Passport to Houston expanded
Entering its sophomore year, the Passport to Houston now offers more freebies and discounts, an expanded Web site and three special Passport events planned for the fall. Students can also continue to ride the METRORail and buses for free with the Passport’s U.Pass.
In addition to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Rice students can now gain free admission to the Houston Zoo and the Houston Museum of Natural Science’s general exhibits and its Cockrell Butterfly Center.
The following venues will offer discounts for Rice students: the Natural Science Museum’s IMAX ($4 tickets) and Burke Baker Planetarium ($3 tickets), Main Street Theater ($10 tickets), Wavelength Symphonies ($8 tickets) and Da Camera of Houston ($5 tickets).
Modeled after the Passport’s inaugural event at the MFAH in the spring, an Aug. 30 event at the Natural History Museum will offer free food and a free IMAX movie (Mysteries of the Nile) from 7-9 p.m.
Beginning Sept. 15, students can see Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony performed by the Houston Symphony Orchestra with one of 200 free tickets or $8 discounted tickets.
On Sept. 22, the President’s Office will host a free barbeque at the zoo for Families Weekend.
Adviser to the President Maryana Iskander (Wiess ‘97) said Passport to Houston has dramatically increased Rice students’ usage of METRORail.
According to METRO, an estimated 46,000 light-rail boardings by Rice students occurred between January and mid-May, versus almost none beforehand, she said.
In the last six weeks of classes last semester, 130 students visited the MFAH, she said.
Attaining free access or discounts at cultural venues is relatively cheap, Iskander said.
“Lots are eager to have students there,” she said. “U. Passes are expensive — that’s where the cost comes in.”
Rice paid about $105,000 for this year’s U.Passes, according to Vice President for Finance Kathy Collins.
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