Members receive unlimited admission all year round. Learn about all the benefits and levels of membership by visiting our membership page.

Full-price, public tickets are discounted by $1 per ticket when you buy via our website. Public tickets bought online are $13 for adults & children or $12 for grandparents/seniors. Receive your barcoded tickets via email and scan them at the admission desk to enter—it’s cheaper and helps the admission line move faster. Use the green button above to purchase.

This discount applies strictly to full-price, general admission tickets purchased via our website. Discount does not apply to special events, parties, Adult Swim, or other types of admission. Member tickets are still free and guaranteed, no reservation necessary.

Individuals and families who qualify for access admission can visit for only $2 per person. This discount is available every day the museum is open, available to families that qualify for our Family Access Memberships. Check the list of qualifying programs below. If you qualify, ask for the Access Admission rate at the front desk, no proof necessary.

Planning to visit frequently? Consider getting an Access Membership instead, which includes admission for your family for a whole year. Family Access memberships are available for a minimum of $20, but we ask that families give as much as they are able. Families able to pay a little more will allow us to serve more in need.

Planning a trip to the museum as part of a family reunion, parents group, or other multi-family outing? Groups planning to purchase 12 or more tickets are eligible for our bulk ticket discount, reducing tickets to $10 for adults/children and $9 for seniors/grandparents.

You must contact our registrar in advance to receive this discount. Groups of 12-30 should contact us at least 48 hours before your visit. Groups of 31 or more may not be able to be accommodated on all dates, please contact our registrar at least 7 days in advance of your visit.

This discount cannot be combined with any other discount (including membership, Access Admissions, ASTC/ACM, etc.)

Note: school groups, camps, scouts, and other child care organizations use our Field Trip program.

Early-childhood/preschool through 12th grade teachers receive free admission to MCM. Show proof of your educator status (such as a teacher ID, teacher email address, or staff page on a school website) at the front desk to receive one adult free admission per teacher present.

From Armed Forces Day through Labor Day Weekend (May 17–August 31, 2025), active-duty military personnel and their families, including National Guard and Reserve, can enjoy free admission to MCM.

Admission includes up to 6 total people (active duty person, plus up to 5 family members) and visitors must show valid military ID (DD Form 1173-1 ID, dependent DD Form 1173 card, or Geneva Convention Common Access Card ). The current military member does not need to be present, but the family member must show the military ID card.

Blue Star Museums is a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense and more than 2,000 museums across the U.S. See the full list of participating museums here.

On Veterans Day, we are pleased to offer all veterans and active-duty military personnel free admission to MCM all day. If the active-duty family member is currently deployed, the free admission can be enjoyed by another family member.

When Veterans Day falls on a day when the museum is closed, free admission will be available on the next open day.

We are pleased to be part of two worldwide museum associations that offer discounts to museum members at hundreds of museums and science centers: the Association of Children’s Museums Reciprocal Network and the Association of Science and Technology Centers Travel Passport program.

Association of Children’s Museums (ACM) Reciprocal Network

Members of participating children’s museums receive 50% off admission for up to 6 people.  See the complete list of participating museums and guidelines.

Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) Travel Passport

Members of participating museums receive reciprocal free admission for up to 6 people. Restrictions: the participating museum must be located more than 90 miles from MCM* and the member cannot live within 90 miles of MCM. See the complete list of participating museums and guidelines.

*Discovery World is within 90 miles of MCM, but members can receive this ASTC reciprocal discount, due to an agreement between MCM and Discovery World.

 How to receive a museum association discount at MCM

The ACM Reciprocal Network discount and ASTC Passport discount are available for same-day tickets purchased in person only. The discount cannot be retroactively applied to online ticket purchases.

To receive the discount, you will need to present a photo ID plus a membership card or membership email from your home museum. You do not need a hard copy; we can look at a digital card or email on your smartphone or tablet.

The membership card or email must show:

• the name of the home museum
• your name(s)
• an expiration date showing that the membership is currently valid
• verification that your membership level provides the ACM or ASTC discount, as not all membership levels include the discount. This usually comes in the form of the ACM or ASTC program logos on the card or email.

We do not share a member database with other museums and cannot look up your membership there.

If you do not currently have a card or email that shows this information, we recommend you contact your home museum and ask them to send you an email including all the information above.

Madison Children’s Museum members also receive ACM and ASTC reciprocal admission benefits at hundreds of museums around the country. Find out about all the benefits of an MCM membership here.

Exchange Public Tickets

Public tickets may be exchanged once at no charge for a future available date. The request for an exchange must be made at least 24 hours in advance of your originally scheduled arrival time. Your patience is necessary and greatly appreciated; this exchange system is human-powered, not automated.