A Multnomah County Library card already gets you books, e-books and streaming. It can also get you through the gate at the Portland Japanese Garden, into the Portland Art Museum or into a seat at the opera — without paying admission. The program is called My Discovery Pass, and it works any time of year, as long as you plan a little ahead.

What My Discovery Pass is

My Discovery Pass is a partnership between the library and local organizations, which donate free tickets for cardholders. Because the passes are donated, supply is limited, and popular dates can go quickly.

Partners include, as of Oct. 2026:

• Portland Art Museum — general admission for two adults (children 17 and under are always free there)

• Portland Japanese Garden — garden admission for two adults and up to eight children; ticketed events aren't included

• Japanese American Museum of Oregon — two people

• Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education — four people

• OMSI — two people, for Community Science Nights only

• Portland Opera, Portland Center Stage at The Armory, Artists Repertory Theatre and several other performing arts groups

• Oregon State Parks — a one-day parking permit

The partner list and what each pass covers can change, so check the library's page before you plan a trip.

Who can use it

You need a Multnomah County Library card. According to the library's borrowing page, cards are free if you live, teach, go to school or own property in Multnomah County. Its library card options page adds that residents of the wider free service area — including Washington, Clackamas and Hood River counties and Clark County, Wash. — can also get an account. If you live nearby but aren't sure your card qualifies, call the library at 503.988.5123.

A few things will block a reservation: owing $50 or more in charges, a wrong card number or password, or using a card from another library through the Oregon Library Passport program.

How to reserve a pass

Log in at the My Discovery Pass reservation site with your library card number and password, then browse by date or by venue. Print or download the pass shortly before your visit — once you do, you can't cancel the reservation online. Unprinted reservations can be canceled under "My Reservations." Printing is free at any library.

On the day, bring photo ID. The cardholder who made the reservation has to be there, and passes can't be handed to someone else. Parking and transportation aren't included, and a pass on your phone only works if the attraction accepts it.

The limits to know

• Most attractions allow one pass per attraction per calendar year.

• You can hold up to two active reservations at a time.

• Oregon State Parks permits are capped at 10 per card per year, and still count toward the two-at-a-time limit.

The state parks permit works as a one-day parking permit at Oregon state parks that charge a day-use parking fee. The state has added fee parks since 2025, so check the Oregon State Parks website for the current list.

How to get the most out of it

Mark the 1st of the month. Museum and attraction passes are released on a two-month rolling schedule on the first of each month — on Jan. 1, for example, January and February passes open up. Theater, concert and other date-specific passes are released up to three weeks before the event.

Spread out your favorites. With a one-per-year limit at most venues, save a big-group pass like the Japanese Garden's for a visit with kids or relatives.

Check redemption steps. Some partners, especially theaters, ask you to call or email ahead to confirm seats. The library lists each partner's instructions on its page.

If you see nothing available, passes may be gone for now, you may already hold two reservations, or you may have used your yearly passes. New passes come back on the 1st, and yearly limits reset Jan. 1.

Questions? Contact the library at 503.988.5123 or visit multcolib.org/my-discovery-pass.