Difference between revisions of "Reciprocal museum programs"

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{{seo|description=Increase the rewards from your credit card spending by using cards that earn the best reward rates on bonus categories, like restaurants, travel, groceries, and gas.}}
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'''This page is still under construction.'''
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The easiest way to earn free travel is to get a credit card that offers a great reward rate on your purchases; and use that card, rather than cash or check, whenever you can. Over the course of a year, you’ll effortlessly earn thousands of points you can use for free flights and hotel rooms. By simply choosing the right {{Link|general purpose|general-purpose rewards card}}, you should be earning at least 2% in rewards.
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However, you can do even better. Many credit cards offer higher-than-normal reward rates for spending within certain categories. For example, one card may give bonus rewards for purchases from gas stations and supermarkets, while another card may give bonuses on travel and restaurants.
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{{Image|NARMMap.png|full}}  
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<blockquote>
 
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By using different cards for different types of purchases, you can earn more reward points (or cash back) on your spending—with rewards rates as high as 10%!
 
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Unless you have problems with credit, you don’t need to worry about getting a handful of new credit cards, just to earn more rewards. Getting a few additional cards won’t trash your credit score—it may just improve it. For more information, and general tips, see our {{Link|Credit Cards 101}} article.
 
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{{TOC}}
 
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*[[#Using different cards, for different purchases, isn't for everyone|Using different cards, for different purchases, isn't for everyone]]
 
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*[[#Tips for getting reward cards for different spending categories|Tips]]
 
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*[[#Which cards are best?|Which cards are best?]]
 
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*[[#The best cards for earning bonus rewards|The best cards for earning bonus rewards]]
 
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*[[#Reward Combos|Reward Combos]]
 
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*[[#Increasing your reward rate with gift cards (advanced)|Increasing your reward rate with gift cards (advanced)]]
 
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*[[#xxx|xxx]]
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{{Main|article}}
 
{{Main|article}}
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=== Using different cards, for different purchases, isn't for everyone ===
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=== How reciprocal museum programs work ===
  
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<ul class="bulletlist">
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When you become a member of any museum or attraction in the program, you get free access to all of the other participating locations. For example, if you join the Science Museum in your home town, you can freely visit dozens of science museums all around the country.  
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<li>'''Optimizing your rewards, by using different credit cards for different purchases, makes life more complicated'''. It is simpler to carry around a single card, and use it for all your purchases; than it is to get, carry, and choose from a collection of different reward cards.</li>
 
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<li>'''You can earn a lot more points by focusing on signup bonuses, rather than optimizing your ongoing reward rates'''. Unless you have some means of spending a lot of money, the amount of extra reward points you can earn by using an optimized set of cards over the course of the year is often smaller than the signup bonus for just one or two cards. And, if you choose to focus on signup bonuses, most of your spending will be focused on meeting initial spending requirements, and you'll have less opportunity to take advantage of better reward rates. {{Link|signup bonus intro}}.</li>
 
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Even more importantly, there is a limit to how many credit cards you can collect during any span of time. You’ll get more value by using those slots to get good signup bonuses (and ongoing travel benefits) rather than getting cards simply for their high reward rates. Concentrate on signup bonuses first, and worry about optimizing your reward rates later.
 
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<li>'''Not everyone wants to bother using a bunch of different cards for different purchases, and we don’t blame them'''.</li>
 
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<li>'''However, many other people (and some of us) get immense satisfaction about earning the highest possible rewards from their spending''', and wouldn’t dream of “only” earning 2 - 2.5% on a purchase, when they could be earning 3 - 5%, or even more. It is not just the extra points—it is the extra sense of satisfaction from taking your game to the next level. If you are hardcore, you can often find ways to generate additional spending, so that you can meet the initial spending requirements for as many cards as you can, while still collecting bonus rewards with your best cards.</li>
 
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<li>'''Within the “points hobby”, this is a famous source of tension between spouses'''—one spouse gets frustrated, when the other spouse doesn’t wind up using the “right” credit card for different purchases. Don’t let it bother you. If you or your spouse is not interested in having one more thing to think about, stick to a great general purpose rewards card (or maybe a two-card strategy).</li>
 
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</ul>
 
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=== Tips for getting reward cards for different spending categories ===
 
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The right set of cards to get, and the order to get them, depends on your individual circumstances.  
 
  
 
<ul class="bulletlist">
 
<ul class="bulletlist">
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<li>'''There is no single card that earns great bonus rewards in every category'''. To optimize your rewards, you’ll need to get a set of cards, and use a different card for each category. However, you can typically get one card that is good for both travel and restaurants, and another card that is good for groceries and gas.</li>
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<li>'''You usually are only entitled to "standard" admission'''. You usually need to pay extra for special exhibits, IMAX movies, and other valued-added attractions. Because these extras are often available as part of a discounted package, if you want the full experience, your discount might not amount to that much.</li>
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<li>'''Focus on the cards that earn bonus rewards for the categories where you spend the most money'''. If you mostly go out to eat, a card that earns bonus rewards on restaurants is going to be more valuable than one that earns bonus rewards on groceries, and vise versa.</li>
 
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{{ImageX|Restaurant1.jpg}}
 
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<li>'''Don’t focus on the NUMBER of points earned, focus on the VALUE of the points'''. The value of different types of points and miles varies widely. On one end of the scale, credit card reward points (like Ultimate Rewards) are usually worth close to, or more than, 2 cents each. On the other end of the scale, some hotel points, like Hilton's, are only worth .4-.5 cents each.</li>  
 
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As an example, the Hilton Ascend's 6x rewards on groceries sounds a lot better than the Amex’s Everyday's base 2x rewards. However, the Hilton points are worth around 2.7 cents per dollar, and the Membership Rewards points are worth around 3 cents per dollar. So, the 2x Membership Reward points is actually the more valuable reward rate.
 
