Discount Days Encourage Families to Explore Cultural Attractions

By Jeanne Davant

When Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) set up a table at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum during its Library Weekend in January 2023, Tyler Carter signed up for his first library card.

Since then, “I’ve been listening to audio books constantly,” says Carter, an Alpine skier and three-time Paralympian, who serves on the museum’s staff. He downloads the books through the Libby app, which is available to library cardholders.

More than 450 people who had their library cards received another benefit during the weekend: half-price admission to the spectacular museum, which showcases the journey of Team USA’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes through interactive and universally accessible exhibits, displays, and artifacts.

The Olympic & Paralympic Museum and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center are also the two newest attractions in Pikes Peak Culture Pass program. The program allows library cardholders to reserve no-cost passes at 10 cultural attractions in El Paso County, plus the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.

“Teaming up with Pikes Peak Library District for Culture Pass and creating opportunities for families with library cards to come and explore the museum and learn about the

Olympic and Paralympic values just made perfect sense,” says Tommy Schield, director of marketing and communications at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum. “We’re really excited about the collaboration.”

PPLD provides a limited number of no-cost passes to each of the venues that can be checked out by library cardholders 12 and older, just as they would check out an eBook or other electronic resource, says Kim Melchor, PPLD community engagement coordinator. Patrons can book their ticket up to 30 days in advance.

“You can pick the day you want to go visit, reserve the pass and print out the ticket at your house, then take it to the venue on the day that you selected,” Melchor says. “If the attraction you really want to visit is not available that day, there are usually several other places from which you can choose.”

The Culture Pass program started in the spring of 2020 as a way to connect people with attractions they might not otherwise visit. About 300 passes were issued before the pandemic shutdown, but the program ramped up again in 2021, and last year, 1,645 passes were issued, Melchor says.

Patrons can reserve one admission pass (which allows a combination of adult and children entrances) per destination once every six months, but this summer, PPLD will provide library cardholders with another way to experience cultural attractions without reserving a Culture Pass: Culture Pass Discount Days. The Olympic & Paralympic venues, Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, Space Foundation Discovery Center, ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Museum, and The Money Museum have all joined PPLD to offer special discounts throughout the summer!

During Culture Pass Discount Days between June 14 and Aug. 4, library cardholders can receive discounted admission each week to a different Culture Pass partner by showing their library card or sharing their card number.

PPLD’s Mobile Library Services will be at each Discount Days event in the morning so that families can sign up for a library card and gain access to the many resources available across the District, including checking out materials, using makerspace or studio facilities, accessing databases and eLibrary resources, and more.

The Discount Days program takes the library card to a whole new level, Melchor says. “We are excited to team up with our Culture Pass partners to offer weekly specials for PPLD library cardholders to experience many of the great cultural attractions our community has to offer,” she added. “This is a great opportunity for families to get out and explore culture right in our backyard.”

For more information about the Culture Pass program and Discount Days, visit ppld.org/discountdays.