Zoo and Aquarium Membership Cards

[Alex Bensky]

You pay a higher price than regular admission and get a card that lets you visit that zoo for free any time within a year. At most zoos the annual membership is between two and three times the price of a single day admission. So if you visit a zoo three or more times within a year you are saving money.

In Detroit a family membership--two parents and up to four children--is $109.00. I don't know offhand if this is the price for residents of the three county area, who get some small discount because a millage goes in part to the zoo. At the gate prices are $18.00 for adults and $15.00 for children 2-18. So if the parents and two kids go more than once a year it pays to have a membership. And if you travel at all, as said above, a lot of zoos offer reciprocity, usually half off. Also, I think parking is another $6.00, and members don't pay for that.

I live quite close to the zoo and usually go once a month or so, so I more than make my money back.

 

[Chlidonias]

Yes. In most states, you have to pay for state parks as well.

I understand third-world countries having fees for National Parks, but it seems pretty backwards for a first-world country to have this as a standard.

 

[birdsandbats]

I understand third-world countries having fees for National Parks, but it seems pretty backwards for a first-world country to have this as a standard.

In some, you have to pay for maps, too.

 

[Alex Bensky]

I understand third-world countries having fees for National Parks, but it seems pretty backwards for a first-world country to have this as a standard.

I can't speak for other countries, but such fees are standard in the US...and in Canada. There's a Canadian national park near Detroit, Point Pelee, and they charge a fee. In Michigan, at least, I pay ten bucks extra when I renew my license tags and that gets me into all the state parks.

 

[TinoPup]

I understand third-world countries having fees for National Parks, but it seems pretty backwards for a first-world country to have this as a standard.

American national parks are generally much larger than those in other first-world countries. They require a lot of money to protect, manage, and police, along with road maintenance, various staff for gift shops, food vendors, etc. Even under the best presidents, the NPS doesn't receive half as much money as they need to maintain the parks system. Charging fees at the 59 Parks, as well as some of the lesser NPS units (there's nearly 500), helps maintain those that are free, as well.

 

[Chlidonias]

American national parks are generally much larger than those in other first-world countries. They require a lot of money to protect, manage, and police, along with road maintenance, various staff for gift shops, food vendors, etc. Even under the best presidents, the NPS doesn't receive half as much money as they need to maintain the parks system. Charging fees at the 59 Parks, as well as some of the lesser NPS units (there's nearly 500), helps maintain those that are free, as well.

Are they? Where does that statistic come from?

 

[meadowvale]

I have two memberships one to the Toronto zoo and the other to the aquarium.

The aquarium card has my name/photo on it, barcode, membership type and expiry date. It also has a "ripley's aquarium of Canada Annual pass" on the top. The other side has the aquarium name and a picture of a mantis shrimp.


The Toronto zoo card is green with the zoo logo as a watermark. It has the member number, member type, expiry date, barcode and my name on one side. The other side has the benefits listed and terms and conditions

Both cards are plastic and they send a new card with each renewal. The card I have is only good for one person and they give a small discount to other places but the ripely discounts are bigger and apply to their other attractions at niagra falls

 

[Arizona Docent]

In October 2018 I reported on this thread that Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum had reverted to cheap paper membership cards. When I renewed in fall 2019 they were back to plastic cards (like a credit card). It has a bar code and no expiration date (and a silhouette of three wolves on the front with the saying member of the pack). I also let my San Diego membership expire and replaced it with Phoenix Zoo, which has a hard plastic card (no printed expiration) with a photo of a sloth face.

 

[Alex Bensky]

In October 2018 I reported on this thread that Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum had reverted to cheap paper membership cards. When I renewed in fall 2019 they were back to plastic cards (like a credit card). It has a bar code and no expiration date (and a silhouette of three wolves on the front with the saying member of the pack). I also let my San Diego membership expire and replaced it with Phoenix Zoo, which has a hard plastic card (no printed expiration) with a photo of a sloth face.

Detroit's is a plastic card with a picture on the front--a bald eagle this year--and the society logo. The back has the name, the type of membership, an ID number, a bar code, and an expiration date and this reminds me that mine expires at the end of the month and I need to renew it this week.

They give you a new one every year and the office has a little machine so if you stop in to renew you get your new card before you leave.