  
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<li>'''To determine whether a card is worthwhile, you need to determine whether the extra points you'll earn justifies the card’s annual fee'''. To figure out the value you expect to get from a card, you need to take the amount you expect to spend, and multiply it by the extra points that you will earn, above-and-beyond the points you would have earned by just using your general purpose reward card. Then you need to  subtract the card's annual fee.</li>  
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<li>'''Nearby museums are usually not included'''. With most programs, you WON'T get reciprocal access to any museums that are located close to your home museum. Sometimes "nearby" is defined by an official number of miles, other times it is any location in the same state, and sometimes it is ad-hoc. So, don't expect privileges with other museums in the same metropolitan area or state.</li>  
  
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{{Card|BlueCash}}
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<li>'''Joining an out-of-state museum can provide access to all the locations that are close to your home'''. If you want privileges at all the museums in your area, you can often join a museum in some other city, rather than your favorite nearby museum. While you'll be blocked at locations located nearby the institution you join, you won't be blocked at any of your local locations. There are some downsides to this approach. Your membership money will be supporting the museum you join, rather than the one in your area; and you won't be able to take advantage of many other membership benefits, such as access to special member's only visiting hours or events. With some programs, this approach isn't even possible, as you'll be blocked to local museums based on the address on your ID, rather than the address of the museum you belong to.</li>
  
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An example may make this clearer. The Amex Blue Preferred card offers an amazing 6% cash back on your first $6,000 worth of supermarket spending. If you spend $5,000 on groceries each year, you’ll earn $300 cash back. But the real added value of the card is lower. If you already have the Chase Unlimited combo, you could have used your Unlimited card to earn 7,500 Ultimate Rewards points on the same $5,000 of groceries. If you value the Ultimate Reward points at {{Value|UR}} cents each, that works out to {{Value|UR|7500}}. The Blue Preferred card only earns $170 in additional rewards. And, in order to earn those extra rewards, you’ll need to pay the Blue Preferred card's $95 annual fee.  
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<li>'''Reciprocal benefits are not available with many less expensive memberships'''. You'll need to join your local museum at a certain level. Each of the programs enforces a minimum membership cost to access reciprocal benefits. For example, no museum in the program can provide reciprocal benefits with any membership level that costs less than $100 per year.</li>
  
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The final net benefit works out to $75 per year, not the $300 of expected rewards. If you spend less on groceries, you will earn less. If you spend the full $6,000, you can earn slightly more.  
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<li>'''You can often get a membership discount'''. The best place to check is Groupon, but other promotional codes are sometimes available.</li>
  
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When you are determining whether it makes sense to get a card for ongoing use, we recommend ignoring any waiver of the first-year’s annual fee . You are focusing on whether these cards make sense for the long run. The waived annual fee, is essentially just part of the signup bonus for the card, and doesn't affect the long term value proposition.
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<li>'''The number of guests depends on the type of membership you have'''. Typically, if you have an individual membership, you'll reciprocal benefits only apply to one person. If you have a family membership, you'll receive benefits based on the family membership of the museum you are visiting, not your home museum.</li>
  
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<li>'''You only need to pay attention to bonus rewards that are better than 2% back'''. Because you should be earning 2% or more with your general purpose card, earning 2% on a bonus category is not particularly enticing. Only pay attention to cards that have category bonuses of 3% or more. Just remember, that depending on the type of points, a card that only earns 2x points, may be earning more than 3% in value.</li>  
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<li>'''Memberships are NOT typically based on the calendar year'''. They usually last for one year after you join. With some museums and attractions, it can take some time for you to receive your membership card. So, you'll need to apply weeks before you you plan to take advantage of any reciprocal benefits.</li>  
  
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{{Card|DoubleCash}}
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<li>'''To get access, you'll need to carry your membership card'''. There is no way to look you up in some "member database". You'll need to have a valid membership card and photo ID.</li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
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=== Which cards are best: Overview  ===
 
  
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Before you can determine which cards to get for different spending categories, you need to make some decisions about 1) which types of points to earn, 2) whether you are willing and able to use business cards, and 3) how much extra work you're willing to do.
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=== Major reciprocal museum programs ===
  
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<ul class="bulletlist">
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While there are many smaller or more specialized reciprocal programs such as the Empire State Museums Reciprocal Program (mix of museums in New York state) or Connections (photography museums around the country), that may be interesting based on your location or interest, the following programs include the widest range of the most popular museums and attractions.  
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<li>'''The type of reward points you should earn depends on how you plan to use your points'''. We assign a "value" for each type of point based on a range of typical travelers. Depending on your plans and situation, these points can be much more valuable, or much less valuable, than our base values. {{Link|point values}}.</li>
 
  
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For example, if you don't have a lot of flexibility, it might be very hard to get good value by using Membership Reward points to book frequent flyer tickets, and they may only be worth 1 cent each. At the opposite extreme, if you have more flexibility, and you highly value premium-cabin award redemptions, they may be worth 3-4 cents each (or even more). </li>
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==== Art Museums ====
  
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Different people will want to follow different approaches towards earning rewards:
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Unlike Science Museums, Zoos, and Children's Museums, Art Museum reciprocal programs are pretty fragmented. Some of the more significant programs include.
  
 
<ul class="checklist">
 
<ul class="checklist">
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<li>'''Standard approach'''. It is hard to go wrong with our normal approach, which focuses on a combination of earning Ultimate Reward and cash-like points. It aims to earn the highest reward rate, assuming that you plan to use the points on EASY redemptions for a variety of travel purchases. While it provides the upside of using your Ultimate Reward points for frequent flyer tickets, it assumes you won't be using most of your points in that way.</li>  
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<li>'''[//www.metmuseum.org/join-and-give/membership/faqs Metropolitan Reciprocal Membership Program]'''. Includes 15 of the top art museums in the country, anchored by the Met in NYC.</li>
  
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<li>'''Optimized for frequent flyer tickets'''. If you have the skills and flexibility to get good value from your points by using them for frequent flyer tickets, you can earn higher rewards by including cards which earn Amex's Membership Reward points and Citibank's ThankYou points. {{Link|Transferable Points}}.</li>  
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{{Image|MET.jpg}}
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<li>'''[//www.artic.edu/support-us/membership/member-faqs Art Museum Reciprocal Membership Program]'''. Includes 15 of the top art museums in the country, anchored by Art Institute of Chicago. A few museums belong to both this program and the Met's program. </li>  
  
