The Library offers free passes to a variety of museums around the state of Maine. Funding support for the Museum Pass program has been provided by Carol Sullivan in memory of her parents, Pat and Mary Sullivan.

Library patrons may reserve a pass up to one month in advance.
Note: Once the pass is reserved, you still must stop by the library to obtain a physical pass.

To borrow a pass, call 207-244-7065, email circulation@swhplibrary.org, or stop by the circulation desk.

Abbe Museum (Bar Harbor)
The Abbe Museum shares the history and culture of Maine’s Native people, collectively known as the Wabanaki (Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Mi’kmaq, and Maliseet). Visitors will find dynamic exhibitions and activities interspersed with spaces for quiet reflection.
May 27 to October 31 ~Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm
[ADDITIONALLY OPEN ON SATURDAY JULY 26, 2025; SATURDAY AUGUST 30, 2025; SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 27, 2025.
Closed on all federal holidays excluding Indigenous People’s Day.
Located at: 26 Mt. Desert St, Bar Harbor 04660
Phone: 207-288-3519
Website: www.abbemuseum.org
Pass Details

• Valid for one day only.
• Free admission for 4 people. Children 4 and under free.
• Pass can be picked up at the library.

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (Boothbay)
A ‘People’s Garden’ in Boothbay, ME, on more than 295 acres on the Maine Coast. Featuring native plants of Maine, and other plants suited for northern climates, as well as art and exhibits that change through the year.
Open May 1 – October 19, 9 AM- 5 PM, rain or shine. Gardens closed June 17 & 18, 2025.
Located at: 105 Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay Maine 04537
Phone: 207-633-8000
Website: www.mainegardens.org
Pass Details

• Valid for one day only.
• Free admission for up to 2 adults and any children/grandchildren.
• Entry is timed from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. on the half hour, based on availability.
• Pass can be picked up at the library.

Dorr Museum (Bar Harbor)
The College of the Atlantic George B. Dorr Museum of Natural History investigates, interprets, and displays the natural world of Maine. The Dorr Museum features dioramas of coastal Maine wildlife and a tide pool tank that houses a variety of live sea stars, hermit crabs, snails and other marine creatures. Visitors of all ages can touch, smell, listen and create while learning about the natural history of Maine. All exhibits are designed and produced by students at College of the Atlantic.
Spring hours through June 6 ~ Mondays and Wednesdays 9-5, Tuesdays and Thursdays 1-5
Located at: 105 Eden Street, Bar Harbor 04660
Phone: 207-288-5395
Website: www.coa.edu/dorr-museum
Pass Details

• Valid for one day only.
• Free admission for 1 family.
• Pass can be picked up at the library.

Farnsworth Art Museum (Rockland)
Open year round in Rockland, the Farnsworth is the only center dedicated solely to American and Maine-inspired art. Celebrating Maine’s role in American art, the Farnsworth Art Museum offers a nationally recognized collection of works from many of America’s greatest artists.
January 1 – May 25, Wednesday through Sunday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Closed Mondays & Tuesdays
May 26 – September 30, Open 7 days a week, 10 a.m.-5 p.m
October 1 – December 31, Open Wednesday through Monday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Closed Tuesdays
Located at: 16 Museum Street, Rockland, ME 04841
Phone: 207-596-6457
Website: https://www.farnsworthmuseum.org/
Pass Details

• Pass is valid for chosen day only, up to 4 passes total (one pass per adult.) Children 16 and under are free.
• You must request a pass for each person.
• Pass can be picked up at the library.

Land & Garden Preserve
Land & Garden Preserve manages and lovingly cares for 1400 acres of historic, public lands, gardens, and trails on Mount Desert Island, Maine. Museum passes give free entrance to the Asticou Azalea Gardens, the Thuya Garden & Asticou Terraces, and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden.
Pass Details for Asticou Azalea Gardens and Thuya Garden & Asticou Terraces

• Valid for one day only.
• Free admission for 4 people.
• Pass can be picked up at the library.

Asticou Azalea Garden (Northeast Harbor)
The Asticou Azalea Garden is an inspiring garden at the Preserve, combining the best natural features of Mount Desert Island with design elements inspired by classic Japanese gardens.
Open May 1 through November 1, 2025
Dawn to dusk 7 days a week.
Located at: 3 Sound Drive, Northeast Harbor 04662
Phone: 207-276-3727
Website: www.gardenpreserve.org/asticou-azalea-garden

Thuya Garden & Asticou Terraces (Northeast Harbor)
The Preserve’s beloved garden on a hill, Thuya Garden is a quiet place to wander, reflect and enjoy nature’s beauty. The mossy, granite-stepped Asticou Terraces provide an ethereal approach to the door of the Thuya Lodge and the border gardens beyond. The hallmark carved wooden gates welcome visitors. Named for the white cedar trees, Thuja occidentalis, growing around it, this garden in the woods has an intimate and private feel though it is open to all.
The garden season is June 14 through October 13, 2025.
Open from dawn to dusk daily.
Thuya Lodge hours 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. during the garden season.
The Asticou Terraces path and hiking trails are open all year round from dawn to dusk.
Located at: 15 Thuya Drive, Northeast Harbor
Phone: 207-276-3727
Website: www.gardenpreserve.org/thuya-garden

Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Gardens (Seal Harbor)
This unique garden at the Preserve holds a prominent place in American garden history, both as the work of a distinguished designer and as the representation of a time of significant growth and development in American landscape design.
Open July 8 through September 7, 2025
12 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Reservations are required.
Non-member reservations available May 19.
Located at: Peabody Dr, Seal Harbor 04675
Phone: 207-276-3727
Website: www.gardenpreserve.org/abby-aldrich-rockefeller-garden
Pass Details 

• Valid for one day only.
• Call the Library for more information. 207-244-7065.

