Membership FAQ

With the museum closed, are you offering extensions on annual memberships?

Yes. We will honor our commitment to provide a full year of free admission benefits for every member. Extensions will be made as soon as we have a scheduled reopening date and will be applied to all memberships. We look forward to welcoming you back when we reopen, and we appreciate your support more than ever!

What about gift membership vouchers? Are you extending those too?

If you’ve received a gift membership voucher, we encourage you to activate it before it expires, regardless of the museum’s current closure due to COVID-19. Once we know our date to reopen, we will extend your gifted membership to include a full 12 months of admission benefits. Activating your voucher now will not decrease the effective length of your membership, and doing so will make you immediately eligible for other benefits, such as ASTC reciprocity, store discounts, and members-only content. If you choose not to activate now, however, we will also honor after reopening any vouchers that expire during our closure.

I’ve heard the Exploratorium is switching to touchless smartphone digital membership cards. How will that work?

Current members should have received a letter from the Exploratorium announcing our partnership with industry leader Cuseum to offer digital membership cards. Closer to reopening, you will receive an email from Cuseum with instructions for downloading your membership card to your phone. If you did not receive the announcement letter and want to update your email address, please get in touch at 415.528.4321 or membership@exploratorium.edu. We’ll provide additional information and answers to your questions before we reopen.

Can I apply general admission tickets toward a membership?

Absolutely! Once the Exploratorium reopens, when you visit with general admission tickets, you can apply your ticket costs toward a membership at any time on the day of your visit. The number and type of applicable tickets varies with the membership level you purchase. Tickets purchased from third-party vendors are not applicable, and other restrictions apply. Ask any Membership Associate for details during your visit.

I just joined and am planning my first visit to the Exploratorium. What do I need?

Thank you for joining! New members will receive their digital membership card via email closer to our reopening date. Once the Exploratorium reopens, if you have not received your membership card yet, stop by our member check-in table with your photo ID, and we will make sure you can start exploring right away.

Is an Exploratorium membership reciprocal with other museums?

Yes! The Exploratorium participates in ASTC's Passport Program, which entitles all our Daytime members to free admission to over 350 science and technology centers (once they reopen) located outside of a 90-mile radius from the Exploratorium. The reciprocity benefit can be used during the Exploratorium’s closure to visit open non-local Passport Program museums. If your membership card has an expiration date that has passed, please email membership@exploratorium.edu for written proof that the Exploratorium will be extending expiration dates to ensure you won’t have any issues during your visits to our partner institutions.

Do I need my membership card to visit the Exploratorium?

No, you do not need your membership card to visit the Exploratorium. Once the Exploratorium reopens, bring your photo ID and check in at any of our membership or ticketing stations, and a representative can assist you.

Why do I need to present a photo ID along with my membership card?

We ask all of our members to present some form of photo identification along with their membership cards to ensure that the membership is being used by the appropriate party. Exploratorium memberships are nontransferable.

Can a guest use my membership without being named on the membership?

That will depend on your level of membership. Dual and Family Explorers levels can only be used by the adults named on the membership. However, if there is only one named adult, then a guest can visit the museum as long as the guest is accompanied by the named adult member. For Family with Caregiver, Insider, Supporter, and Sustainer levels, guests can use the "Caregiver" or "Guest of" membership cards and enter the museum without the named adult members.

How do the Guest and Caregiver Cards work?

If your membership includes a Caregiver card or a Guest card, you may loan out that card. The person using it can visit without you and will not need to provide ID. It is the named member’s responsibility to maintain control of these cards.

Membership Level	Extra Cards	Use of Card
Family with Caregiver	1 Caregiver Card	Without named member present, one adult may bring children for Daytime admission only. With named member present, an extra guest may come in place of a caregiver.
Insiders	2 Guest Cards	Without named member, the limit per day is 2 adult guests and up to 4 children. It is not necessary for a group to bring both guest cards.
Supporters / Sustainers	2 Guest Cards	Limit per day is 6 guests of any age. It is not necessary for a group to bring both guest cards.

What if I have additional guests with me who are not covered for free by my membership level?

Once the Exploratorium reopens, any additional guests accompanying you are eligible for a discounted ticket rate: $5 off any adult or youth ticket, and $2 off any child ticket.

I joined or renewed my membership during the closure, but my card(s) never arrived. What can I do?

Thank you for your support! We have not been mailing out paper membership cards during the Exploratorium’s closure. We will roll out our new digital membership cards before we reopen. If you need confirmation of your membership prior to reopening in order to take advantage of the ASTC reciprocity, please contact the Membership office at 415.528.4321 or membership@exploratorium.edu and we will be happy to assist you.

Can I purchase an Exploratorium membership as a gift for someone else?

Yes! An Exploratorium membership makes a great gift for any occasion. When you purchase a gift membership, you will receive a voucher you can give as a gift. Each gift voucher has an expiration date of 120 days from the purchase date. The membership benefits start when the gift recipient redeems the gift voucher. Gift recipients are encouraged to activate their gift voucher before it expires, regardless of the museum’s closure due to COVID-19. They will be immediately eligible for certain benefits, such as ASTC reciprocity, store discounts, and member-only content. And once we know our date to reopen, all members will have their memberships automatically extended in order to receive 12 full months of free admission. To learn more, contact us at 415.528.4321 or membership@exploratorium.edu.