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This is true, even if you are just using them for economy-class tickets. But if you highly value business and first class award redemptions, and have the patience to build up large quantities of points, you should always try to earn as many "transferable" points as you can.  
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<li>'''[//sites.google.com/view/marplist/participating-museums Museum Alliance Reciprocal Program]''' (MARP). Includes 32 major US art museums, but not quite at the same overall level as the Met and Art Institute programs.</li>
  
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{{Image|TransferPrograms.png|420}}
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{{Image|Guggenheim.jpg}}
  
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For most people, the more of these points, the better, but everything else being equal, Membership Reward points are somewhat better than Ultimate Rewards and ThankYou points. If you are planning to redeem for premium-cabin frequent flyer tickets, the ability to get good value from Ultimate Reward's other redemption options doesn't provide any added value. Membership Rewards' larger number of airline partners, occasional transfer bonuses, easier points accumulation, and ability to purchase additional points (if necessary), makes it the better option. Of course, depending on the airlines you are likely to fly, you might wind up with slightly different preferences.
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<li>'''[//thewalters.org/support/membership/art-museum-reciprocal-network/ Art Museum Reciprocal Network]''' (AMRN). Similar to the MARP program, but a different cluster of major museums. </li>
  
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<li>'''Cash Only'''. Some people might prefer focusing strictly on cashback cards, or cards that earn cash-like points (which can be used for a very wide variety of travel purchases). For these people, each type of transferable reward point is only worth its cash-out value.</li>  
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<li>'''[//whitney.org/Support/Membership/ReciprocalProgram The Whitney Reciprocal Program]'''. Unlike the other programs, this isn't a mutual alliance amongst a group of museums. Rather, joining the Whitney ($140/2) gives you access to 16 other museums in the US and Europe, and joining any of those museums gives you access to the Whitney. But the various partner museums don't necessarily have any reciprocal benefits between themselves.</li>  
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
  
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<li>'''Small business credit cards expand your options for earning bonus rewards'''. If you have any type of small business (even if you also have a full-time job and you haven’t made any money yet), you are eligible for small-business credit cards. Many of these cards offer bonus rewards on spending categories that aren’t often available from personal cards—such as purchases from office supply stores or telecom providers. Technically, you aren’t supposed to use these cards for personal expenses, but many people do with no problems. If you are eligible for these cards, and willing to use them for your spending, you’ll be able to boost the rewards you earn on your spending. {{Link|Business Cards}}.</li>
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==== Others ====
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<ul class="checklist">
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{{Card|InkPreferred}}
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<li>'''[//www.astc.org/passport/ Association of Science and Technology Centers Travel Passport]''' (ASTC). Provides benefits at over 350 museums in North America, plus a smattering of museums elsewhere in the world. Includes almost every large science museum, with the notable exceptions of the Exploratarium and the Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, and the Academy of Natural Sciences in New York. You won't have privileges at museums that are within 90 miles of your home address or your membership museum. [//www.astc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/ASTCTravelPassport_6pt_Nov2018-Apr2019.pdf Participating Museums].</li>
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<li>'''Some cards are primarily attractive for people who are willing to make an extra effort to optimize their reward rate'''. For example, the Amex Gold card has a high annual fee, but a great reward rate (4x Membership Reward points) on groceries. For most people, their natural grocery store purchases aren't likely to be high enough to justify the annual fee. Their are other options that make more sense. But, if you are willing to purchase gift cards from the grocery store, and then use those gift cards at other merchants (or resell them online), you can earn enough extra points to make this card very worthwhile.</li>
 
  
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{{Image|GiftCardRack2.jpg|360}}
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{{Image|BostonGenerator.jpg}}
  
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Similarly, you can earn fantastic reward rates from rotating category cards, such as the Chase Freedom card. But, you'll need to register for a changing set of reward categories each calendar quarter. And for many quarters, you are likely to have to shift purchases around, or take advantage of gift cards, to maximize the earning potential of the card.  
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<li>'''[//narmassociation.org/ North American Reciprocal Membership]''' (NARM). This is the largest reciprocal museum program, with over 1,000 participating art, history, and specialty museums, primarily in the United States. Most of the hightest-profile museums are not members, but you'll get free access to many excellent museums in every corner of the country. [https://a1pir3oc6nm1k9qfq28au9qx-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/NARM_Winter_2018-2019.pdf Participating Museums].</li>
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</ul>
 
  
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{{Box}}
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Most '''[//sites.google.com/site/roammuseums/home Reciprocal Organization of Associated Museums]''' (ROAM) members are also part of the much larger NARM program. But, if your membership includes both, you'll have access to some additional museums that are members are ROAM, but not NARM.  [https://sites.google.com/site/roammuseums/home/list-of-roam-museums Participating Museums].
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'''If you've decided to make the Amex BUSINESS Platinum card part of your core credit card collection, Membership Rewards cards can be cashed-out at higher values'''. You can use your points at 1.54 cents each to purchase airfare on your favorite airline. This makes cards that earn Membership Rewards more valuable for people who are taking our standard or cash-only approaches to earning points. {{Link|Membership Rewards}}.{{/Box}}
 
  
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=== The best cards for earning bonus rewards ===
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<li>'''[//www.aza.org/reciprocity Association of Zoos and Aquariums]''' (AZA). Provides reciprocal benefits at over 150 North American zoos and aquariums. It includes most major zoos, but a few of the most significant zoos (including the San Diego Zoo Bronx Zoo, and Brookfield Zoo) don't participate, and it doesn't provide benefits at most major aquariums.  [//www.aza.org/assets/2332/reciprocitychart.pdf Participating locations].</li>
  
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'''The following cards are our normal recommendations for earning bonus rewards on different categories''' (in a rough priority order, which works for many people). You might already have one or two of these cards, based on their other benefits.  
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Unlike most of the other major programs, you usually only receive a 50% discount, rather than free admission. However, memberships with a smaller set of participating zoos and aquariums will give you free admission with that same set of locations (and 50% off everywhere else).
  
