New York – New City ID Card To Offer NYC Residents Free One Year Memberships To Cultural Attractions

New York – In an effort to better promote New York City’s Municipal ID program, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced an added benefit to all cardholders: free one year membership to 33 museums that are part of the Cultural Institution’s Group.

The mayor’s announcement was made at a press conference held this afternoon in front of the Bronx Zoo’s Zoo Center building, one of five Bronx attractions that are part of the CIG.

Flanked by representatives of all 33 institutions, as well as City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, several City Council members and a pair of giant rhinoceros sculptures, the mayor spoke about the significance of giving all city residents an opportunity to enjoy some of the city’s biggest cultural attractions.

As previously reported on VIN News, the city’s Municipal ID program is set to roll out on January 1st, 2015 and de Blasio hopes that the inclusion of added perks will encourage even more New Yorkers to register, giving approximately 500,000 undocumented city residents a well-recognized form of identification that will allow them to open bank accounts, sign lease agreements, get library cards and gain improved access to health care.

“So many New Yorkers don’t have ID,” said de Blasio. “I keep emphasizing we are not a city of drivers as much as most parts of this country are And a lot of people don’t have ID for any number of reasons and need it. And it’s part of allowing you to live fully in this city.”

While the program aimed at illegal immigrants, is open to all city residents and the mayor expressed his hope that the program will allow all city residents to broaden their horizons and develop a lifetime love of the arts.

“We are not an elitist city,” said de Blasio. “We are not a city that wants to see great art and music and dance available only to a few. We’re a city that believes everyone benefits from deepening their connection to arts and culture.”

The mood was light-hearted throughout the press conferences with several speakers tossing out one-liners ribbing de Blasio about City Hall’s 17 to 13 loss to the City Council in a highly competitive softball game held last night at MCU Park.

Speakers at the press conference included John Calvelli, executive vice president of public affairs at the Wildlife Conservation Society, City Council speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Arnold Lehman, CIG chairmanand director of the Brooklyn Museum, city councilmembers Jimmy Van Bramer, Carlos Menchacha, Daniel Drom and Ritchie Torres and State Senator Gustavo Rivera.

Throgs Neck resident Jose de Leon, who stood accompanied by his two young sons, Alexander and Daniel, thanked the mayor for giving city dwellers access to these venues, noting how helpful an initiative like this would have been had it been available when he immigrated to New York 25 years ago.

Among the cultural institutions which will be offering free admission to Municipal ID card holders are American Museum of Natural History, Carnegie Hall, Museum of Jewish Heritage, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City Ballet, Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York Hall of Science, Staten Island Children’s Museum, the New York, Brooklyn, Queens and Snug Harbor Botanical Gardens and the Wildlife Conservation Society which includes the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo and the New York Aquarium.