On a hot summer day, what’s cooler than exploring local Tampa Bay museums? If you have a library card, you can take advantage of the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative’s Museum Pass Program.

Thanks to PPLC’s partnerships with area museums, you can get a free family admission to Dunedin History Museum, Florida CraftArt, The Florida Holocaust Museum, Great Explorations Children’s Museum, Imagine Museum, The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art, Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts and in Tampa, the Henry B. Plant Museum and Tampa Bay History Center.

“PPLC’s Museum Pass Program began in 2015. Last year in 2022, we gave out 10,000 passes (and up to five people could use each pass) so it’s more than 10,000 people who are enjoying the program. Beginning on June 1, we’re adding more museums to the program, including The Glazer Children’s Museum of Tampa and The Collection on Palmetto (antique automobiles and engines in Clearwater),” says Cheryl Morales, PPLC executive director.

Library card holders can borrow a free family pass to these institutions for seven days. Each PPLC member library and its branches have two museum passes from each museum partner (except for the Henry B. Plant Museum which has a total of six passes countywide).

Passes are available for in-person check out on a first-come, first-served basis. Passes are not renewable or holdable. You can use the program as many times as you want, but you can only use one museum pass at a time. Passes can only be checked out by adult PPLC cardholders in good standing. Admission is valid for up to two adults and three children, under the age of 18, from the same household.

To see what passes are available and at what museum, go to https://pplc.us/museums/. When you check out a pass, the library will give you a check-out receipt to take to the museum. Present the library check-out receipt to the museum staff for entry; they will retain the receipt. Passes will automatically be removed from a borrower’s record after seven days.

The Pinellas Public Library Cooperative serves Pinellas County residents in member cities and unincorporated Pinellas County. The cooperative office provides coordination of programs, funding, and marketing for the 14 member libraries, offering classes, audio books, E-books, DVDs, events and more for children, teens, adults and seniors. You can even borrow a ukulele at some branches, take a crafts class, play games (mahjong, Dungeons & Dragons, Scrabble), join a book club, learn to research your genealogy or pursue a writing dream. To find out what’s happening at your library by month, visit https://pplc.us/program-guide/.

To obtain a card at the public libraries a patron must be a Pinellas County resident or property owner and provide a valid Florida driver’s license, Florida identification card, or picture ID with their name and current address. You can do it online at some libraries, but if you apply in person at one of our libraries, you will receive your card immediately. https://pplc.us/get-a-library-card/.

Dunedin History Museum — 349 Main St., Dunedin. Dunedin Museum contains approximately 2,000 artifacts, 2,500 photographs, and a library containing 200 volumes of local and Florida history. Included in the collection is an electronic archive of the Dunedin Times Newspaper, from 1924 through 1965. Visit www.dunedinmuseum.org.

Florida CraftArt — 501 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. FCA is a member-supported, nonprofit organization presenting fine craft art by more than 220 Florida artists in the 2,500-square-foot Florida Artists Gallery and in the adjacent exhibition gallery. Visit floridacraftart.org.

The Florida Holocaust Museum — 55 Fifth St. S., St. Petersburg. The Florida Holocaust Museum honors the memory of millions of innocent men, women and children who suffered or died in the Holocaust. Visit www.thefhm.org.

Great Explorations Children’s Museum — 1925 Fourth St. N., St. Petersburg. For over 35 years, Great Explorations has been Tampa Bay’s preeminent children’s museum supporting practical learning applications through a proven creative curriculum. Visit greatex.org.

Imagine Museum — 1901 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Imagine Museum features a spectacular collection of contemporary glass art from around the world. Experience the evolution of the studio glass art movement of artists who have turned it into contemporary masterpieces of color, motion, and light. Visit www.imaginemuseum.com.

The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art — 150 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. The James Museum’s art includes paintings, sculpture, jewelry, and artifacts by 20th and 21st century artists. The collection is robust in contemporary figurative Western paintings, created since 1980, that feature 19th century historical narratives. Visit thejamesmuseum.org.

Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art — 600 E Klosterman Road, Tarpon Springs. The Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art is a modern and contemporary art museum featuring works from the 20th and 21st century masters as well as contemporary artists working in Florida and the Gulf Coast regions. Visit leeparattner.org.

Museum of Fine Arts — 255 Beach Drive NE, St. Petersburg. From a collection covering almost 5,000 years of civilization in thousands of objects extending from antiquity to present, to fascinating traveling exhibitions, to exciting events in the heart of downtown’s scenic waterfront, the MFA is here for your discovery. Visit mfastpete.org.

Safety Harbor Museum & Cultural Center — 329 Bayshore Blvd. S., Safety Harbor. The Safety Harbor Museum and Cultural Center is proud to offer a multitude of activities that celebrate the history of Safety Harbor while welcoming the growing arts community. Visit www.cityofsafetyharbor.com/573/Museum-Cultural-Center.