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If you want to see some other options for each category, which might work better for your individual circumstances, make sure to view our “Best Options” guides.  
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{{Image|KansasCityZoo.png}}
  
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Also, Doctor of Credit has good set of [//www.doctorofcredit.com/credit-card-reference-pages/#Category_Spending_Bonuses reference pages], and Frequent Miler has a [//frequentmiler.boardingarea.com/best-card-category-bonuses/ webpage] that provide relatively up-to-date information on the options for different bonus categories.  
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<li>'''[//findachildrensmuseum.org/reciprocal-network/ Association of Children's Museums]''' (ACM). Provides benefits at around 200 different children's museums. Like the Zoo program, and unlike the other programs, you'll only receive 50% off the regular admission. Nearly every US children's museum participates, admission is good for up to six people, and the conveniently don't block privileges at nearby museums.  [http://childrensmuseums.org/images/Reciprocal-Brochure_1.17.19.pdf Participating Museums].</li>
  
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{{List|card}}
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<li>'''[http://timetravelers.mohistory.org/ Time Travelers]'''. Provides benefits at more than 300 historical sites and museums throughout the United State. [//csv.mohistory.org/static/pdf/institutions.pdf Participating Locations].</li>
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{{CardItem|PremierRewards}}
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</ul>
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'''<big>1.</big> If you are comfortable earning Membership Reward points, you are going to want the Amex Gold card'''. It earns 4x Membership Rewards at US Restaurants and on your first $25,000 of US Grocery Store spending. Assuming you don't naturally spend $25,000 per year on groceries, you can purchase gift cards (at your Supermarket) to extend the 4x Membership Reward earning rate to other businesses. There are two downsides. In order to get good value from your Membership Reward points, you need to be able to use them for frequent flyer tickets. And the annual fee is a hefty $250 pr year, although it can be partially offset by a $100 airline incidental credit, and a $10/month credit that you can use several participating restaurant chains.  
 
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<br/>{{Link|Grocery Spending}}.
 
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<br/>{{Link|Restaurant Spending}}.
 
  
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{{CardItem|SapphireReserve}}
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=== Access multiple programs with a single membership ===
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'''<big>2.</big> If you have the Sapphire Reserve card, it is the best option for travel spending, and often the best option for restaurant spending'''. If you are using the Chase Unlimited combination for your everyday spending, or you are getting the Sapphire Reserve for its valuable travel benefits, you will want to use it for your travel and overseas restaurant spending as well. For beginners, or anyone else who wants to avoid the hassles associated with redeeming for frequent flyer tickets, the Sapphire Reserve is the best option for all restaurant spending. It earns 3x Ultimate Reward points, valued at {{Value|UR|3}} cents per dollar, on these categories.
 
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<br/>{{Link|Travel Spending}}.
 
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<br/>{{Link|Restaurant Spending}}.
 
  
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{{CardItem|Altitude}}
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Many museums belong to multiple reciprocal programs. Becoming a member one of these museums lets you enjoy the benefits of multiple programs for a single membership fee.  
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'''<big>3.</big> Get the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve card to earn 4.5% on every payment with mobile wallets, such as Apple Pay'''. Everyone can use the Altitude Reserve card to boost their rewards at many brick and mortar businesses, on purchases made through apps on your phone, and at an ever-increasing number of online stores. If you have many Samsung devices, you can earn bonus rewards from any business that uses a credit card swipe machine.
 
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<br/>{{Link|store spending}}.  
 
  
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'''The Altitude Reserve is also a great option for travel purchases, for anyone who doesn't have the Sapphire Reserve or Citi Prestige cards'''. If you can't (or don't want to) get the Sapphire Reserve card, are not interested in the {{Card|CitiPrestige|only}}, or don't want to accumulate any additional ThankYou points, the Altitude Reserve makes a great option for travel spending. It earns 4.5% on a broad range of travel purchases. $400 annual fee, but an automatic $325 travel credit brings the effective annual cost down to $75. {{Link|Premium Cards}}
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==== Art Museums ====
  
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{{CardItem|Propel}}
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<ul class="checklist">
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'''<big>4.</big> If you don't have the Sapphire Reserve card, and you are willing to deal with some complexity, get the Wells Fargo "combo"'''.  The Wells Fargo Propel card earns 3x GoFar points on restaurants, travel, gas, and streaming services. Normally, the points are only worth 1 cent each. But, if you also have the Wells Fargo Visa Signature card, you can use your points at 1.5 cents each to purchase airfare through Wells Fargo. This raises the effective bonus reward rate to 4.5% back on these categories, and you don't have to pay an annual fee for either card. However, you can only get one Wells Fargo card every 15 months, so it take some time to put this plan into action. {{Link|restaurant spending}}. {{Link|travel spending}}. {{Link|gas spending}}.
 
  
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An less complicated alternative is to get the {{Card|Uber|only}}. However, it only earns 4% on restaurants and 3% on travel.
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<li>'''Both the Met and Art Institute Programs'''. A few museums belong to both of the most prestigious art museum programs.</li>
  
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{{CardItem|InkPreferred}}
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<ul>
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'''<big>5.</big> If you have a business, get a small business card that earns good rewards for office supplies, telecommunications, and/or advertising services'''. Your best options are one of the {{Card|Inkpreferred|only}}, {{Card|inkcash|only}}, the {{Card|fnbobiz|only}}, or the {{Card|SimplyCashBiz|only}}. You are likely to be still be able to get one of these, even if your business is very small, or hasn't made any money yet. {{Link|business cards}}
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<li>Qualifying membership at [//www.philamuseum.org/membership/?page=2 Philadelphia Museum of Art] costs $250 and also includes a membership in AMRN.</li>
  
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{{CardItem|Freedom}}
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<li>The [//www.lacma.org/membership/join/levels/friend Los Angeles County Museum of Art] (LACMA) costs $250 and also includes reciprocal benefits with the Whitney.</li>  
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'''<big>6.</big> If you have one of the Chase Sapphire cards (or the Ink Preferred), get the Chase Freedom card as well, and take advantage of its rotating categories'''. The Freedom card normally earns 5% cash back on a set of rotating categories. However, if you have a Sapphire or Ink Preferred card as well, it earn 5x Ultimate Rewards points (that can be transferred to airline and hotel partners) instead, bringing the value up to {{Value|UR|5}} cents per dollar. While this card offers an amazing reward rate, it is limited to $1,500 in spending each quarter, within a specific schedule of categories defined by Chase. If you love getting 5%+ rewards, and can deal with the rotating category system, you can get the {{Card|discover|only}}, as well. It works similarly but “only” earns the stated 5%, except during the first year, when your rewards are doubled.
 
