Jessica Ansari, Nederland. It’s warm, humid, and quiet. A hibiscus blooms brightly. There’s the soft sound of a tortoise munching. A butterfly lands on your knee. 

This may not sound like Colorado in December, but here we are. Your holiday vacation plans may be cancelled, but there is still a myriad of ways to explore local and regional attractions. This winter, perfect the art of the Staycation by accessing free admission to cultural and recreational centers through your library. A staycation is a vacation spent entirely at or near your home, but that doesn’t mean it has to be any less fun! 

Check out an Experience Pass from the Nederland Community Library and get free tickets to the Botanic Gardens, Butterfly Pavilion, Denver Aquarium, Denver Museum of Nature and Science and even State Park Passes can be checked out. The only costs are for transportation. You can even check out some audio books for the ride. In normal times, patrons can also check out tickets for The Fiske Planetarium, however, it’s still closed to the public, so instead you can get acquainted with the night sky by yourself, by checking out the Library’s Telescope Astronomy Kit. Library staff will happily show you to the books you might want to check out with it to help you identify the winter constellations and planets. 

Earlier this year, museums, galleries, natural and cultural centers temporarily closed down in unprecedented moves to stem the virus spread. Losing access to these places impacted many people, particularly parents and senior citizens. A silver lining can be hard to find in difficult times, but it’s worth searching for. 

Before the pandemic, museums, exhibits, and institutions could be hectic. If you’ve ever been to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science or the Butterfly Pavilion during a time that coincided with a school visit, you’ll know that these places can get really loud and really overcrowded. A moment in front of the shark exhibit at the aquarium could be spent with ten others, all vying for the best selfie. Covid derailed so much of our lives this year, and the whole world has had to reconfigure. The way we used to do almost everything changed. Most of these places have finally reopened to the public using a timed-ticket entry, and many limit the length of visiting time. As many as one in eight museums in the US may not be able to reopen. This winter is a really great time to support your cultural institutions and help keep them open. The atmosphere inside these places has changed a little, people are conscious about sharing their space, and visitors take turns at the various exhibits. 

Venturing out after Stay at Home restrictions is a new experience for all of us, and these attractions are adhering to state and county regulations to minimize exposure risk and keep visitors healthy, so there are still plenty of reasons to go out safely and responsibly. Encounters with arts and culture can directly impact social and psychological well-being.

You can stop by your library to see the latest local artist exhibit, use the computers, get 10 cent printing, snuggle up in the armchairs by the fireplace with a newspaper, check out magazines, dvds, audio books, graphic novels and brand new books. 

There are other unexpected and fantastic things that you can check out from the library too; a microscope kit, literacy backpacks, toy kits, and even a home-movie projector and speakers. 

The Nederland Community Library is clean, quiet and open by appointment only from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, as well as 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. on Thursday evenings. Just call 303-258-1101 to see what’s available. You can easily hold books or Experience Passes over the phone if you’d rather not go inside, staff will bring your books and gear to the front door or your car, and they even offer free delivery to housebound folks. 

Libraries have the power to create a better world; they connect communities, promote literacy and spark lifelong learners, so take advantage of the resources they want to share! 

Have suggestions for other Staycation Experience Passes?  Let us know!  We are always looking to expand our offerings, as long as they are within our budget.

(Originally published in the December 17, 2020, edition of The Mountain-Ear.)