If you have a Bank of America credit or debit card, you can access more than 200 museums in the US for free - here's how

Holly Johnson

Feb 29, 2020, 01:22 IST

If you have a Bank of America credit or debit card, you can access more than 200 museums in the US for free - here's how

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The Met Cloisters in New York, one of the museums participating in Bank of America's Museums On Us promotion.

Through Bank of America's Museums On Us promotion, customers who have a Bank of America credit or debit card can visit 225 cultural institutions around the United States.
This promotion grants Bank of America credit card and debit card holders free access to participating museums for the first full weekend of every month.
Bank of America customers just need to show photo identification and their Bank of America credit card or debit card to gain free entry to participating museums.
See Business Insider's list of the best Bank of America credit cards »

If you love seeing world-class artwork or artifacts from our ancient past, the nation's top museums should be on your list of must-sees. Fortunately, you may be able to check out some of the top museums around the country if you have a Bank of America credit card or banking account.

With Bank of America's Museums On Us program, customers who have a Bank of America credit card or debit card can gain free general admission to more than 225 cultural institutions around the United States, ranging from the Anchorage Museum in Alaska to the Museum of Modern Art in New York City to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science in Colorado.

Keep in mind that we're focusing on the rewards and perks that make these credit cards great options, not things like interest rates and late fees, which will far outweigh the value of any points or miles. It's important to practice financial discipline when using credit cards by paying your balances in full each month, making payments on time, and only spending what you can afford to pay back.

How to access museums for free as a Bank of America customer

This promotion is available for the first full weekend of every month of the year, although you'll need to check with individual institutions to find out their operating hours.

You don't need to register to score free museum entry,. All you have to do is show up at a participating museum during the first full weekend of the month and show a photo ID and a valid Bank of America, Merrill, or Bank of America Private Bank credit or debit card. Also note that this promotion is only good for one free entry per cardholder, and that it excludes special exhibitions that require a separate ticket.

See the full list of museums that participate in the Bank of America Museums on Us program.

The best Bank of America credit cards to consider

While a Bank of America debit card can help you qualify for free admission to participating museums and cultural institutions, several credit cards will also do the trick. Here are some of the top Bank of America credit cards to consider signing up for if you don't have one already.

Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Visa® credit card

If you're interested in a rewards credit card, definitely check out the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Visa® credit card. This card starts you off with 50,000 points (worth $500) after you spend $3,000 on your card within the first 90 days from account opening. You'll earn 2 points per dollar spent on travel and dining and 1.5 points per dollar on other purchases you make, which makes this card's earning structure pretty desirable when you compare to other top rewards credit cards. And don't forget that you can earn considerably more rewards if you're part of Bank of America's Preferred Rewards program.

The Bank of America Premium Rewards card does charge a $95 annual fee, but you'll get up to $100 in airline fee credit toward travel incidentals each year as well as up to $100 in credit toward the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee. There are no foreign transaction fees, either.

Click here to learn more about the Bank of America Premium Rewards card »

Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card

If you don't want to pay an annual fee and you spend a lot of money in specific categories each month, the Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card might be a better pick. This card starts you off with a sign-up bonus of $200 after you spend $1,000 on your card within the first 90 days from account opening. You'll also earn 3% back on your choice of gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drug stores, or home improvement/furnishings and 2% back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, although 3% and 2% bonus categories are limited to just $2,500 in spending total each quarter. After you meet the bonus category threshold, you'll earn 1% on those purchases. You'll also earn a flat 1% back on everything else you buy.

Click here to learn more about the Bank of America Cash Rewards card »

Bank of America® Travel Rewards Visa® credit card

If you want to travel more than anything else and you like the idea of earning a flat rate of rewards, consider the Bank of America® Travel Rewards Visa® credit card. This card lets you earn a flat 1.5 points for each dollar you spend, and you'll start off with a 25,000-point bonus (worth $250) after you spend $1,000 on your card within the first 90 days from account opening.

This card doesn't charge an annual fee, there are no foreign transaction fees, and you can redeem your rewards for statement credits to cover airfare, hotels, vacation packages, cruises, rental cars, or baggage fees.

Click here to learn more about the Bank of America Travel Rewards card »

If you are in the market for a credit card and you love visiting museums, consider all the different cards you could pick up through Bank of America. You could be earning travel rewards or cash back on all your spending, and you'll save money with free museum entry to participating institutions during the first full weekend of every month.

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Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.