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<br/>{{Link|rotating category}}.
 
  
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{{CardItem|att}}
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<li>The [//www.dma.org/support-partners/dma-members Dallas Museum of Art] costs $250 and also includes a membership in the Western Reciprocal Museum Program and ROAM.</li>
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'''<big>7.</big> Consider getting one or more cards that earns extra reward for your retail purchases'''. The {{Card|BlueCash|only}} earns 3% back at department stores, the {{Card|att|only}} earns either {{Value|TY|2}} cents or {{Value|TY|3}} cents per dollar at online retailers, and the {{Card|cashplus|only}} (and to a lesser extent the {{Card|Vantage|only}}, {{Card|HuntingtonVoice|only}}, and {{Card|Synovus|only}}) let you earn 5% back at your choice of different categories of stores (up to maximum of $2,000 spend per quarter). There are also rotating category cards, and individual merchant cards, that can be worthwhile for the right folks.  
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</ul>
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<br/>{{Link|store spending}}.
 
  
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{{CardItem|cashplus}}
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<li>'''One of the Met or Art Institute plus more'''. A few museums belong to either the Met program or the Art Institute and one of the next tier programs (MARP or AMRN).</li>
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'''<big>8.</big> Fill out your “quiver” with cards that optimize other categories'''.  Besides the main bonus categories discussed above, there are specific cards that earn good bonus rewards in other categories and/or earn somewhat higher rates in specific categories that were already covered.  
 
  
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For example, while the Sapphire Reserve and Citi Prestige cards offer the best rates on a broad set of travel purchases, the American Express Platinum card earns a higher rate on airfare. If you buy enough airplane tickets, it may be worthwhile to use the Platinum card for airfare purchases, and one of the other cards for your other travel purchases. 
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{{Table|Basic}}
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<br/>{{Link|uncommon categories}}
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!Museum
 +
!style="width: .5in;"|Fee
 +
!style="width: .5in;"|Met
 +
!style="width: .5in;"|Chicago
 +
!style="width: .5in;"|MARP
 +
!style="width: .5in;"|AMRN
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!style="width: .5in;"|WRMP
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!style="width: .5in;"|NARM
 +
!style="width: .5in;"|ROAM
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!style="width: 1in;"|Other
 +
|-
 +
|[//denverartmuseum.org/membership-support/membership-details-benefits Denver Art Museum]
 +
|$150||y|| || ||y|| || || ||[//museumswest.org/ Museums West]
 +
|-
 +
|[//discovernewfields.org/give-and-join/become-member Newfields] (Indianapolis Art Museum)
 +
|$250||y|| ||y|| || ||y||y||[//ahsgardening.org/gardening-programs/rap/find/statebystate AHS]
 +
|-
 +
|[//www.clevelandart.org/join-and-give/membership-and-circles/about-membership Cleveland Museum of Art]
 +
|$250|| ||y||y||y|| || || ||
 +
|-
 +
|[//www.mfah.org/membership/levels/ Museum of Fine Arts] (Houston)
 +
|$185|| ||y||y|| || || || ||
 +
|-
 +
|[//walkerart.org/support/membership/ Walker Art Center] (Minneapolis)
 +
|$125|| ||y||y|| || || || ||Whitney
 +
|-
 +
|[//nelson-atkins.org/join/member-benefits/reciprocal-membership-programs/ Nelson Atkins Museum] (Kansas City)
 +
|$250|| ||y|| ||y|| ||y||y||
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{{/Table|Basic}}
  
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</ul>
  
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{{Box|Earning More Value from Many Chase and Citibank Cards}}
+
==== Others ====
−
<ul class="bulletlist">
 
−
<li>Some Chase and Citibank cards earn less-flexible reward points, which can only be redeemed for 1 cent each, on things like gift cards.</li>
 
  
−
<li>However, if you combine these cards with one of Chase’s or Citibank’s premium cards, you can redeem these points for full value—transferring them to airline or hotel programs, or getting a higher-than-normal value when you use them to purchase travel through the credit card company’s travel portal.</li>  
+
<ul class="checklist">
−
 
+
<li>'''Science museums and zoos'''. A handful of places are members of both the Science Museum and Zoo programs.</li>
−
<li>Most often, the credit card company will advertise these cards as x% cash-back cards. But, the real earning rate can be significantly higher.</li>
 
−
 
 
−
<li>For example, the points you earn from the Chase Freedom card are usually worth 1 cent each, but if you have a Sapphire or Ink Reserve card, you can convert them to 1 frequent flyer mile instead. Or, the points you earn from online purchases with the Citibank AT&T Access card are normally worth 2 cents per dollar, but if you have the Citi Premier or Prestige card, you can get use your points to get 2 airline miles instead.</li>  
 
−
</ul>
 
−
{{/Box}}
 
  
−
=== Reward Combos ===
+
<ul>
 +
<li>Qualifying membership at the [//www.boonshoftmuseum.org/membership/ Boonshoft Museum of Discovery] (Dayton, Ohio) costs $115 for a family, but provides the option to join at a $145 level and also qualify for the Children's Museum program. Both include free admission, rather than 50% off, at a subset of the participating Zoos.</li>
  
−
If you want to concentrate the types of points you earn, you can put together collections of cards in the same family.  
+
{{Image|BoonshoftMembershipLevels.png}}
  
