So, yeah, they don't look like this anymore, but they're infinitely more valuable. Credit: By Calsidyrose (Library Book Texture) [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

So, yeah, they don’t look like this anymore, but they’re infinitely more valuable. Credit: By Calsidyrose (Library Book Texture) [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Membership has its benefits.

No, not American Express — a library card to any member of the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative. Starting July 1, patrons can “check out” a museum pass for two adults and three children (under 18). The pass is good for one visit in a seven-day period. Each library will have two passes, and they’ll be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. 

The pass also includes access to the Morean Hot Shop, where people can watch live glassblowing demos. The Morean Arts Center — smack-dab in between the two — is always free. 

This isn’t exclusive to the Chihuly, either — currently, PPLC library card holders can also take advantage of this benefit at the Museum of Fine Arts, the Florida Holocaust Museum and Great Explorations Children’s Museum.

Chihuly Collecton, 720 Central Ave., St. Petersburg | Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun., 12-5 p.m. | moreanartscenter.org

This article appears in Jun 28 – Jul 5, 2018.

Cathy's portfolio includes pieces for Visit Florida, USA Today and regional and local press. In 2016, UPF published Backroads of Paradise, her travel narrative about retracing the WPA-era Florida driving...