Using CalFresh EBT for Museums for All discount at Cal Academy without SF residency?

Yes, you absolutely can use your CalFresh EBT card at the Cal Academy of Sciences regardless of which county issued it! I'm from Placer County and used mine there in January 2025. The Museums for All program is actually nationwide and not restricted by residency. Just bring your physical EBT card and a photo ID to the ticket counter (don't try to get the discount online - you have to do it in person). The discount applies for up to 4 people per EBT card. Make sure to arrive early because it gets really crowded on weekends and holidays!

yep works fine!! i used mine from Fresno and it was AMAZING!!! the planetarium show is extra but totally worth it. my kids lovedddd the aquarium part downstairs. bring snacks tho food there is $$$$$$

Wait I'm confused. Museums for All isn't part of CalFresh benefits, is it? I thought CalFresh was only for food. Are you sure you're not mixing up programs? My caseworker never mentioned museum discounts when I applied...

I tried using my card there last year and they gave me attitude about it not being a San Francisco card. The lady at the counter had to call a manager who eventually approved it but made it seem like they were doing me a favor. Maybe they've improved their training since then but just prepare yourself for possible pushback.

If you're having trouble reaching someone at CalFresh to verify your benefits before your trip, I'd recommend trying Claimyr. I had questions about using my benefits outside my county and kept getting stuck in the phone tree for hours. Claimyr got me through to an actual person at my county office in about 10 minutes. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 or just go to claimyr.com. Saved me so much frustration when I needed to confirm my benefits were active before traveling.

I'm in Alameda county and took my nieces and nephews last month with my EBT card. The discount worked fine BUT make sure you get there EARLY!!! We arrived at noon on a Saturday and had to wait almost 2 hours just to get in. Once we got in it was so crowded we could barely see the exhibits. If I did it again I'd go right when they open or on a weekday if possible.

One more tip - if you're going to SF, there are several other museums that accept EBT for discounts too! The Exploratorium also offers $3 tickets with CalFresh, and the de Young Museum and Legion of Honor have discounted admission too. You could make a whole cultural weekend of it for very little money!

btw they checked my ID with my ebt card so yeah your sister probably cant use it sorry :

Just to provide some official information: Museums for All is indeed a nationwide program administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. ANY valid EBT card from any state can be used at ANY participating museum across the country. The Cal Academy of Sciences specifically notes on their website that they offer $3 admission for up to 4 people per EBT card. They should not be restricting this based on which county issued your card. CalFresh recipients often don't realize how many additional benefits their EBT card can provide beyond food assistance. Museum discounts, free or reduced admission to state parks in California, farmers market matching programs, and discounted Amazon Prime memberships are all available but not widely advertised by county offices.

To answer your specific question about names on the card - yes, Museums for All does require that the person named on the EBT card be present with matching ID. Your sister would not be able to use your EBT card without you there, as that would technically be considered misuse of benefits. The discount applies to the cardholder plus up to three guests, but the cardholder must be present.

the academy of sciences is AMAZING but sooooo big. my feet were killing me by the end lol. wear comfortable shoes!!!!!

Just wanted to add another tip for your SF trip - if you're driving from Sacramento, check out the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center too! They have free parking and amazing views, plus it's a good spot to let the kids stretch their legs before hitting the museums. Also, if you have time, the Crissy Field area is free and has great playground equipment where kids can run around after being inside all day at the museums. My family always makes a day of it when we visit SF - hit the free outdoor spots between the paid attractions to make the most of the trip!

This is such valuable information! I'm a single mom with CalFresh in Riverside County and had no idea about Museums for All. Reading through all these responses has me planning a whole educational trip for my kids. Quick question - do you know if the discount applies to special exhibitions too, or just general admission? The Cal Academy website mentions they sometimes have traveling exhibits with separate fees. Either way, $3 vs $45 per person is life-changing for families like ours who want to give our kids these experiences but can't afford regular museum prices. Thank you all for sharing your experiences!

Just wanted to share that I used my CalFresh card from Orange County at Cal Academy last summer and it worked perfectly! No issues at all with the out-of-county card. One thing I'd add is to double-check their hours before you go - they have different opening times on weekdays vs weekends, and some exhibits like the planetarium have scheduled showtimes throughout the day. Also, if you have kids who get overwhelmed easily, the rainforest dome can get pretty humid and crowded, so maybe save that for later in your visit when it might be less busy. The aquarium section was definitely the biggest hit with my 8-year-old! Have an amazing trip - sounds like you've got great advice from everyone here about timing and what to expect.

This thread has been so helpful! I'm a new CalFresh recipient in Contra Costa County and honestly had no idea about any of these museum programs. My case worker definitely never mentioned Museums for All when I got approved last month. Reading all your experiences makes me feel so much more confident about planning some educational outings for my kids that we could never afford before. I'm bookmarking this whole conversation and definitely going to look into the other SF museums mentioned too. It's amazing how much support and knowledge this community shares - thank you all for taking the time to explain everything so thoroughly!