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{{List|Label}}
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<li>Qualifying Membership at the [//wildwnc.org/membership Western North Carolina Nature Center] (Asheville, NC) is only $34 for one person, $49 for two, and $69 for a family, and your membership entitles you to free admission, rather than 50% off at a subset of participating Zoos. At the [//www.lszooduluth.org/visit/membership/ Lake Superior Zoo] (Duluth, Minnesota), qualifying family membership is only $75.</li>
  
−
{{Label|Ultimate Rewards}}
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<li>Other options are he [//curiodyssey.org/membership/reciprocal-program/ CuriOdyssey] (San Mateo, California),  [//www.mos.org/membership Museum of Science] (Boston, Massachusetts), [//www.greensboroscience.org/get-involved/membership/index.html Greensboro Science Center] (Greensboro, NC), and [//www.lifeandscience.org/benefits Museum of Life and Science] (Durham, NC).</li> 
−
Start with the '''{{Link|general purpose|Chase Unlimited combo}}''':
 
−
 
 
−
<ul class="bulletlist">
 
−
*3x on Restaurants.
 
−
*3x on Travel.
 
−
*1.5x on everything else.
 
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
  
−
Add some combination of the following three cards to bump up the Ultimate Reward points you earn.
+
<li>'''Science, Art, History, and Specialty museums'''. A handful of museums are members of both the Science Museum program and of the North American Reciprocal Museum program. You'll need to pay at least $100 for any membership that includes NARM privelges. If you aren't interested, there are some Science Museum only options that are as low as $50/family, such as the [//www.eaa.org/shop/Membership/Join.aspx Experimental Aircraft Association].</li>
  
−
<ul class="bulletlist">
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<ul>
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*5x on a rotating set of categories with the '''{{Card|Freedom|only}}''' (Capped at $1,500 per quarter).
+
<li>The [//kerncountymuseum.org/membership-1/ Kern County Museum] (Bakersfield, CA) also includes benefits in ROAM and at Children's Museums. Qualifying membership is $125/family, and also includes benefits at a hundreds of historical sites through the [//timetravelers.mohistory.org/ Time Travelers] program.</li>  
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*5x on office supply stores and telecommunication services with the '''{{Card|InkCash|only}}''' or 3x with the '''{{Card|InkPreferred|only}}'''.
 
−
*3x on Advertising purchases (in select media) with the '''{{Card|InkPreferred|only}}'''.
 
−
*2x on Gas with the '''{{Card|InkCash|only}}'''.
 
−
</ul>
 
  
−
There are no Ultimate Reward cards that provide bonus rewards for Groceries. Your best bet is to combine it with a the '''{{Card|BlueCash|only}}''' for 6% back on groceries, and 3% back on gas.
+
{{Image|KernCounty.png}}
  
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{{Label|Membership Rewards}}
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<li>The [//www.cmog.org/get-involved/membership Corning Museum of Glass] (Corning, NY) and [//www.burkemuseum.org/membership Burke Museum] (Seattle, WA) also include benefits in ROAM, but memberships are more expensive. </li>
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If you are willing and able to use a business card, start with the '''{{Card|BlueBiz|only}}''' for 2x Membership Rewards on any purchase. Otherwise, use the '''{{Card|EverydayPreferred|only}}''' (and make sure to make 30 transactions per month) to earn 1.5x Membership Reward points on everyday purchases, and 4.5x on your first $6,000 of grocery store purchases, and 3x on gas.  
 
  
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Then get the '''{{Card|PremierRewards|only}}'''. You'll earn 4x Membership Reward points at US Restaurants and on your first $25,000 worth of US grocery store spending. If you are willing to make the extra effort, use any extra grocery store capacity to purchase gift cards and use them at other locations.  
+
<li>The [//greatex.org/memberships/ Great Explorations Children's Museum] (Saint Petersburg, FL) and [//www.theclaycenter.org/join/membership/ Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences] (Charleston, WV) also include benefits at Children's Museums. Qualifying memberships are $150 per family.</li>
  
−
If you can justify the annual fee, leverage the '''{{Card|PlatinumCard|only}}''' for
+
<li>A qualifying membership at the [//evansvillemuseum.org/product/patron-membership/ Evansville Museum of Art, History, and Science] (Evansville, IN) only costs $100, and includes the [//timetravelers.mohistory.org/ Time Travelers] program as well as NARM and ASTC.</li>
−
5x on Airfare and pre-paid hotels booked through Amex Travel.  
 
  
−
You can bump up your rewards with the '''{{Card|GoldBiz|only}}'''.
+
<li>A qualifying membership [//minnetrista.net/home/about-minnetrista/get-involved/membership/ Minnestrista] (Muncie, IN) costs $125/family and also includes reciprocal benefits at [//ahsgardening.org/gardening-programs/rap/find/statebystate American Horticultural Society] members.</li>
  
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<ul class="bulletlist">
+
<li>Other options include the Powerhouse Science Center (Sacramento, CA), Yale Peabody Museum (New Haven, CT), Delaware Museum of Natural History (Wilmington, DE), Hagley Museum (Wilmington, DE), Museum of Arts and Sciences (Daytona Beach, FL), South Florida Museum (Bradenton, FL), Peoria Riverfront Museum (Peoria, IL), Indiana State Museum (Indianapolis, IN), Grout Museum District (Waterloo, IA), Berkshire Museum (Pittsfield, MA), Springfield Museums (Springfield, MA), Air Zoo (Portage, MI), Farmington Museum (Farmington, NM), Cape Fear Museum of History & Science (Wilmington, NC), The Works (Newark, OH), University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History (Eugene, OR), Reading Public Museum (Reading, PA), McDonald Observatory (Fort Davis, TX), The Reach (Richland, WA), and Wenatchee Valley Museum (Wenatchee, WA).</li>
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*3x on one of: shipping, advertising (in select media), computer purchases, airfare
 
−
*2x on the other categories
 
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
  
−
{{Label|Cash}}
+
<li>'''Science and Children's Museums'''. There is a lot of overlap between the Science Museum and Children's Museum programs. Many museums belong to both. As listed above, the Boonshoft museum also includes membership in both programs plus the the Zoo program, the Kern Museum in both programs plus NARM and ROAM, and the Great Explorations and Clay Center in both programs plus NARM.</li>
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Start with one of '''{{Link|cash back}}''' for 2-3% on any non-bonus category purchases OR use the '''{{Link|general purpose|Chase Unlimited Combo}}''' for a minimum of 2.25% back on non-bonus categories and 4.5% back on Restaurants and Travel.
+
−
 
 
−
Get the '''{{Card|Altitude|only}}''' to earn 4.5% on Travel and Digital Wallet Purchases. This provides less incremental value if you are already getting 3x Ultimate Rewards on travel from the Sapphire Reserve card.
 
