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 COMMUNITY ACCESS PROGRAMS

At The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho, we believe art, creativity, and cultural experiences should be accessible to everyone. Through partnerships and community-supported initiatives, these programs help remove barriers to museum participation and ensure more individuals and families can experience all the museum has to offer.

Community access is made possible by community support.

Memberships, donations, and sponsorships help TAM continue offering free and reduced-cost programs so that art remains accessible to all. If you are able, becoming a member is a powerful way to invest in the vitality and future of the museum.

Our Community Access Programs include the following:

Foster the ARTs

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The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho (TAM) is proud to launch Foster the ARTs, a new initiative offering free family memberships to all families providing foster care in Eastern Idaho. This program is both a gesture of gratitude for the vital service foster families provide in our community and a reflection of TAM’s belief that the healing power of art should be accessible to everyone—especially the most vulnerable children who often need it most.

Family Membership Benifits 

  • Free admission for one year
  • 10% discount in TAM's gift shop
  • Discount on most classes & workshops
  • Subscription to our monthly newsletter, MuseNews
  • Invitations to exhibit openings & events
Support Foster the ARTs

Through Foster the Arts, TAM reaffirms its belief that art has the power to heal, to inspire, and to create belonging. By providing membership to foster families, we honor their service and offer a space where children can experience the freedom of creative expression.

If you would like to help sustain and expand this program, please consider making a donation. Your support helps us keep the arts accessible to all families—especially those who give so much of themselves to care for children in need.

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Blue Star Museums

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TAM is honored to participate in the 2026 Blue Star Museums program, offering free admission to currently serving U.S. military personnel and their families from Saturday, May 16, 2026, through Saturday, September 5, 2026.

Blue Star Museums is a nationwide initiative led by the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and museums across America. The program provides military families with opportunities to experience museums, cultural institutions, and educational spaces at no cost throughout the summer.

The free admission program is available for those currently serving in the United States military — including the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard, Reserves, National Guard, U.S. Public Health Commissioned Corps, and NOAA Commissioned Corps — along with up to five family members. Qualified visitors may be asked to present an eligible military ID for admission.

Visitors can learn more about the Blue Star Museums program and participating institutions nationwide by visiting www.arts.gov/initiatives/blue-star-museums

Tribal Memberships

This initiative builds on TAM’s ongoing commitment to making art accessible to all residents of Eastern Idaho and creating meaningful pathways to participation in the arts. 

TAM recognizes that Shoshone-Bannock artists were the first artists of this region, with deep creative traditions that continue to shape and enrich our community today. To honor their contributions to our community, Shoshone-Bannock tribal members are eligible to receive free family memberships at TAM. Through this program, the museum hopes to support and encourage continued interest in the arts, cultural expression, and arts education among Tribal members while fostering a museum environment where all feel welcomed, represented, and valued.

ART for All (SNAP/WIC)

Through our Art for All program, families participating in SNAP, EBT, or WIC can enjoy museum access at reduced or no cost. We believe financial barriers should never prevent families from experiencing creativity, connection, and lifelong learning through the arts. By creating pathways to participation, TAM helps ensure that every family can feel a sense of belonging in the museum.

Service Provider Access

The arts can be a powerful source of healing, connection, self-expression, and emotional well-being. To help make these experiences more accessible, TAM offers free admission to caregivers, case workers, therapists, direct support professionals, and other service providers who accompany clients to the museum.

By removing barriers to participation, TAM hopes to create a welcoming environment where individuals of all abilities and backgrounds can experience the restorative and inspiring power of art alongside those who support and care for them.

Library Pass Program

A new library pass lending program in partnership with local libraries across Eastern Idaho is now being offered by TAM, helping make museum admission more accessible for individuals and families throughout the region. Through the program, participating libraries will offer museum passes available for checkout by patrons, allowing community members to experience exhibitions, family activities, and creative exploration at no cost. The library passes will function just like a regular annual family membership, even allowing library patrons to purchase art classes and summer camps at discounted membership rates.

Participating libraries include:

  • Ashton Library
  • Island Park Library
  • Bonneville County Library District
  • BCLD Ammon
  • BCLD Iona
  • BCLD Swan Valley
  • BCLD Ucon
  • BCLD Westside
  • Downey Library
  • Idaho Falls Public Library
  • Inkom Library
  • Lava Hot Springs Library
  • Madison Library
  • McCammon Library
  • North Bingham County District Library
  • Saint Anthony Library
  • SBLD Bookmobile

Passes are now available through participating libraries. Community members interested in checking out a pass are encouraged to contact their local library for availability. If a library is not yet participating, patrons are invited to encourage their librarians to reach out to the museum to learn more about joining the program.

Scholarship Programs

Every child deserves the opportunity to create, explore, and grow through the arts. Scholarship support helps ensure that financial circumstances do not prevent children and teens from participating in classes, camps, workshops, internships, museum memberships, and other enriching programs. Through these opportunities, TAM works to nurture creativity, confidence, and self-expression for youth across our region. Email [email protected] to request a scholarship application if financial barriers are preventing participation in The Art Museum's offerings.

Free Community Days

Thanks to the generosity of our community partners, admission is free on the first Saturday of every month. Free Community Days help ensure that art remains accessible to all while inviting individuals and families from every background to experience the museum as a welcoming place for creativity, learning, and community connection.

We believe art belongs to everyone! Through the support of members, donors, and community partners, TAM is able to offer programs that reduce barriers to participation and expand access to the arts across Eastern Idaho. For those who are able, please consider becoming a member to help ensure these opportunities remain available for our entire community.