I work at a museum in the Central Valley that participates in Museums for All, and I just wanted to confirm what others have said - your Sacramento County EBT card will absolutely work at Cal Academy! The program is designed to be used nationwide regardless of which state or county issued your card. We see visitors from all over California and other states using their EBT cards without any issues. Just make sure to bring your physical card (not just a photo) and matching ID. The staff at Cal Academy should be well-trained on this program since they're one of the major participating museums, but if you encounter any confusion, politely ask them to check with their supervisor. Museums for All has been around for years and is a wonderful way to make cultural experiences accessible to families who need it most. Hope you and your kids have an amazing time!

Just wanted to add that if you're planning multiple museum visits in SF, consider getting there early in the morning and doing a "museum hop" day! I did this with my kids last fall - started at Cal Academy when it opened at 9:30am, then walked over to the de Young Museum in the afternoon (it's literally right across the street in Golden Gate Park). Both accept EBT for $3 admission, and you can easily spend a full day between the two. The de Young has amazing art and a free observation tower with incredible city views that my kids loved. Plus there are food trucks in the park between the museums that are way cheaper than museum cafeterias. Golden Gate Park also has playgrounds and the Japanese Tea Garden nearby if you need breaks. Making a whole day of it really maximizes the value of that drive from Sacramento!

This entire thread has been so eye-opening! I'm a new CalFresh recipient from Kern County and honestly had no clue about Museums for All until reading this. My 9-year-old daughter is obsessed with marine biology and I've been wanting to take her somewhere like Cal Academy but could never justify the cost on our tight budget. Seeing that I can get $3 tickets with my EBT card is literally life-changing! I'm already looking up the Museums for All website to see what other options we have closer to home too. Thank you Lorenzo for asking this question and thank you everyone for sharing such detailed experiences and tips. This community is amazing - I've learned more about my benefits in this one thread than I did during my entire application process. Definitely planning our own SF museum adventure now!

This thread is absolutely incredible! I'm a CalFresh recipient from San Bernardino County and had NO idea about Museums for All until stumbling across this conversation. My twin boys are 11 and obsessed with dinosaurs and space - they're going to flip when I tell them we can actually afford to visit the Cal Academy planetarium and natural history exhibits! I've been wanting to take them somewhere educational like this for years but $45+ per person was just impossible on our budget. Reading everyone's experiences gives me so much confidence that our EBT card will work there without issues. Already planning our trip for next month and looking up other participating museums too. Thank you Lorenzo for asking this question - you've literally opened up a whole world of possibilities for families like ours who thought these experiences were out of reach. This community is such an amazing resource!

As someone who's worked in museum education for over a decade, I wanted to add some insider tips for your Cal Academy visit! The Museums for All program is fantastic and yes, your Sacramento County EBT card will work perfectly there. A few things that might help maximize your experience: 1) If your kids are interested in specific topics, check their website for daily feeding times at the aquarium - watching the sharks and rays get fed is always a huge hit! 2) The planetarium shows are included with general admission but they do fill up, so grab tickets for shows right when you arrive. 3) The rainforest dome has a "canopy walk" that most people miss - look for the spiral ramp that takes you up through different forest levels. 4) Thursday evenings they sometimes have special "NightLife" events for adults, but Thursday daytime visits tend to be much less crowded than weekends. Your kids are so lucky to have a parent who's finding creative ways to give them these incredible learning experiences! The fact that Museums for All exists shows how much the museum community values making education accessible to everyone, regardless of economic circumstances.

I'm so glad this thread exists! I'm from Ventura County and have been on CalFresh for about 8 months but had absolutely no idea about Museums for All until reading through all these responses. My 6-year-old daughter is fascinated by butterflies and marine life, so Cal Academy sounds perfect for her - especially that rainforest dome everyone's mentioning! I was honestly feeling guilty that I couldn't afford to take her to places like this on our current budget, but knowing we can get $3 admission with our EBT card changes everything. Reading about all the other families making these trips work has given me so much hope and practical ideas. Already looking up the Museums for All website to see what other options we have in our area too. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences so openly - this community support is incredible and has literally opened up educational opportunities I thought were impossible for us right now!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm a CalFresh recipient from Stanislaus County and I'm amazed at how much I've learned about Museums for All just from reading everyone's experiences. My 8 and 12-year-old are homeschooled and I've been struggling to find affordable educational field trip options. The fact that we can visit Cal Academy for $3 per person instead of $45 is absolutely game-changing for our family budget! I'm definitely planning a trip to SF now and looking into the other participating museums mentioned here too. It's so encouraging to read about families from different counties successfully using their EBT cards there without issues. Thank you Lorenzo for asking this question and thank you to everyone who shared their detailed experiences, tips about timing, and insider knowledge. This community is such an amazing resource for discovering benefits we never knew existed. Already bookmarking the Museums for All website and planning our educational adventure!