−
 
 
−
Augment your rewards with one or more of the following cards:
 
−
 
 
−
<ul class="bulletlist">
 
−
*4.5% back on Restaurants, Travel, Gas and Streaming services with the '''[[Wells Fargo Reward Credit Cards|Wells Fargo Combo]]'''. Alternatively, 4% back on Restaurants and Travel with the '''{{Card|Uber|only}}'''.
 
−
*6% back on Groceries (capped at $6,000 per year), 3% back at Department Stores, and 3% back on Gas with the '''{{Card|BlueCash|only}}'''.
 
−
*5% on Amazon with the '''{{Card|Amazon|only}}'''.
 
−
*5% back on rotating set of categories (10% in the first year) with the '''{{Card|Discover|only}}''' or '''{{Card|Freedom|only}}''' (the Freedom card earns a minimum of 7.5% back if you are using the Chase Unlimited combo).
 
−
*3-5% on your choice of additional categories, with one or more '''{{Link|Uncommon Categories|"pick your category" cards}}'''.
 
−
*5% back on office supply, telecommunications, and other business expenses with the '''{{Card|fnbobiz|only}}''' or '''{{Card|simplycashbiz|only}}'''.
 
−
*5% back on Gas with one of '''{{Link|Gas Spending|several cards}}''', if getting a card for the extra 2% (or extra .5% at Gas Stations that accept mobile wallet payments) is worth it.  
 
−
 
 
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
  
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=== Increasing your reward rate with gift cards (advanced) ===
 
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'''The best reward rates differ wildly between categories'''. For example, the best regular reward rate for department stores is 3 cents per dollar, and the best reward rate for restaurants is about 6 cents per dollar, but it is possible to earn up to about 8 cents per dollar at grocery stores, and 9 cents per dollar at Office supply stores.
 
  
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Furthermore, since most of the cards with the highest reward rates have annual fees, or other restrictions, the rates you can get with your actual collection of cards may be different.
 
  
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{{ImageX|GiftCardRack2.jpg|360}}
 
  
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'''One way to increase the rewards from your spending is to buy gift cards at a merchant where you earn high reward rates, and then use the gift cards at a merchant that offers lower reward rates'''. For example, if you can get 10 cents per dollar for gift cards at Office supply stores, you'll earn higher rewards by using those gift cards, rather than one of your other credit cards, whenever you can. Of course, buying, activating, carrying, and using gift cards requires extra effort.
 
  
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How reciprocal museum programs work

When you become a member of any museum or attraction in the program, you get free access to all of the other participating locations. For example, if you join the Science Museum in your home town, you can freely visit dozens of science museums all around the country.

  • You usually are only entitled to "standard" admission. You usually need to pay extra for special exhibits, IMAX movies, and other valued-added attractions. Because these extras are often available as part of a discounted package, if you want the full experience, your discount might not amount to that much.
  • Nearby museums are usually not included. With most programs, you WON'T get reciprocal access to any museums that are located close to your home museum. Sometimes "nearby" is defined by an official number of miles, other times it is any location in the same state, and sometimes it is ad-hoc. So, don't expect privileges with other museums in the same metropolitan area or state.
  • Joining an out-of-state museum can provide access to all the locations that are close to your home. If you want privileges at all the museums in your area, you can often join a museum in some other city, rather than your favorite nearby museum. While you'll be blocked at locations located nearby the institution you join, you won't be blocked at any of your local locations. There are some downsides to this approach. Your membership money will be supporting the museum you join, rather than the one in your area; and you won't be able to take advantage of many other membership benefits, such as access to special member's only visiting hours or events. With some programs, this approach isn't even possible, as you'll be blocked to local museums based on the address on your ID, rather than the address of the museum you belong to.
  • Reciprocal benefits are not available with many less expensive memberships. You'll need to join your local museum at a certain level. Each of the programs enforces a minimum membership cost to access reciprocal benefits. For example, no museum in the program can provide reciprocal benefits with any membership level that costs less than $100 per year.
  • You can often get a membership discount. The best place to check is Groupon, but other promotional codes are sometimes available.
  • The number of guests depends on the type of membership you have. Typically, if you have an individual membership, you'll reciprocal benefits only apply to one person. If you have a family membership, you'll receive benefits based on the family membership of the museum you are visiting, not your home museum.
  • Memberships are NOT typically based on the calendar year. They usually last for one year after you join. With some museums and attractions, it can take some time for you to receive your membership card. So, you'll need to apply weeks before you you plan to take advantage of any reciprocal benefits.
  • To get access, you'll need to carry your membership card. There is no way to look you up in some "member database". You'll need to have a valid membership card and photo ID.

Major reciprocal museum programs

While there are many smaller or more specialized reciprocal programs such as the Empire State Museums Reciprocal Program (mix of museums in New York state) or Connections (photography museums around the country), that may be interesting based on your location or interest, the following programs include the widest range of the most popular museums and attractions.

Art Museums

Unlike Science Museums, Zoos, and Children's Museums, Art Museum reciprocal programs are pretty fragmented. Some of the more significant programs include.

