Museum Membership
Explore More, Save More, Experience More
UNSM museum membership opens a world of opportunities for exploration and discovery. Learn about the benefits a museum membership can offer you, as well as the ways membership helps us give back to our communities.
Membership Levels and Benefits
Family comes in all shapes and sizes. Each of our memberships includes benefits for 2 adults and 2 children under 18* regardless of household status or relationship.
-Additional children can be added with our Child Add-on benefit at $10/child.
-At least one of the listed adults on the membership must be present at time of use.
*Adult dependents can qualify as a child on our museum memberships.
Individual - $55
This membership provides the following benefits for one, named individual:
- Unlimited access to UNSM’s 3 public museums: Morrill Hall (Lincoln), Ashfall Fossil Beds (Royal), and Trailside Museum (Crawford)
- Access to hundreds of museums across the US through the ASTC (Association of Science and Technology Centers) Passport Program
- 10% off Discovery Gift Shop purchases
- 10% of Curious Curator Café (Morrill Hall) purchases
- 10% off Morrill Hall birthday parties
- Discounted admission rate for Mueller Planetarium shows
- Invite to annual member appreciation night at Morrill Hall
- Semi-annual print newsletter the Mammoth and monthly e-newsletter
Family - $69*
*Thanks to the generous support of the Friends of the State Museum, UNSM is able to continue offering family membership at this discounted rate.
- Unlimited access to UNSM’s 3 public museums: Morrill Hall (Lincoln), Ashfall Fossil Beds (Royal), and Trailside Museum (Crawford)
- Access to hundreds of museums across the US through the ASTC (Association of Science and Technology Centers) Passport Program
- 10% off Discovery Gift Shop purchases
- 10% of Curious Curator Café (Morrill Hall) purchases
- 10% off Morrill Hall birthday parties
- Discounted rates for Discovery Day Camps (spring break, summer, and fall break)
- Discounted admission rate for Mueller Planetarium shows
- Invite to annual member appreciation night at Morrill Hall
- Semi-annual print newsletter the Mammoth and monthly e-newsletter
- Early registration access for Discovery Day Camps and ticketed events
Stargazer - $125
The perfect membership for those who love exploring the galaxy:
- Unlimited access to UNSM’s 3 public museums: Morrill Hall (Lincoln), Ashfall Fossil Beds (Royal), and Trailside Museum (Crawford)
- Unlimited access to Mueller Planetarium public shows
- Access to hundreds of museums across the US through the ASTC (Association of Science and Technology Centers) Passport Program
- 10% off Discovery Gift Shop purchases
- 10% of Curious Curator Café (Morrill Hall) purchases
- 10% off Morrill Hall birthday parties
- Discounted rates for Discovery Day Camps (spring break, summer, and fall break)
- Discounted admission rate for Mueller Planetarium shows
- Invite to annual member appreciation night at Morrill Hall
- Semi-annual print newsletter the Mammoth and monthly e-newsletter
- Early registration access for Discovery Day Camps and ticketed events
Agate - $250
This membership provides rock star suport for the museum's research, exhibits, and education programs.
- Unlimited access to UNSM’s 3 public museums: Morrill Hall (Lincoln), Ashfall Fossil Beds (Royal), and Trailside Museum (Crawford)
- Unlimited access to Mueller Planetarium public shows
- Complimentary Smithsonian Affiliate Membership
- Access to hundreds of museums across the US through the ASTC (Association of Science and Technology Centers) Passport Program
- 10% off Discovery Gift Shop purchases
- 10% of Curious Curator Café (Morrill Hall) purchases
- 10% off Morrill Hall birthday parties
- Discounted rates for Discovery Day Camps (spring break, summer, and fall break)
- Discounted admission rate for Mueller Planetarium shows
- Invite to annual member appreciation night at Morrill Hall
- Semi-annual print newsletter the Mammoth and monthly e-newsletter
- Early registration access for Discovery Day Camps and ticketed events
$125 of this membership is tax deductible
Monarch - $500
This membership helps our research, exhibits, and education programs keep fluttering along.