Maine Granite Industry Museum and Historical Society (Mount Desert)
The Maine Granite Industry Museum and Historical Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to collecting and preserving any and all historic information and artifacts pertaining to the granite industry of Maine. In the museum you will find hundreds of old tools that were used in the industry, photos of the quarries in operation and the buildings and monuments which were erected from Maine’s beautiful granites. Curator and founder Steven Haynes is there to guide you through this once important history of our state.
Tues. – Sun. from 10 to 4 through October 31
Located at: 62 Beech Hill Cross Rd, Mt Desert, ME 04660
Phone: 207-244-7299
Website: http://www.mainegraniteindustry.org/
Pass Details

• Valid for one day only.
• Admits up to 4 people.
• Pass can be picked up at the library.

Maine Discovery Museum (Bangor)
Discover three floors of hands-on, interactive exhibits to explore the worlds of science, nature, geography, children’s literature, music, art, and anatomy, plus daily STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math) programming — discoveries await.
Tuesday – Saturday 10 AM – 5 PM, Sunday 12 PM – 5 PM + My Day to Play 10 AM – 12 PM
Located at: 74 Main St, Bangor, ME 04401
Phone: 207-633-8000
Website: https://www.mainediscoverymuseum.org/
Pass Details

• Valid for one day only.
• Free admission for 4 people. Children under 2 are free.
• Pass can be picked up at the library.

Oceanarium and Education Center (Bar Harbor)
The Oceanarium and Education Center is a science museum of the Acadian sea, shore and sky located in Bar Harbor, Maine. Some highlights include a 29-Foot Authentic Indoor Lobster Boat for kids to play and learn on, 2000 Gallons of Authentic Gulf of Maine Habitat in Nine Tanks, Rare Blue, Calico, & Orange Maine Lobsters and a 650-Gallon Touch Pool filled with all sorts of saline from the Gulf of Maine.
May 14 to May 25 ~ Open Wednesday to Sunday, 9 am to 4 pm
May 28 to August 31 ~ Open every day, 9 am to 4 pm
September 3 to November 9 ~ Open Wednesday to Sunday, 9 am to 4 pm
Located at: 1351 ME -3, Bar Harbor, ME 04609
Phone: 207-288-5005
Website: www.theoceanarium.org
Pass Details

• Valid for one day only.
• Free admission for 2 adults. Children (0-2) and Seniors 90+ are free.
• Pass can be picked up at the library.

Portland Museum of Art
The Portland Museum of Art is an open, accessible, inclusive, and welcoming museum for all, through exhibitions and programs that reflect the community and create experiences with art that strengthen bonds and bring people together.
Wednesday: 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Thursday: 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Friday: 10 a.m.–8 p.m. (Free admission from 4–8 p.m.), Saturday: 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sunday: 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Closed Monday & Tuesday.
Located at : 7 Congress Sq, Portland, ME 04101
Phone: 207-775-6148
Website: www.portlandmuseum.org
Pass Details

• Valid for one day only.
• Free admission for 2 adults and 6 children.
• Pass can be picked up at the library.
• No public parking.

Seal Cove Auto Museum (Seal Cove/Tremont)
The Seal Cove Auto Museum exhibits a wide variety of antique autos, from an 1900 De Dion Bouton to a 1921 Mercer, with a special emphasis on examples from the “Brass Era” (1895-1917). Antique car enthusiasts as well as those who simply enjoy cars from the past will delight in the beauty, mystery and romance of this unique collection.
Open Daily 10AM – 5PM May 1 – October 31
Located at: 1414 Tremont Rd, Seal Cove, ME 04674
Phone: 207-244-9242
Website: https://www.sealcoveautomuseum.org
Pass Details

• Valid for one day only.
• Admits 2 adults.
• Youth under 18 free.
• Pass can be picked up at the library.

Wendell Gilley Museum (Southwest Harbor)
The Wendell Gilley Museum is a community center that celebrates the life and work of Wendell Gilley, a pioneer in the field of decorative bird carving. It teaches the art of bird carving and presents art exhibitions and educational programs with a special focus on people, nature and art. Enjoy a casual visit, enroll in a workshop, or join our members’ carving club.
Early Spring until May 17: 10am – 4pm Friday-Saturday
Spring-Early Fall: May 23-Oct. 25, 10am-4pm Tuesday-Saturday
Late Fall-Early Winter: Oct. 26-Dec. 13, 10am-4pm Friday-Saturday
1pm-4pm Sunday, December 14: Community Open House & Art Show
Open some evenings year round for special programs
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Closed: Memorial Day; July 4, Labor Day; Thanksgiving; Dec. 15, 2024-Jan. 8, 2026
Located at: 4 Herrick Rd, Southwest Harbor, ME 04679
Phone: 207-244-7555
Website: https://www.wendellgilleymuseum.org/
Pass Details

• Valid for one day only.
• Admits 4, age 13 & older.
• Children 12 & younger always free.
• Pass may be reserved up to one month in advance.
• Pass can be picked up at the library.