Many Valley museums and cultural attractions are now free for all ASU students and faculty through a new program introduced in July at the ASU Libraries.
Culture Passes, first launched in 2009 by a collaboration of Valley arts and cultural organizations, is a program that allows the public to check out passes just like checking out books at a local library for free admission to places such as the Phoenix Art Museum, the Desert Botanical Gardens and the Arizona Science Center.
“We are really excited that we are able to participate in this program,” said Jennifer Duvernay, marketing and outreach officer for the ASU libraries. “When we found out that they invited us to participate we were really excited to be able to offer that.”
The Culture Pass program was brought to ASU when Alliance for Audience, a non-profit gathering of all the arts and cultural organizations around the Valley, noticed an increased number of college students interested in the program.
Matt Lehrman, executive director of Alliance for Audience, said there is a motivation to make sure that students know that Phoenix is home to a wide range of museums and cultural destinations.
“The whole reason you are a student is to open yourself to new experiences,” Lehrman said. “I would expect that students are hungry and thirsty for what Culture Passes have to offer.”
Duvernay said the process for checking out a pass is simple. Sun Card holders will be able to check out a pass and receive a ticket to bring to their destination by taking a Culture Pass destination card, located at kiosks at any library on all four campuses, to an information desk.
Culture Passes allow free admission for two people and expires seven days after they are checked out.
Students are able to check online which attractions are available by searching for “Culture Passes” on the ASU Libraries home page.
Political science sophomore Lindsey Janklow said she would probably use a Culture Pass in the future.
“I could potentially use (them) for a class,” Janklow said. “It would probably be interesting and give me something to do if I was bored.”
The libraries are continuing to promote this new program through Facebook and Twitter as well as on the ASU Libraries home page with the hope of increasing its popularity, Duvernay said.
“When you are a student, the cultural museums are fun to visit, but it can get expensive to keep paying every time you go,” Duvernay said. “We really hope that people take advantage of it.”
Reach the reporter at newlin.tillotson@asu.edu