- Unlimited access to UNSM’s 3 public museums: Morrill Hall (Lincoln), Ashfall Fossil Beds (Royal), and Trailside Museum (Crawford)
- Unlimited access to Mueller Planetarium public shows
- Complimentary Smithsonian Affiliate Membership
- Access to hundreds of museums across the US through the ASTC (Association of Science and Technology Centers) Passport Program
- 10% off Discovery Gift Shop purchases
- 10% of Curious Curator Café (Morrill Hall) purchases
- 10% off Morrill Hall birthday parties
- Discounted rates for Discovery Day Camps (spring break, summer, and fall break)
- Discounted admission rate for Mueller Planetarium shows
- Invite to annual member appreciation night at Morrill Hall
- Semi-annual print newsletter the Mammoth and monthly e-newsletter
- Early registration access for Discovery Day Camps and ticketed events
$375 of this membership is tax deductible
Mammoth - $1,000
This membership makes a mammoth-sized impact on supporting the museum's research, exhibits, and education programs.
- Unlimited access to UNSM’s 3 public museums: Morrill Hall (Lincoln), Ashfall Fossil Beds (Royal), and Trailside Museum (Crawford)
- Unlimited access to Mueller Planetarium public shows
- Complimentary Smithsonian Affiliate Membership
- Access to hundreds of museums across the US through the ASTC (Association of Science and Technology Centers) Passport Program
- 10% off Discovery Gift Shop purchases
- 10% of Curious Curator Café (Morrill Hall) purchases
- 10% off Morrill Hall birthday parties
- Discounted rates for Discovery Day Camps (spring break, summer, and fall break)
- Discounted admission rate for Mueller Planetarium shows
- Invite to annual member appreciation night at Morrill Hall
- Semi-annual print newsletter the Mammoth and monthly e-newsletter
- Early registration access for Discovery Day Camps and ticketed events
$875 of this membership is tax deductible
Your Membership Gives Back
The value of your involvement extends further than the benefits you receive. By joining our membership family, you are supporting innovative education programs and community outreach; providing opportunities for museum student interns in Morrill Hall's Visible Lab, as well as the museum's education, exhibits, and other departments; funding the development of entertaining and thought-provoking exhibits; and helping the conservation of more than 13 million specimens and artifacts from around the world in our Research Collections.
By purchasing or renewing a membership, you're also an active participant in our Community Access Program. Each season members can join the Museum to support a local organization. UNSM will donate 2 free Morrill Hall passes for every membership purchased or renewed during the designated membership drive period. Additional passes can be donated at a discounted rate of 2 passes for $10.
Members are welcome to nominate a community organization to receive the passes. Other nominations are provided by UNSM staff and the Friends of the State Museum. Organizations are welcome to nominate themselves. Nominated organizations are evaluated based on their mission, audience served, and potential to provide access to community members who otherwise may not be able to visit museums.
Examples of previous partners include: CEDARS, Friendship Home, Malone Community Center, People’s City Mission, Center for People, BraveBe Child Advocacy Center, St. Monica’s, and more.
Questions on the Community Access Program or organization nominations can be sent to unsmmembership@unl.edu.
Membership Add-Ons
Child Add On - $10
Add additional children ages 3-18 to the selected level of membership for $10/child. Children under 3 are always free. This add-on is valid for all membership levels.
Smithsonian Affiliate Membership - $25
As an official Smithsonian Affiliate organization, UNSM can offer our members Smithsonian Affiliate membership which include the following benefits:
- One year subscription (12 issues) of the Smithsonian magazine
- Monthly digital VIP Smithsonian Newsletter
- A personalized Smithsonian Affiliate membership card
- 10% discounts on cafe dining at Smithsonian museums in DC
- 10% discount on all Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
- 10% discount on all IMAX and Planetarium tickets at the Smithsonian
- Additional benefits can be found on Smithsonian.com. Benefits on Smithsonian.com are subject to change.
Community Access Program Pass Donation - $10
Each season members can join UNSM in supporting a local non-profit organization. The museum donates 2 free Morrill Hall passes for every membership purchased or renewed during the designated membership drive period. Additional passes can be donated at a discounted rate of 2 passes for $10.
Membership FAQs
If you do not see the answer to your question here, please feel free to contact our team at 402-472-2637 or email unsmmembership@unl.edu.
Membership Card Information
What type of membership cards do you provide?
UNSM offers both physical and digital membership cards.
When will I receive my membership cards?
Physical cards are printed and mailed on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Digital membership cards are processed and emailed daily in the mornings. Our digital membership cards are provided via Cuseum and may be immediately downloaded from the email to your mobile device wallet.
I haven't received my digital membership card.
- Has it been 24 hours since you purchased your membership card? Cards are processed daily in the mornings.
- Check your spam folder. UNSM partners with Cuseum for delivery of membership cards. Sometimes spam filters catch these emails.
- Contact us at 402-472-2637 or email unsmmembership@unl.edu and we can resend you a link for your membership card download.
