Edison and Ford Winter Estates participates in Museums for All

Edison and Ford Winter Estates Participating in Program to give Museum Access to Low-Income Families
FORT MYERS, Fla. (July 19, 2021) — Edison and Ford Winter Estates has joined Museums for All, a signature access program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the Association of Children’s Museums, to encourage people of all backgrounds to visit museums regularly and build lifelong museum-going habits. Starting August 1, individuals and families (up to four people) receiving food assistance benefits will be admitted for a self-guided tour when they present their SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. Special events and Holiday Nights admission are not included.
Museums for All helps raise awareness and expand public access to museums within each community. The program is part of Edison Ford’s broad commitment to include and welcome all audiences, and is a good fit with the organization’s mission to educate the public and inspire an inventive spirit by interpreting and preserving the innovations, legacies, artifacts, gardens, homes, laboratory, and other structures of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, emphasizing Florida history, science, horticulture, and the arts. More than 700 organizations across the country participate in the program, including museums, science centers, botanical gardens, and zoos. Partnering museums are located nationwide, representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. Virgin Islands.
Edison and Ford Winter Estates includes the historic winter homes of famous inventors Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, a 15,000-square-foot museum, the botanic research laboratory, and more than 20 acres of botanic gardens with plants and trees from around the world. The site is open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. seven days a week. Visitors can download an app or call a number to listen to a narrated tour while using a map to meander through the site at their own pace. Throughout the year, education programs, including summer camp and day camps, home school programs, and classes for preschool children are offered to enhance children’s education in local history, as well as science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM).
As a non-profit, Edison Ford depends on donations and sponsorships to be able to offer programs like this one to less fortunate families within the community. Sponsors have an opportunity to get their name in front of more than 220,000 local, national and international visitors annually.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. Their mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. Their grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
The Association of Children’s Museums (ACM) champions children’s museums worldwide. With more than 460 members in 50 states and 19 countries, ACM leverages the collective knowledge of children’s museums through convening, sharing, and dissemination. Learn more at www.childrensmuseums.org.