Free Admission to City Museums with a Hamilton Public Library Card Launches Family Day Weekend

HAMILTON, ON – More doors are opening for residents who want to enjoy Hamilton’s fine museums and all the services of their local library. Residents will soon get in free to the City of Hamilton’s eight museums when they show their Hamilton Public Library (HPL) card.

The one year pilot program kicks off on February 18, which is the Family Day statutory holiday. Hamilton City Council passed Ward 4 Councillor Sam Merulla’s motion to provide free museum visits to all Hamilton Public Library card holders.

Residents will be able to simply present their HPL card to gain complimentary general admission to all of the City of Hamilton’s operated museums with the exclusion of paid special events, booked programs and workshops.

Family Day also kicks off the Ontario Heritage Week (February 18 - 24), which encourages Hamilton residents to celebrate our cultural, natural, architectural and archeological heritage.

City of Hamilton Museums

• Dundurn National Historic Site
• Hamilton Military Museum
• Fieldcote Memorial Park and Museum

• Griffin House Museum
• Whitehern Historic House and Garden
• Hamilton Children’s Museum

• Battlefield House Museum and Park
• Hamilton Museum of Steam and Technology

Quick Facts

Number of annual visitors in 2018
City of Hamilton - 225,000
Hamilton Public Library - 3.76 Million

Number of locations
City of Hamilton - 8 museums in all including 6 National Historic Sites, a children’s museum, a military museum and a community museum
Hamilton Public Library - 22 branches and two bookmobiles

Access to resources
City of Hamilton - 30,000 students receive museum-programs based on Ministry of Education science, arts, history and geography curricula
Hamilton Public Library - Members borrowed 6.67 Million items

Events and membership
City of Hamilton - 150 special events & 1500 facility bookings/usages per year
Hamilton Public Library - 157,368 Hamilton Public Library card holders

“Together, Hamilton museums and Hamilton Public Library recognize the City’s vision to be the best place to raise a child and age successfully. This cultural partnership offers all residents the opportunity to get out and explore the heritage of our city at no cost. By visiting our eight museums, you are getting a real, authentic snapshot of our past.” - Mayor Fred Eisenberger

“The program will be a great way to encourage our residents to explore our museums and our libraries. Our museums are truly, for some, a hidden treasure. This program allows more people to discover this treasure.” - Ward 4 Councillor Sam Merulla

“Our city is rich in heritage and our museums are a reflection of this. I hope that this program will help even more Hamiltonians to discover that.” - Jason Thorne, General Manager, Planning and Economic Development, City of Hamilton

“We see this partnership as a natural fit. The City of Hamilton museums and the Hamilton Public Library work closely together to strengthen our community and our neighbourhoods. With this launch on Family Day, all Hamiltonians will now enjoy visiting library branches and museums with their library card – free of charge.” - Paul Takala, CEO and Chief Librarian, Hamilton Public Library

Additional Resources

• To learn more about this program, please go to: www.hpl.ca/museum
• To learn more about the City of Hamilton’s museums, please go to: www.hamilton.ca/museums
• To learn more about the Hamilton Public Library, please go to: www.HPL.ca