Membership benefits of museums participating in the North American Reciprocal Museum Association (NARM): 923 museums offer free admission

When I came up with what I thought was a great idea, a "local resident history pass" ("A proposal for a DCResidentCulturePass in DC"), John Suau, Executive Director of the Historical Society of Washington, pointed out to me that a form of that exists already, through museums and related organizations participating as members of the North American Reciprocal Museum Association (NARM).

Membership in a museum at a certain level--for the Historical Society of Washington it is $100 and above--entitles members to visit other museums and sites across North America for no additional charge.

Just within DC, it means that if you're a member of the HSW, you can also visit:

• Dumbarton House
• Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens
• International Arts & Artists/Hillyer Arts Space
• Jewish Historical Society & Lillian & Albert Small Jewish Museum
• Kreeger Museum
• National Building Museum
• Phillips Collection
• Tudor Place Historic House and Garden

for no additional charge. Additionally, some DC museums that don't charge admission are also members:

• American University Museum (Katzen Center)
• George Washington University Museum and Textile Museum

Plus, there are some participating museums nearby in Virginia and Maryland.

=======
Note that it turns out there is a competing organization called ROAM, the Reciprocal Organization of Museums, and some organizations are members of both. So by joining a museum or organization that is a member of both, such as the Hillyer Arts Space or Kreeger Museum, you can expand your options.

There is also the Western Reciprocal Program linking a number of museums from Minneapolis to the West Coast, and the Time Travelers Network, organized by the Missouri History Network, of history museums.

Interestingly, Philadelphia area museums put a 15 mile radius restriction on NARM participation, so that unlike in DC, you can't join one museum and visit others with no additional charge or membership fee.