  • Metropolitan Reciprocal Membership Program. Includes 15 of the top art museums in the country, anchored by the Met in NYC.
    • MET.jpg
  • Art Museum Reciprocal Membership Program. Includes 15 of the top art museums in the country, anchored by Art Institute of Chicago. A few museums belong to both this program and the Met's program.
  • Museum Alliance Reciprocal Program (MARP). Includes 32 major US art museums, but not quite at the same overall level as the Met and Art Institute programs.
    • Guggenheim.jpg
  • Art Museum Reciprocal Network (AMRN). Similar to the MARP program, but a different cluster of major museums.
  • The Whitney Reciprocal Program. Unlike the other programs, this isn't a mutual alliance amongst a group of museums. Rather, joining the Whitney ($140/2) gives you access to 16 other museums in the US and Europe, and joining any of those museums gives you access to the Whitney. But the various partner museums don't necessarily have any reciprocal benefits between themselves.

Others

  • Association of Science and Technology Centers Travel Passport (ASTC). Provides benefits at over 350 museums in North America, plus a smattering of museums elsewhere in the world. Includes almost every large science museum, with the notable exceptions of the Exploratarium and the Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, and the Academy of Natural Sciences in New York. You won't have privileges at museums that are within 90 miles of your home address or your membership museum. Participating Museums.
    • BostonGenerator.jpg
  • North American Reciprocal Membership (NARM). This is the largest reciprocal museum program, with over 1,000 participating art, history, and specialty museums, primarily in the United States. Most of the hightest-profile museums are not members, but you'll get free access to many excellent museums in every corner of the country. Participating Museums.

    • Most Reciprocal Organization of Associated Museums (ROAM) members are also part of the much larger NARM program. But, if your membership includes both, you'll have access to some additional museums that are members are ROAM, but not NARM. Participating Museums.

  • Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Provides reciprocal benefits at over 150 North American zoos and aquariums. It includes most major zoos, but a few of the most significant zoos (including the San Diego Zoo Bronx Zoo, and Brookfield Zoo) don't participate, and it doesn't provide benefits at most major aquariums. Participating locations.

    • Unlike most of the other major programs, you usually only receive a 50% discount, rather than free admission. However, memberships with a smaller set of participating zoos and aquariums will give you free admission with that same set of locations (and 50% off everywhere else).

    KansasCityZoo.png
  • Association of Children's Museums (ACM). Provides benefits at around 200 different children's museums. Like the Zoo program, and unlike the other programs, you'll only receive 50% off the regular admission. Nearly every US children's museum participates, admission is good for up to six people, and the conveniently don't block privileges at nearby museums. Participating Museums.
  • Time Travelers. Provides benefits at more than 300 historical sites and museums throughout the United State. Participating Locations.

Access multiple programs with a single membership

Many museums belong to multiple reciprocal programs. Becoming a member one of these museums lets you enjoy the benefits of multiple programs for a single membership fee.

Art Museums

Others

  • Science museums and zoos. A handful of places are members of both the Science Museum and Zoo programs.
    • Qualifying membership at the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery (Dayton, Ohio) costs $115 for a family, but provides the option to join at a $145 level and also qualify for the Children's Museum program. Both include free admission, rather than 50% off, at a subset of the participating Zoos.
      • BoonshoftMembershipLevels.png
    • Qualifying Membership at the Western North Carolina Nature Center (Asheville, NC) is only $34 for one person, $49 for two, and $69 for a family, and your membership entitles you to free admission, rather than 50% off at a subset of participating Zoos. At the Lake Superior Zoo (Duluth, Minnesota), qualifying family membership is only $75.
    • Other options are he CuriOdyssey (San Mateo, California), Museum of Science (Boston, Massachusetts), Greensboro Science Center (Greensboro, NC), and Museum of Life and Science (Durham, NC).
  • Science, Art, History, and Specialty museums. A handful of museums are members of both the Science Museum program and of the North American Reciprocal Museum program. You'll need to pay at least $100 for any membership that includes NARM privelges. If you aren't interested, there are some Science Museum only options that are as low as $50/family, such as the Experimental Aircraft Association.
    • The Kern County Museum (Bakersfield, CA) also includes benefits in ROAM and at Children's Museums. Qualifying membership is $125/family, and also includes benefits at a hundreds of historical sites through the Time Travelers program.
      • KernCounty.png
    • The Corning Museum of Glass (Corning, NY) and Burke Museum (Seattle, WA) also include benefits in ROAM, but memberships are more expensive.
    • The Great Explorations Children's Museum (Saint Petersburg, FL) and Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences (Charleston, WV) also include benefits at Children's Museums. Qualifying memberships are $150 per family.
    • A qualifying membership at the Evansville Museum of Art, History, and Science (Evansville, IN) only costs $100, and includes the Time Travelers program as well as NARM and ASTC.
    • A qualifying membership Minnestrista (Muncie, IN) costs $125/family and also includes reciprocal benefits at American Horticultural Society members.
    • Other options include the Powerhouse Science Center (Sacramento, CA), Yale Peabody Museum (New Haven, CT), Delaware Museum of Natural History (Wilmington, DE), Hagley Museum (Wilmington, DE), Museum of Arts and Sciences (Daytona Beach, FL), South Florida Museum (Bradenton, FL), Peoria Riverfront Museum (Peoria, IL), Indiana State Museum (Indianapolis, IN), Grout Museum District (Waterloo, IA), Berkshire Museum (Pittsfield, MA), Springfield Museums (Springfield, MA), Air Zoo (Portage, MI), Farmington Museum (Farmington, NM), Cape Fear Museum of History & Science (Wilmington, NC), The Works (Newark, OH), University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History (Eugene, OR), Reading Public Museum (Reading, PA), McDonald Observatory (Fort Davis, TX), The Reach (Richland, WA), and Wenatchee Valley Museum (Wenatchee, WA).
  • Science and Children's Museums. There is a lot of overlap between the Science Museum and Children's Museum programs. Many museums belong to both. As listed above, the Boonshoft museum also includes membership in both programs plus the the Zoo program, the Kern Museum in both programs plus NARM and ROAM, and the Great Explorations and Clay Center in both programs plus NARM.






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