Philadelphia is one of the best museum cities in the country, and if you have a Bank of America, Merrill, or Bank of America Private Bank credit or debit card, you can receive general admission at select local institutions for free.
Bank of America's Museums on Us program runs on the first full weekend of every month, and in July 2026, that lands on July 4 and 5.
TL;DR
- Get free general admission to 4 Philadelphia museums on July 4 and July 5, 2026 by presenting any active Bank of America, Merrill, or Bank of America Private Bank credit or debit card plus a government-issued photo ID at the door.
- Eligible Museums on Us: Philadelphia Museum of Art, Barnes Foundation and Calder Gardens (Saturday, July 4 only), Museum of the American Revolution, and the African American Museum in Philadelphia.
- The benefit covers one free general admission per cardholder and is not transferable to guests, everyone else in your group pays regular admission.
- Special exhibitions are excluded from Museums on Us free admission; verify directly with each museum before visiting whether any current ticketed shows require a separate paid ticket.
- Bank of America cardholders can use nextcard notifs to receive a reminder to use this benefit before the first full weekend of each month.
Museums you can access for free using Museums on Us in Philadelphia in July 2026
Some popular Bank of America cards eligible for the Museums on Us benefit include the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card, Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card, and Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card. If you have an eligible card, here are the best museums to visit in Philadelphia during the July 2026 Museums on Us weekend (more thoughts to follow).
| Museum | Neighborhood | Best Known For |
|---|
| Philadelphia Museum of Art | Fairmount | European and American fine art |
| African American Museum in Philadelphia | Old City | African American history and culture in the Delaware Valley |
| Barnes Foundation and Calder Gardens | Benjamin Franklin Parkway | Post-Impressionist and early Modern art |
Philadelphia Museum of Art
One of the largest art museums in the country, the Philadelphia Museum of Art holds a permanent collection of over 240,000 objects spanning thousands of years. The free admission through Museums on Us allows you access to the main collection without spending a dime. It's worth arriving early since the museum draws crowds on holiday weekends, and July 4th falls right in the middle of this window.
Museum of the American Revolution
The Museum of the American Revolution in Old City is one of Philadelphia’s strongest history stops. Its galleries exhibit the people, politics, battles, and everyday choices that shaped the American Revolution, with artifacts, immersive exhibits, and stories that go beyond the usual textbook version. Free general admission through Museums on Us makes this an easy add if you’re already near Independence Hall or the Liberty Bell.
Barnes Foundation and Calder Gardens
The Barnes Foundation houses one of the most remarkable private art collections ever assembled, including an extraordinary concentration of Renoir, Cézanne, and Matisse works. The building itself was purpose-built to display the collection exactly as Albert C. Barnes arranged it, which makes the experience unique unlike any other museum visit.
Admission to the Barnes Foundation and Calder Gardens is only available on Saturdays using the Bank of America Museums on Us® benefit. The Barnes does not participate on Sundays, so if you're planning your visit for Sunday, July 5, standard admission applies there.
African American Museum in Philadelphia
The African American Museum in Philadelphia sits in Old City and focuses on African American history, culture, and community, with a particular connection to Philadelphia and the wider Delaware Valley. Its exhibitions cover art, activism, identity, and the long fight for freedom and equality, giving you a meaningful counterpoint to the early-American narrative at the nearby colonial sites.
Other Museums in Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is not the only place in the state where Bank of America cardholders can use the Museums on Us benefit. If you’re willing to make a day trip or you’re already traveling elsewhere in Pennsylvania, there are a few additional participating museums worth keeping on your radar.
| Museum | Neighborhood | Best Known For |
|---|
| Brandywine River Museum of Art | Chadds Ford | Wyeth family and American art |
| James A. Michener Art Museum | Doylestown | Impressionist art and regional American art |
| Carnegie Museum of Art | Pittsburgh | Contemporary and modern art, decorative arts, architecture, Carnegie International exhibition |
What to Know Before You Go in July 2026
The Museums on Us weekend in July 2026 falls on Saturday, July 4 and Sunday, July 5. Because July 4th is Independence Day, some museums may run modified hours or see heavier foot traffic, so confirm hours with each institution before you head out.
- Who Qualifies: You need to be a Bank of America, Merrill, or Bank of America Private Bank credit or debit cardholder. Present your eligible card with a photo ID at the admissions desk. Each cardholder gets one free general admission ticket, so if you're bringing a group, each person needs their own qualifying card. Authorized users of eligible cards do not get free admission.
- What's Covered: General admission only. Special exhibitions, IMAX screenings, planetarium shows, and ticketed events typically cost extra, so check each museum's site to confirm what's included before you arrive.
How nextcard Helps You Stay on Top of Bank of America Perks
Since Museums on Us has to be used in person, it’s usually easy to remember whether you’ve claimed the benefit that month. The trickier benefits are the ones that reset on less consistent schedules or are easy to overlook because they’re redeemed via statement credits. For example, Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card has up to to $100 in TSA PreCheck®/Global Entry Statement Credits (every four years), so it’s easy to lose track of when you last used it or when it becomes available again.
nextcard gives you a central place to keep track of those card perks before they get buried. You can see your Bank of America benefits, credit amounts, and reset timelines together, on one dashboard, which makes it easier to know what is still available and what is coming up next. The free tier supports unlimited manual credit tracking, and nextcard Pro can connect through Plaid to automatically identify eligible transactions, helping you make better use of the benefits already attached to your card.
FAQ
Can I use Bank of America Museums on Us if I have a debit card?
Yes. Present any active Bank of America, Merrill, or Bank of America Private Bank credit or debit card plus a government-issued photo ID at the admissions desk to get one free general admission on July 4 and July 5, 2026.
Bank of America Museums on Us Philadelphia vs other cities?
Philadelphia has four participating Museums on Us venues: the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Barnes Foundation and Calder Gardens (Saturdays only), Museum of the American Revolution, and the African American Museum in Philadelphia. That covers fine art, American history, and African American history and culture, providing solid variety for a single weekend with your Bank of America card.
Are special exhibitions included?
Generally, no. The benefit applies to general admission only. Ticketed special exhibitions, IMAX screenings, and premium experiences typically require a separate purchase even with a qualifying card.
Does Museums on Us cover special exhibitions at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in July 2026?
No. The benefit covers general admission only. Special exhibitions like Van Gogh's Sunflowers or limited-run shows typically require a separate paid ticket, so check with each museum before you go.
What happens if I bring my family to a Museums on Us museum?
Each Bank of America cardholder gets one free general admission ticket, so everyone else in your group that doesn't have a qualifying Bank of America card has to pay regular admission. If you want multiple people to get in free, each person needs their own qualifying Bank of America, Merrill, or Bank of America Private Bank card.
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