COSI in Columbus admits certified teachers free of charge. The promotions page says certified teachers get in with an acceptable form of verification and photo ID, and that the free admission applies to the individual certified teacher only. It doesn’t tie the offer to a state, so nothing on the page rules out a teacher who lives outside Ohio.
If you’re planning a field trip, or just a Saturday for your own kids, the thing to settle first is who the free ticket covers. It covers you and nobody else, so the rest of your group is on its own ticket, and the details below tell you what to carry so the check at the door goes smoothly.
How To Get The COSI Teacher Discount
Bring photo ID and one acceptable form of verification. The tickets page lists a TEACHER line at $0 marked “Must have ID,” and a note that ID verification happens at check-in, so the check happens when you arrive. The promotions page lists these acceptable forms: a faculty ID that says faculty or teacher on the card, an OEA card, an NEA card, an OCCRRA/OPR profile, a current teaching license or certificate, or a letter from your school district indicating intent to home school. The page doesn’t spell out what the OEA and OCCRRA/OPR abbreviations stand for, and it doesn’t mention registering or getting approved ahead of time.
Who Counts As A Teacher
The page says the offer is open to certified public and private PreK-12th grade teachers, college and university faculty, and homeschool educators, and it adds “(excludes Type A and Type B homes)” without saying what those are. A homeschool educator’s accepted proof is the letter from your school district indicating intent to home school. The tickets page repeats that free admission applies to the individual certified teacher only, and the school groups page carries the same teacher paragraph.
The Teacher Membership Discount
Separate from free admission, the teacher membership page says teachers receive $30 off select memberships, and the membership page says you can buy an Ultimate Family, Family or Single Adult Family membership and use a teacher discount code at checkout. That page marks the teacher discount as not applying to the Family Access Membership. A qualifying teacher must be one of the named adults on the membership, so if two adults share a membership, the teacher’s name needs to be on it. The same group of educators who get free admission is eligible here.
Bringing A Class
Free teacher admission and the group rate are two different things. The school groups page lists a special group rate for 12 or more students at $13.65 per person, and it says advance reservations are required. It also says financial assistance is available for some groups through COSI’s CAP, which supplies subsidized exhibit admission for student groups from schools providing free and reduced lunches through the Federal Free School Lunch Program. If your school fits that description, the CAP details are worth reading before you set a trip fee.
What We Couldn’t Confirm
The page doesn’t say whether a teaching certificate from another state is accepted, though it names no state requirement and lists a current teaching license or certificate without limiting it. The teacher paragraph also doesn’t say whether free admission includes special exhibits or add-on experiences, so ask at check-in if you want one. We didn’t record membership prices, so the membership page is the place to see what $30 off comes to on the plan you want.
Q&A
Is COSI really free for teachers?
The promotions page says certified teachers are admitted free of charge with an acceptable form of verification and photo ID, and the tickets page shows a TEACHER line at $0.
Does my family get in free too?
No. The page says free admission applies to the individual certified teacher only.
Do I need to sign up for a teacher program first?
The page doesn’t mention one. It lists the verification to show with photo ID, and the tickets page says ID verification is at check-in.
Can a faculty ID be my proof?
Yes, if it states faculty or teacher on the card, according to the promotions page.
Can homeschool educators use it?
The page lists homeschool educators and names a letter from your school district indicating intent to home school as acceptable verification.
How much does the teacher membership discount take off?
The teacher membership page says $30 off select memberships, not including the Family Access Membership.
More Information:
The details above come from COSI’s own pages as they loaded when we checked, and programs change without notice. See more entertainment discounts for teachers.
