Title
Phoenix Public Library Culture Pass Service - Citywide
Description
This report provides the Community Services and Education Subcommittee with an overview of Phoenix Public Library’s free Culture Pass service.
THIS ITEM IS FOR INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION.
Report
Summary
Phoenix Public Library has participated in Act One’s Culture Pass program since 2013. Act One is a nonprofit organization that partners with arts and cultural institutions to expand access to arts experiences for children, families and the broader community. Through this partnership, Act One distributes free admission passes to 200 academic and public libraries across 13 Arizona counties. Phoenix Public Library currently offers passes for 22 participating arts and cultural institutions.
Culture Passes are available at all 17 Phoenix Public Library locations and on the Library’s bookmobile. Passes are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. When a customer checks out a pass, they receive a date due slip that serves as admission for two individuals for a single visit to the designated institution within seven days of checkout. Passes expire automatically and do not need to be returned. Passes cannot be renewed or placed on hold. Customers may check out one pass per family at a time, with a maximum of two passes per month.
Participating institutions include Desert Botanical Garden, Heard Museum, Phoenix Art Museum, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, among others. Passes generally cover standard admission. Special exhibitions may not be included, and restrictions may vary by location.
The Culture Pass program remains one of Phoenix Public Library’s most popular services. In 2025, customers checked out 18,020 passes. As of the end of May 2026, 7,676 passes have been checked out.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Gina Montes and the Library Department.