Your Maryland Independence Card opens far more doors than the grocery store. In 2026, Maryland Food Stamps recipients can access discounted admission at the Maryland Science Center, Port Discovery Children’s Museum, Reginald F. Lewis Museum, Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, and nearly 30 additional museums, historic sites, and cultural institutions statewide. Several of Baltimore’s most beloved cultural venues — including the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Walters Art Museum — are completely free to everyone, every day.
Your Independence Card also qualifies you for half-price Amazon Prime, a dollar-for-dollar produce match through Maryland Market Money at participating farmers markets, the federal Restaurant Meals Program for eligible recipients, Lifeline phone discounts, Summer EBT for children, and energy bill assistance.
This is the complete guide to every EBT discount available to Maryland residents in 2026, organized by city and program.
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A Note on the Maryland Independence Card
Maryland’s EBT card is officially called the Maryland Independence Card. If you receive SNAP (Food Stamps) benefits in Maryland, your benefits are loaded onto your Independence Card each month. Maryland sends out benefits from the 4th to the 23rd of each month, based on the first three letters of your last name. When museums and venues ask to see your “SNAP card” or “EBT card,” your Maryland Independence Card is what you present.
At most Maryland venues, you show your Independence Card and a valid photo ID at the ticket window to access the discounted rate. The card is used only to verify SNAP enrollment — you pay any admission price separately with cash, debit, or credit card. Your Independence Card balance cannot be used to pay for admission.
Most Museums for All participants in Maryland accept Independence Cards from any state — you do not need to be a Maryland resident to receive the discount at most locations.
Maryland Independence Card customer service: 1-800-997-2222 (24/7) Maryland SNAP hotline: 1-800-332-6347
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Amazon Prime — Half Price for Maryland Independence Cardholders
Maryland Food Stamps recipients qualify for Amazon Prime at $6.99 per month — less than half the standard $14.99 monthly rate. The membership includes free two-day shipping, Prime Video, Prime Music, Prime Reading, and the ability to shop SNAP-eligible groceries through Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods pickup and delivery in qualifying Maryland ZIP codes.
Sign up for discounted Amazon Prime here — verify your SNAP enrollment by uploading a photo of your Maryland Independence Card or a recent benefit letter. A credit or debit card is required as a backup payment method. The $6.99 fee cannot be charged to your Independence Card balance. A free 30-day trial is available if you have never had Amazon Prime before.
Maryland Market Money — Double Your Produce Budget at Farmers Markets
Maryland Market Money (MMM) is Maryland’s statewide produce incentive program, operated by the Maryland Department of Agriculture in partnership with farmers market operators across the state. Maryland does not participate in the national Double Up Food Bucks network — Maryland Market Money is the state’s equivalent program.
When you use your Maryland Independence Card at a participating farmers market, farm stand, or CSA, you receive a dollar-for-dollar match in Maryland Market Money tokens. Spend $10 in SNAP and receive $10 in Maryland Market Money tokens for fresh, locally grown Maryland produce. A daily limit may apply at some locations — check with market staff when you arrive.
Maryland Market Money is a year-round program, not just a warm-weather benefit. MMM operates at participating winter markets, farm stands, and indoor markets statewide in addition to the warm-season farmers market network. Find participating locations at marylandmarketmoney.org.
FreshMatch at FRESHFARM Markets: FRESHFARM operates a network of farmers markets in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. metro area, including markets in Maryland. All FRESHFARM markets accept SNAP, WIC, and Senior FMNP benefits, and the FreshMatch program provides a dollar-for-dollar match on all federal nutrition benefits spent at market — with no stated daily cap. FRESHFARM markets in Maryland include the Riverdale Park Farmers Market and others in the DMV region. Find participating FRESHFARM markets at freshfarm.org/fresh-match.
Baltimore — Always-Free Cultural Institutions (No EBT Card Needed)
Baltimore has a remarkable number of world-class cultural institutions that are completely free to everyone, every day. No Independence Card is required at these venues — admission is free for all visitors regardless of income.
Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) — Free general admission every day. No EBT card needed. The BMA is one of the great art museums of the mid-Atlantic, anchored by the legendary Cone Collection of modern art assembled by Claribel and Etta Cone — the largest collection of Henri Matisse works in the world. The museum holds more than 95,000 objects and offers free admission to all regular exhibitions. Some special ticketed events may incur a charge. Open Wednesday through Sunday; closed Monday, Tuesday, and major holidays. Located in Charles Village, adjacent to the main Johns Hopkins University campus.
Walters Art Museum (Baltimore) — Free general admission every day. No EBT card needed. The Walters Art Museum houses a private collection of nearly 36,000 works of art spanning 5,000 years — from ancient Egypt through the early 20th century — assembled almost entirely by two men: William T. Walters and his son Henry Walters. The collection includes illuminated manuscripts, medieval armor, Renaissance paintings, decorative arts, and Asian and ancient art. Free to the public since 1934. Located in the Mount Vernon Cultural District.
Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture (Baltimore) — Free admission through the Museums for All program for EBT cardholders; also frequently free to all visitors as part of the museum’s broader free admission policy. One of the largest African American history museums on the East Coast, honoring the life of Reginald F. Lewis — the first Black American to build a billion-dollar business — and chronicling the full history of Black life in Maryland from the colonial era to the present. Located on East Pratt Street in downtown Baltimore’s Inner Harbor district.
The Peale (Baltimore) — Always free. Baltimore’s community museum dedicated to preserving and presenting the stories of Baltimoreians through the work of local artists and historians.
American Visionary Art Museum (Baltimore) — The AVAM does not have a dedicated EBT/SNAP Museums for All discount. Standard admission applies for Independence Cardholders. The AVAM does offer seasonal reciprocal free or discounted admission to members of partner institutions — check avam.org for current offers. The museum is one of the most unusual and visually stunning institutions in the country, dedicated entirely to self-taught and outsider art across 1.1 acres of buildings and sculpture gardens in Federal Hill.
Baltimore — Museums for All Participants
Maryland Science Center (Baltimore) — Reduced admission of approximately $3 per person for up to four people with any EBT card through the Museums for All program. Present your Independence Card and a valid photo ID at the ticket counter. The Maryland Science Center is an interactive hands-on museum on the Baltimore Inner Harbor featuring three floors of exhibits, a planetarium, and a science demonstration stage. Admission covers all three exhibit floors and the planetarium — IMAX films can be added for an additional $5 at the ticket desk. The Science Center also has a Baltimore City Resident Day program with reduced rates — check mdsci.org for current dates.
Port Discovery Children’s Museum (Baltimore) — Discounted Museums for All admission with an Independence Card. One of the top children’s museums in the mid-Atlantic, featuring multiple floors of hands-on interactive exhibits in a historic market building in downtown Baltimore. Exhibits span science, art, creative play, movement, and literacy for children ages 10 and under. Verify the current EBT rate before visiting at portdiscovery.org.
Baltimore Museum of Industry (Baltimore) — Free admission with your Maryland Independence Card. The Baltimore Museum of Industry celebrates the industrial heritage of Baltimore and the laborers who built it. Located in an 1865 oyster cannery on the south Baltimore waterfront, the museum’s collection includes a working 1906 steam tugboat, a turn-of-the-century machine shop, print shop, garment loft, and exhibits on the history of Baltimore’s manufacturing, shipping, and service industries.
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore — The Maryland Zoo does not currently offer a dedicated EBT or SNAP Museums for All discount. Standard admission applies for Independence Cardholders visiting on their own. The zoo does offer free admission for Maryland public school students through a state grant program (advance reservations required), and discounted group rates for groups of 20 or more. Winter tickets ($24 per person, valid January 2 through February 28) offer the most affordable general access for individual visitors. Members of select Baltimore cultural institutions — including the Maryland Center for History and Culture and the Baltimore Museum of Industry — receive reciprocal free admission to the zoo during certain months of the year.
