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Free passes to Arizona destinations? Get yours at a Gila County library

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Would you like two free admissions to Boyce Thompson Arboretum in Superior, a $40 value? How about admission for two at Desert Botanical Garden (value $60), the world-famous Heard Museum ($46) and the Phoenix Art Museum ($48)?

There are already so many reasons to visit your local library – and here’s one more: Act One Culture Pass, providing access to Arizona’s arts and cultural treasures, expanded this year to include libraries in Gila County. Act One partners with over 100 libraries statewide to allow library cardholders the opportunity to check out free passes – in fact, more than 500,000 passes are offered to Arizonans each year. Visit your local library to check out a pass today.

What? You’ve never visited the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum down in Tucson? It’s superb – and is one of 15 destinations where your Act One Culture Pass is accepted. Others include Arcosanti, Cave Creek Museum, Desert Caballeros Western Museum, Pueblo Grande Museum, Reid Park Zoo, Sedona Heritage Museum, SMOCA, Superstition Mountain Museum, the UA Museum of Art and the Verde Valley Archaeology Center.

Where to get your Act One Culture Pass here in Gila County? Check out the Gila County Library District website (gcldaz.org), and like and follow facebook.com/GCLDAZ for addresses for all our libraries from Globe and Miami to Payson, Pine, Hayden, San Carlos, Tonto Basin and Young. All you’ll need is your library card – and if you don’t already have one, they’re free, too!

“It’s easy to get a Culture Pass by visiting any of the county’s eight libraries in person,” said Elaine Votruba, County Librarian with the Gila County Library District. “Pick out your pass and check it out using your library card. You will receive a receipt to gain entrance to the venue. One pass admits two people for free and must be used within seven days. One pass per week is allowed, so take advantage of this new service; you can plan to visit a new Arizona treasure every week.”

About Act One

Act One was started by Russ and Mac Perlich to address the many issues faced by schools and arts organizations alike when organizing field trips. Although many theater companies offered student matinees, low-income schools could not afford the tickets or the necessary transportation. The solution became Act One’s signature program: Act One Field Trips. In 2013 Act One adopted its second program, the Culture Pass. By “checking out” a Culture Pass at one of 64 local libraries, library cardholders receive free admission for two to one of the many museums, theaters and cultural sites that participate in the program. In its first year under Act One, the Culture Pass was expanded to include passes to performances, and today more than 10,000 performance tickets are available annually to library cardholders in Maricopa and Pima counties. In 2014, the Sedona Public Library joined the list of partners, bringing the Culture Pass to Northern Arizona. In  October 2015, the program launched in Pima County and is available at 11 Pima County public libraries and the Pima Community College Desert Vista Campus Library. And 2023 marks the debut of Culture Pass availability here in Gila County. Get yours today - and while you’re there, offer a word of thanks to your local library staff and ask them about library programs that range from reading aloud for preschoolers to craft activities for tweens – movie nights and more. Did you know Globe Public Library even hosts a karaoke night, and chair aerobics? There are already so many reasons to visit your local library!