or zoo and are planning a trip soon, see where your benefits can take you!  Here is the link for the Association of Science and Technology Centers programs, and here is the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.  I LOVE it!!!

And back in the car. . . .

 Do other countries have reciprocal benefits like this?