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FAQs for Educators
What is the Cool Culture Family Pass? How does it work?
Cool Culture’s Family Pass is a card that offers eligible families free and unlimited general admission for up to 5 people (children and adults) to 90 partner cultural institutions for one year! Families present their current Family Pass upon entry. The specific museum, botanical garden, or zoo may ask for a photo ID of the pass holder that matches the name on the Family Pass; the Passes are non-transferable.
The Family Pass covers general admission for regular exhibits. There may be extra fees for special exhibits and activities. Please call the museum if you’re unsure about any ticketing questions.
We want Cool Culture! How can our program apply?
Cool Culture partners with early education programs for a one year period. Early enrollment is open from May to September – this period ensures that your families will be able to register for and get Family Passes by November! Final enrollment is in October and November, with those Family Passes distributed the following January and March. Find the enrollment form for DOE schools here and for child care centers here. (As of October 14, 2022, we reached capacity for child care center enrollment and are not accepting new centers’ applications for the 2022-2023 program year. Public schools are still eligible to apply.)
We work exclusively with early childhood programs in underserved communities: child care, Head Start, Universal Pre-K programs, and select Title I public schools. Please review program eligibility for DOE schools here and for early child care centers here. At this time, Family Day Care programs are not eligible for enrollment.
My school currently participates in Cool Culture. How do my families register for the Family Pass?
Your center or school’s appointed Cultural Liaison (often the parent coordinator in a school) will hold Family Pass registration periods from October through February with guidance from Cool Culture. Participating programs are provided registration materials for families. See the specific timelines for family pass registration for centers here and for schools here.
How can parents replace a lost Family Pass?
Depending on the time of the year, replacement requests may be submitted during one of Cool Culture’s Family Pass Registration periods from October through February. In the meantime, a Loaner Pass may be provided until a customized Family Pass can be printed.
Which museums and cultural spaces are part of the Family Pass network? How do you choose which ones to partner with?
Visit our Cultural Partner Visitation Portal to browse nearly 90 museums, botanical gardens, zoos and more by borough! You’ll also find admissions tips and links to their websites to get their most updated safety guidelines and ticketing information.
Museums and other cultural partners sign an agreement with Cool Culture to offer our families free and unlimited general admission to their regular exhibits. (Special events or exhibitions might have fees – always check with the specific cultural partner first!) The network is offered to early childhood audiences, as this has historically been one of the most under-represented groups when it comes to diversity, access, and inclusion at cultural institutions.
Unfortunately not all cultural spaces in NYC agree to partner with Cool Culture. You may want to try booking free admission through your library card’s Culture Pass to access places that are not in our network. Some museums and cultural spaces also offer free admission on certain days/times or may offer free admission for EBT card holders.
Who do I contact with questions about invoices and billing?
Please email our Program Manager Tra Nguyen (tnguyen@coolculture.org) and Program Assistant Annallyce Rodriguez-Thomas (arodriguezthomas@coolculture.org) for invoicing questions.
Similar to your school or center, Cool Culture was also impacted by staffing and transitions during the pandemic. Thank you for your understanding as we work through our communication backlog and improve our systems for the coming year.
What is the Curators for Educators program?
Year-round Seminars and Dialogues for and with educators whose schools and centers are enrolled in the Family Pass Program help them to harness arts and culture to support the wellbeing of families. Art viewing, art making, and discussions guide you in cultivating family engagement in the arts and at your school. We partner with colleagues from partner museums, art galleries, and arts education organizations in each session. Activity sheets and other resources are shared with all enrolled educators.
I couldn’t attend a Curators for Educators seminar or dialogue. Where can I find resources from the sessions?
Resources from our Curators for Educators sessions are available to enrolled educators in an online folder. They include presentations, session recordings, and museum activity sheets. Please email family@coolculture.org for the link!
How is Cool Culture’s Family Pass different from NYC’s Culture Pass?
Cool Culture’s Family Pass is offered through our partner early childcare centers and public schools. It offers one year of free, unlimited general admission to participating cultural institutions. The Family Pass also allows up to 5 family members per visit.
The NYC Culture Pass is offered through the public library system for card holders age 13 and older. Card holders are limited to one admissions pass reservation per cultural institution per calendar year.
Additional Questions?
Please email us at info@coolculture.org
