News and Press Releases

For Immediate Release: July 18, 2025 

Contact: publicaffairs@culture.nyc.gov 

AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY WITH THE CITY OF NEW YORK LAUNCHES NEW MEMBERSHIP FOR NEW YORK SNAP BENEFICIARIES   

New York, NY - The American Museum of Natural History together with the City of New York today announced a new Museum membership exclusively for New Yorkers who are beneficiaries of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP provides essential support to nearly 1.8 million low-income New York City residents including families, older adults, and individuals with disabilities.   

The new membership level, named Discoverer, officially launches this summer alongside the Museum’s seventh Space Show, Encounters in the Milky Way. Discoverer is offered in collaboration with the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) and NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA), part of the Department of Social Services (DSS).  

“We are thrilled to partner with Commissioner Laurie Cumbo and our colleagues in the City administration to ensure Museum access for all New Yorkers and are proud to take the lead in extending these membership benefits to SNAP recipients,” said Museum President Sean M. Decatur. “Welcoming a more complete and representative reflection of our neighbors as Members is a major focus and aspiration for the Museum in its role as a key civic and educational institution. The new Discoverer membership exemplifies our conviction that the Museum, and science, belong to everyone, and everyone belongs at the Museum. I hope our new Member families will enjoy many days of fun, learning, and enrichment here.”  

“The American Museum of Natural History is one of the crown jewels of New York City’s cultural landscape, a place where generations of families have come together to explore, learn, and be inspired by the wonders of the natural world,” said Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo. “We’re proud of and excited for this new partnership with the Museum to open its doors even wider to New Yorkers from all backgrounds. From the one-of-a-kind butterfly vivarium, to immersive shows like Encounters in the Milky Way, and the astounding Invisible Worlds experience, the new Discoverer membership gives free access to special exhibitions and helps to build bridges to underserved communities across the city that can now experience the full wonders of AMNH.”   

“Access to New York City’s world-class cultural and educational institutions should never be dependent on a household’s income or background, and our agency is committed to working with our partners in and outside of government to develop new ways to expand access to these critical institutions for the millions of New Yorkers we serve,” said NYC Department of Social Services Commissioner Molly Wasow Park. “We are proud to partner with DCLA and AMNH to advance this shared goal and make it easier for families and individuals to explore the wonders of the natural world right here in the city by offering a free museum membership option for SNAP recipients. We look forward to continuing this collaboration through robust outreach to our SNAP clients and helping more young New Yorkers discover their love for science, history, and education.”  

The Discoverer membership is available as a complimentary membership to New Yorkers who receive in-state SNAP benefits and includes general Museum admission as well as admission to one ticketed exhibition—including the Davis Family Butterfly Vivarium; the Invisible Worlds immersive experience; and the new Hayden Planetarium Space Show, Encounters in the Milky Way, among others—on every visit for each New York SNAP EBT cardholder and up to four of their guests.   

All SNAP electronic benefits (EBT) card holders in New York State are eligible for the Discoverer membership. To become a Discoverer member, beneficiaries can present their EBT card on their next visit to the American Museum of Natural History to enroll, receive a digital membership card, and start using their membership the same day. Once enrolled, Discoverer members will be able to reserve tickets on the Museum’s website in advance of their visit.   

In the first year of the Discoverer membership, the Museum will pilot new outreach efforts to reach more New Yorkers across the five boroughs and to better understand and address potential barriers to visitation. In addition to collaborating with the City's Human Resources Administration (HRA) to spread awareness about the complimentary membership for SNAP beneficiaries through direct notifications to beneficiaries, community outreach, and digital marketing. The Museum will also conduct canvassing efforts at summer street fairs, working with select community boards.  

Since 1869, the Museum has conducted scientific research and fostered science education for all New Yorkers through wide-ranging exhibitions that explore the natural world and highlight new advances in science. The new Discoverer membership program builds on the Museum’s commitment, emphasized in its latest strategic plan, to engage all New Yorkers in the excitement of learning about the natural world and science, including New Yorkers from communities that are currently underrepresented among local visitors.   

The American Museum of Natural History is a member of New York City’s Cultural Institutions Group, a coalition of 34 nonprofit museums, performing arts centers, historical societies, zoos, and botanical gardens that operate and serve as stewards of City-owned facilities and parkland while providing cultural services and programs to New Yorkers. The partnership with the City to offer the Discoverer membership—including collaboration with DCLA on developing the policy and with HRA on implementing it within the SNAP benefits program—will expand access to the American Museum of Natural History’s world-class exhibitions and science education programming.  

The full Discoverer membership benefits are listed on amnh.org/discoverer. Membership is valid for one year and can be renewed annually in person at the Museum.   

SNAP is offered through the New York City Department of Human Resources and Administration.  

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About the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH)

The American Museum of Natural History, founded in 1869 with a dual mission of scientific research and science education, is one of the world’s preeminent scientific, educational, and cultural institutions. The Museum encompasses more than 40 permanent exhibition halls, galleries for temporary exhibitions, the Rose Center for Earth and Space including the Hayden Planetarium, and the Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation. The Museum’s scientists draw on a world-class permanent collection of more than 30 million objects and specimens, some of which are billions of years old, and on one of the largest natural history libraries in the world. Through its Richard Gilder Graduate School, the Museum offers two of the only free-standing, degree-granting programs of their kind at any museum in the U.S.: the Ph.D. program in Comparative Biology and the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Earth Science residency program. Visit amnh.org for more information.  

About the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA)

The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) is dedicated to supporting and strengthening New York City’s vibrant cultural life. DCLA works to promote and advocate for quality arts programming and to articulate the contribution made by the cultural community to the City’s vitality. The Department represents and serves nonprofit cultural organizations involved in the visual, literary, and performing arts; public-oriented science and humanities institutions including zoos, botanical gardens, and historic and preservation societies; and creative artists at all skill levels who live and work within the City’s five boroughs. DCLA also provides donated materials for arts programs offered by the public schools and cultural and social service groups, and commissions permanent works of public art at City-funded construction projects throughout the five boroughs. For more information visit www.nyc.gov/culture.  

About the NYC Department of Social Services (DSS)

The Department of Social Services, comprised of the Human Resources Administration (HRA) and the Department of Homeless Services (DHS), serves millions of New Yorkers annually through a broad range of services that aim to address poverty and prevent homelessness. HRA serves over three million New Yorkers through the administration of more than 15 major public assistance programs. DHS oversees a broad network of shelters, services, and outreach programs dedicated to helping New Yorkers experiencing homelessness get back on their feet. DSS is central to the City’s mission to expand opportunity for more New Yorkers, address housing insecurity, and ensure that low-income New Yorkers receive the benefits and assistance for which they may be eligible.