I lost my print membership card. What do I do?
Contact our team at 402-472-2637 during museum operating hours, or email unsmmembership@unl.edu and we'll process a new card for you.
My name has changed, or a name on our card is spelled wrong. How do I fix my cards?
Contact our team at 402-472-2637 during museum operating hours, or email unsmmembership@unl.edu and we'll fix the record in our system and process new cards for you.
I can't find my membership card. Can I still visit the museum?
Yes! Both Morrill Hall and Trailside Museum can verify your membership without a card. If you're planning to visit Ashfall Fossil Beds, reach out to our team at unsmmembership@unl.edu and we'll email you a digital verification of your membership you can provide to the Visitor Services team at the park in lieu of your membership card.
How do I add the digital membership card to my iPhone?
Access the email from your smartphone and click the "Download" button, then click "Add to Wallet" and "Add." The card will automatically go to your iPhone’s Apple Wallet. It can be accessed in Wallet at any time.
How do I add the digital membership card to my Android phone?
Android users need to download Wallet Passes from Google Play. After you have the app, access the email from your smartphone and click “Download” in the membership email, and the card will automatically go to your Wallet Passes app, where it can be accessed at any time.
I downloaded my card but I can’t find it.
If you have an iPhone, the card will automatically download to Apple Wallet. Check the app for your new card (scroll through any cards that are already there--it may be hiding). If you have an Android, you’ll need to download Wallet Passes from the Play Store prior to downloading the card.
How does the second adult listed on my membership download a copy of their card?
Android: Navigate to the back of the card (tap on the small "i" on the front) and use the “Share Pass” button to send the card to your secondary member.
iOS: Navigate to the back of the card (tap on the "..." button on the front), then tap on the share icon at the top right to send the card to your secondary member. If you are an iOS user, you will find the share icon at the top right on the back of the card.
Will my digital card update when I renew my membership?
Yes! The digital card will automatically update when your membership information changes. For example, your expiration date and membership level will automatically update the next time you renew or upgrade your membership. This means that you only have to download the card once.
Membership Details Information
My membership doesn't expire for a few months. Can I renew early?
Yes, you may renew your membership at any time. 12 months will be added to the end of your original expiration date.
My contact information changed. How do I update it?
Reach out to our team at 402-472-2637 or unsmmembership@unl.edu and we'll happily update any contact information related to your membership, including names on the membership, addresses, emails, and phone numbers.
Memberships all state only two children under 18 are included. I have more than two children in my family. Can they be included on our membership?
Yes, additional children can be included on your membership. When purchasing or renewing, simply select the "Additional Child" add-on option. Each additional child is $10 for the year.
Note: children under 3 get in to all UNSM museum sites for free. If any of your children are under 3 years old, you do NOT need to purchase a child add-on for them.
Do you offer any membership discounts?
UNSM currently offers a 10% discount on memberships to all UNL Faculty/Staff as well as State of Nebraska employees. UNL faculty and staff may contact us at 402-472-2637 or unsmmembership@unl.edu for the current discount code. State of Nebraska employees may contact us at 402-472-2637 or unsmmembership@unl.edu, or reach out to DAS for the current discount code.
Do you offer a low-income membership option?
We do not currently offer a low-income membership level or discount. However, Morrill Hall participates in Museums for All and offers $1 admission to those qualifying for WIC/SNAP/EBT year round.
Community Access Program Information
How are CAP partners chosen for membership drives?
Members are welcome to nominate a community organization to receive the passes. Other nominations are provided by UNSM staff and the Friends of the State Museum. Organizations are welcome to nominate themselves. Nominated organizations are evaluated based on their mission, audience served, and potential to provide access to community members who otherwise may not be able to visit museums. Nominations can be sent to unsmmembership@unl.edu.
How often do you offer CAP membership drives?
UNSM runs a membership drive providing passes to local non-profit organizations seasonally. One drive is run every spring, summer, fall and winter.
My company, school, non-profit is doing a fundraiser. How do I request a donated membership for the cause?
Membership donation requests can be made by emailing unsmmembership@unl.edu. Donations are evaluated on a rolling basis, but due to staff availability we recommend placing request at least 4 weeks in advance of an event.
While we are happy to give back and support our community, we often receive more requests that we have capacity to handle. At this time we only provide donations to requesting 501c3 organizations.
Please include the organization requesting the donation, what the fundraiser is for, what type of fundraiser you're conducting (silent auction, live auction, raffle, etc.), a contact person for questions, and the deadline you need an answer by.