The Backyard Tourist

Savvy travelers know that one of the best ways to save money on the road isn’t through hotel rewards or airline miles.

It’s through museum memberships.

For cultural travelers who spend weekends exploring historic sites, museums, architecture, presidential landmarks, and heritage destinations, the right membership can pay for itself after just a few visits. Better yet, many memberships provide reciprocal admission benefits that unlock hundreds of attractions throughout the Midwest and beyond.

If your ideal road trip includes museums and historic sites, here are five memberships worth considering.

1. Illinois State Historical Society

For travelers passionate about Illinois history, the Illinois State Historical Society is one of the state’s most valuable organizations.

Founded in 1899, the Society promotes the study, preservation, and interpretation of Illinois history through publications, educational programs, awards, and advocacy efforts.

While membership isn’t built around free museum admission, it offers something equally valuable: a deeper connection to the stories and places that define Illinois.

Members receive:

• Historical publications
• Access to educational programming
• Preservation advocacy updates
• Opportunities to connect with historians and preservationists
• Information about significant historic sites throughout the state

For travelers who regularly explore places like Springfield, Galena, Nauvoo, Joliet, Alton, and Route 66 communities, membership helps deepen the experience beyond simply visiting attractions.

2. Chicago History Museum Membership

A membership at the Chicago History Museum can be one of the best investments for Illinois-based travelers.

Beyond unlimited admission to one of the Midwest’s premier history museums, members often enjoy benefits such as:

• Free admission year-round
• Discounts on public programs
• Invitations to special events
• Museum store savings
• Exhibition previews

The museum’s exhibitions explore everything from the Great Chicago Fire and the World’s Columbian Exposition to sports, politics, immigration, architecture, and social movements.

For anyone interested in understanding Chicago’s influence on American history, this membership offers tremendous value.

Even better, frequent visits allow members to experience rotating exhibitions and public programs throughout the year.

3. Wisconsin Historical Society Membership

Just north of Illinois lies one of the nation’s strongest state historical organizations.

The Wisconsin Historical Society oversees an impressive network of museums, historic sites, archives, and educational programs across the state.

Membership benefits often include:

• Free admission to Wisconsin Historical Society sites
• Publications and newsletters
• Discounts on programs and purchases
• Support for preservation initiatives

For Midwest travelers exploring destinations such as Madison, Green Bay, Door County, Mineral Point, and Prairie du Chien, membership can quickly become a valuable companion.

The Society’s network allows visitors to explore everything from Native American history and pioneer settlements to industrial heritage and political history.

4. North American Reciprocal Museum Association (NARM)

If there is one membership program every serious museum traveler should understand, it’s NARM.

The North American Reciprocal Museum Association is not a museum itself. Instead, it is a reciprocal benefits network connecting more than 1,000 museums, galleries, botanical gardens, and cultural institutions across North America.

Many museums offer NARM benefits at higher membership levels.

The advantages can include:

• Free admission at participating institutions
• Member discounts
• Museum shop savings
• Access to special exhibitions

For travelers who regularly visit museums while road-tripping, NARM can save hundreds of dollars annually.

A single upgraded membership at a participating museum may provide benefits at destinations throughout Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Missouri, and beyond.

This is perhaps the closest thing museum lovers have to an all-access travel pass.

5. Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC)

Families should pay special attention to ASTC reciprocity.

The Association of Science and Technology Centers connects hundreds of science museums, children’s museums, and discovery centers throughout the United States and internationally.

Benefits often include reciprocal admission to participating institutions.

This can be particularly valuable for:

• Parents
• Grandparents
• Homeschooling families
• Multi-generational travelers

A few visits to science museums during family vacations can easily offset the cost of membership.

For travelers who enjoy destinations such as science museums, planetariums, innovation centers, and children’s museums, ASTC reciprocity may be one of the best values available.

How to Choose the Right Membership

Not every traveler needs every membership.

Ask yourself:

• Do I primarily visit history museums?
• Am I interested in preservation and heritage tourism?
• Do I travel throughout multiple states each year?
• Do I frequently visit museums with children?
• Do I want reciprocal benefits?

Your answers will help determine which memberships provide the greatest value.

Many experienced museum travelers maintain one local membership and one reciprocal membership that provides nationwide benefits.

More Than Just Savings

The financial benefits are significant, but museum memberships offer something even more important.

They support the institutions that preserve our stories.

Membership dollars help fund:

• Educational programs
• Exhibit development
• Artifact conservation
• Historic preservation
• Community engagement

Every membership helps ensure future generations can continue exploring the places and stories that define our communities.

The Backyard Tourist Takeaway

Museum memberships are one of the smartest investments a cultural traveler can make. Whether you’re exploring Route 66, touring presidential sites, discovering small-town museums, or spending weekends chasing history across the Midwest, the right membership can save money while opening doors to new experiences.

Better still, every membership supports the museums, historic sites, and cultural organizations that make travel meaningful.

For frequent travelers, that’s a win-win worth celebrating.