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Friends of Art

Two women gaze at art in a featured exhibition at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art,

A Friends of Art membership offers affordable ways to enjoy a variety of benefits and events — and could pay for itself in as little as two visits.


Reciprocal Benefits

Members at select levels enjoy benefits at major museums throughout North America. The following benefits are cumulative.

Member Plus and above
15 premier museums

Click to learn more about the Art Museum Reciprocal Membership Program

Art Explorer and above
400+ museums

Click to learn more about The North American Reciprocal Museum Association

Art Lover and above
1,000+ museums

Click to learn more about the Reciprocal Organization of Associated Museums

Check with the participating museums about specific benefits before you visit. Use your digital Nelson-Atkins membership card to show the corresponding reciprocal logo.


Special Interest Groups


More about membership

Friends of Art details

Tax information

All Friends of Art levels are 100% tax deductible.

Tax information is included on your official receipt. If you’d like another copy of your receipt, contact us at 816.751.1278 or membership@nelson-atkins.org.

Sharing memberships

Cardholders must reside in the same household. Membership communications are sent to one address.

Refunding or transferring membership

Memberships are a tax-deductible gift; therefore, they are not refundable or transferrable.

Digital member cards

How to use your card

Adding your card to your digital wallet
After purchasing a membership, you’ll receive a welcome email from alerts@museumanywhere.com with access to your digital member cards. (If you did not receive this email, please email membership@nelson-atkins.org.)

Your digital member card can be downloaded to your mobile device’s wallet, no app required.

Follow our how-to guide to download your card to your phone or tablet’s digital wallet.

Using your card
Digital member cards allow you to quickly and conveniently apply your membership benefits — whether that’s scanning in the parking garage, at museum and special exhibition entrances, for discounts in museum retail and dining locations, or (if you’re Member Plus or higher) at other museums for your reciprocal benefits.

Each member card features a member ID number, membership level, and membership expiration date.

Sharing with other cardholders on your membership

The primary cardholder can forward the welcome
email containing their access link to other members on the account.

Alternatively, if you’ve added your card to your wallet, you can text the link to other members.

Membership updates and renewals

Your digital card will automatically update when
your membership information changes, so you only need to download your card once.

Please note that if you renew early, your new expiration date will refresh once your current membership ends.

Select Friends of Art benefits

Free and discounted admission to programs

Most member and museum events are free for members. If there is a cost, members typically receive a discount. A select few events, such as ShuttleCork and The C100 Luncheon, are not discounted.

Guest tickets

Members are allotted a daily number of free exhibition tickets for guests, determined by their membership level.


Other membership programs

Seeking more ways to support the museum’s mission? View our complete list of membership programs or get specific.

Society of Fellows (SOF)

Society of Fellows provides the museum significant and transformative philanthropic support.

Business Council

Unlock exclusive museum access for your company and employees.