Is an Exploratorium membership tax-deductible?

Yes, it is. As a donation to a nonprofit organization, your membership fees are either partially or fully tax-deductible depending on the level. You will receive a welcome letter listing the tax-deductible amount. Thank you for your essential support!

Digital Membership Card FAQ

The Exploratorium is pleased to introduce digital membership cards as a contact-free and environmentally friendly benefit of membership! We hope these answers to common questions will help you download and use your new digital card. Additional questions can be directed to our membership staff at 415.528.4321 or membership@exploratorium.edu.

How do I add my digital membership card to my iPhone?

Access your digital card invitation email from your smartphone. Click the "Download" button, then click "Add to Wallet" and "Add." The card will automatically go to your iPhone’s Apple Wallet. It can be accessed in Wallet at any time.

How do I add my digital membership card to my Android phone?

Android users need to install Wallet Passes from Google Play. After you have the app, access your digital card invitation email from your smartphone, and click “Download.” The card will automatically go to your Wallet Passes app, where it can be accessed at any time.

I am not sure I received my digital card. Can you send it again?

Our digital card invitation will be emailed early in 2021. Please check your junk, spam, trash, and updates folders for an email from membership@cuseum.com. If you are still unable to find your digital card invitation, please contact us at 415.528.4321 or email membership@exploratorium.edu. We can resend the email for you to download and enjoy your digital membership card.

I downloaded my card but I can’t find it.

If you have an iPhone, the card will automatically download to Apple Wallet. Check the Wallet app for your new card (scroll through any cards that are already there—it may be hiding!). If you have an Android, you’ll need to download Wallet Passes from the Play Store prior to downloading the card.

What's on the “back” of my digital card, and where do I find it?

On the “back” of your digital membership card, you’ll find useful information about your membership, plus embedded links you can use to get directions to the Exploratorium, check our events calendar, and access other information. To see the back of the card:

On your iPhone, tap on the 3 small dots at the upper right corner of your card.
On your Android phone, tap on the information icon (the lower case “i” in a circle).

I’d prefer not to use this digital membership card. What should I do?

We can still mail you a paper membership card upon special request. If you have already purchased your membership and would like a paper card mailed to you, please call 415.528.4321 or email membership@exploratorium.edu.

I don’t have a smartphone. What can I do?

Please call 415.528.4321, email membership@exploratorium.edu, or visit the Information Desk on site to request a paper membership card.

My name is spelled wrong or my membership level is incorrect. How do I fix that?

Please call 415.528.4321 or email membership@exploratorium.edu to update your membership record. The updates will show up on your phone within 10 days.

How will I use my digital membership card?

Use your card to find all your up-to-date membership information—including your personal pass number and membership expiration date—and to gain admission when you visit our ASTC Passport Program reciprocal admission partners.

Once the Exploratorium reopens, new measures will be in place to ensure everyone has a safe and comfortable visit, including a new timed-ticketing reservation system. Your new digital membership card will update automatically with all of the information you’ll need, including your pass number, in order to log in to our new timed ticketing system and prepare for your visit. You can also easily find your new expiration date, after your membership is extended to account for our closure.

How will my reciprocal benefits work when visiting other organizations?

All Daytime members have ASTC reciprocity, and your digital card includes the ASTC logo. You can simply show your digital card at participating organizations to receive free or reduced admission! If you have questions about ASTC guidelines or participating museums, you can go to the back of your digital card and click on the ASTC link, or visit the ASTC Passport Program.

Will I still need to show my photo ID with my digital card when I check in at the Museum?

Yes. The safety of our members is very important to us, and we want to ensure that no one else is using your membership benefits.

What do "automatic updates" mean?

Please keep this option (on the back of your card) toggled on. This will ensure your digital card stays up to date with your membership’s current expiration date, membership benefits, and Exploratorium timed ticketing information.

If I "allow notifications," what kind of notifications will you send me?

We will send reminders when your membership benefits are about to lapse. We realize constant notifications are intrusive, and we promise to only send information pertinent to the status of your membership.

Will my digital card update automatically when I renew my membership?

No. If your membership information changes, you’ll need to download your digital card again. When you renew or upgrade your membership, you’ll be invited to download a new version of your card.

How do I share my membership?

If you have a second member named on your membership; or if you have a Family with Caregiver, Insider, Supporter, or Sustainer membership, and you want to share your membership with a friend, family member, or caregiver without a named member being present; then please follow the instructions below.

Navigate to the “back” of your membership card (in Apple Wallet or Wallet Passes). Then share the card as follows:

On an iPhone, click on the “share” icon (tiny rectangle with upwards arrow), select iMessage, and send your card via text to the intended recipient. When they receive your text, they should tap on the image of the card, and select “Save.” The card will be added to their Wallet.
On an Android phone, click the “Share Pass” button to send the card to your recipient. The recipient must also have Wallet Passes on their smartphone.

Please note: Sharing cards is intended for temporary usage, limited to family members and friends, and must remain consistent with the terms and conditions of your membership.

Membership FAQ

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