Memberships

Become a member of the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center today! The Discovery Center is part of the ASTC reciprocal membership program which allows free or discounted admission to over 300 other science museums, zoos, planetariums and botanical gardens worldwide with your membership card. The Discovery Center also offers an exciting Partner Exchange Program with other New England museums and attractions.

We also offer corporate memberships and library passes!

For more information or to enroll in any of our membership programs, please contact Kelly Thompson at kthompson@starhop.com or call 603-271-7827 x113.

Do you have an active McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center membership? Thank you for your support! The Discovery Center was closed from January 1 through March 5, 2021 to update our planetarium and install new exhibits. As we did last spring, we have extended your memberships to account for this closure! Please contact Kelly Thompson with any questions or to request an updated membership card. You can also request an updated card at the Discovery Center front desk.

Mercury Space Capsule McAuliffe-Shepard

Membership Levels and Benefits

• Gold membership: $300
- For member and seven guests
- Eight one-time passes to exhibits & shows
- Recognition as donor in annual report

• Family & Friends membership: $200
- For member and seven guests
- Four one-time passes to exhibits & shows
- Recognition as donor in annual report

• Family membership: $100
- For member and four guests

• 2-Person membership: $75
- For member and one guest

• Individual membership: $50
- For member only

• Student membership: $30
- For students 18+

All Membership levels include:

  • FREE Admission to Exhibit Halls

  • FREE Admission to Super Stellar Fridays series

  • FREE admission to regular planetarium shows

  • Subscription to our e-newsletter, Cosmos Quarterly

  • Monthly Partner Exchange Program with other partner museums & attractions! See below.

  • Free or reduced admission to over 300 science centers that are part of the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) reciprocal program. Find the list of participants at ASTC’s website

  • Discounts on Discovery Center workshops & programs

  • Discounts at the Science Store

Partner Exchange Program

Imagine becoming a member at one New England museum and getting access to some of the best cultural institutions the region has to offer. That is exactly what the Partner Exchange Program is all about!

The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center is offering this incredible benefit for members. The Discovery Center partners with a museum or attraction to offer an exchange for their members to visit each other's facility for free for an entire month. Not only do Discovery Center members enjoy the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center and all that it has to offer, they also gain a one-time free admission to other museums and attractions during the year by simply presenting their membership card! This is a great way to have fun all year long for one low price.

2021 Partner Organizations/Month

We are in the process of organizing 2021’s Partner Exchange Program. Museums are facing difficulties with planning their operating schedules for this year, so we thank you for your patience as we sort out this membership benefit.
Please check back soon to see our monthly partners!

January: N/A
February: N/A
March: N/A
April: TBA
May: NH Telephone Museum
June: TBA
July: John Hay Estate at the Fells
August: Castle in the Clouds
September: TBA
October: American Precision Museum
November: TBA
December: Cheshire Children’s Museum

Library Pass Program

For just $300 a year, public libraries can offer their patrons free admission to the Discovery Center Exhibit Galleries!

  • Each pass offers free admission for up to four people

  • Libraries can issue up to two passes per day

  • Passes are valid for daily admission, as well as for Super Stellar Friday

Library passes do not include admission to planetarium shows and are not accepted during special events, such as AerospaceFest.

Corporate Memberships

Corporate Memberships are a cost-effective way to provide exciting, innovative benefits for your employees! You can do this while involving your company and employees in the community in a meaningful and enjoyable way, supporting STEM education for New England families, and developing tomorrow’s leaders with inspiring educational programs, interactive exhibits, and planetarium shows.

Corporate Memberships levels are based on the size of your company.

  • Tier I (1-10 employees) $200

  • Tier II (11-25 employees) $500

  • Tier III (26-50 employees) $1000

  • Tier IV (51-150 employees) $2000

  • Tier V (more than 150 employees) $3000