Maryland Center for History and Culture (MCHC) — Discounted Museums for All admission with an Independence Card. Maryland’s premier history museum, with a library and archive of more than 8 million objects spanning more than 350 years of Maryland history. Located on West Monument Street in Baltimore’s Mount Vernon neighborhood, adjacent to the Walters Art Museum.
Annapolis — William Paca House and Historic Sites
William Paca House and Garden (Annapolis) — Free admission for EBT cardholders, including docent-led guided tours of both the historic house and the restored formal garden. William Paca was a Maryland delegate to the Continental Congress and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. The Georgian mansion was completed in 1765 and features five acres of period-restored grounds. Tickets and tours for EBT visitors are available in person — show your Independence Card and a valid photo ID when booking. The William Paca House and Garden is located at 186 Prince George Street in Annapolis.
Chesapeake Children’s Museum (Annapolis) — Discounted Museums for All admission with an Independence Card. A hands-on children’s museum in Annapolis offering rotating and permanent interactive exhibits for young visitors. Verify the current EBT rate before visiting at kidsmuseum.org.
Southern Maryland — St. Clement’s Island and Historic St. Mary’s City
St. Clement’s Island Museum (Coltons Point) — Discounted Museums for All admission. Located at St. Clement’s Island, where Maryland’s first European settlers landed on March 25, 1634, making it one of the most historically significant sites in the state. The museum tells the story of Maryland’s founding and the Yaocomaco people who inhabited the region. A water taxi from the museum dock runs to the island itself during the warm season.
Historic St. Mary’s City (St. Mary’s City) — Discounted Museums for All admission. An outdoor living history museum and National Historic Landmark at the site of Maryland’s first capital, founded in 1634. Features a recreated 17th-century tobacco plantation, a replica of the square-rigged sailing vessel Dove (one of the two ships that brought Maryland’s first colonists), a reconstructed State House, and archaeological exhibits. One of the most significant colonial history sites in the United States.
Eastern Shore — Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (St. Michaels) — Discounted Museums for All admission with an Independence Card. An 18-acre waterfront museum campus dedicated to the history, culture, and environment of the Chesapeake Bay. Exhibits include the nation’s largest collection of historic Chesapeake Bay watercraft, a fully operational 1879 screwpile lighthouse, and a working boat restoration yard where visitors can watch craftsmen restore traditional wooden vessels. One of the finest regional history museums in the mid-Atlantic. Located on Navy Point in the historic town of St. Michaels on the Eastern Shore.
Statewide — Additional Museums for All Participants
Maryland has nearly 30 Museums for All participants statewide, from Baltimore and Annapolis to Hagerstown, Frederick, and southern Maryland. For a current, searchable list of every participating venue, visit museums4all.org and filter by Maryland. Key additional participants include the Hagerstown Museum of Fine Arts, the Children’s Museum of Rose Hill Manor Park (Frederick), and community museums throughout the state.
Your Maryland Independence Card is also accepted at Museums for All locations in all 50 states — a valuable benefit if you travel.
Restaurant Meals Program — EBT at Maryland Restaurants
Maryland participates in the federal Restaurant Meals Program (RMP), which allows eligible SNAP recipients to use their Independence Card to purchase prepared meals at participating restaurants. Eligibility is restricted: you must be age 60 or older, disabled, or homeless to qualify. Spouses of eligible recipients may also qualify in some cases.
If you are an eligible Maryland SNAP recipient and want to use your Independence Card at a participating restaurant, your current card is likely already enabled for restaurant purchases. Contact your local Department of Social Services office or call the Maryland SNAP hotline at 1-800-332-6347 to confirm eligibility and find a list of participating restaurants in your county.
Phone Service — Lifeline
Maryland Independence Cardholders automatically qualify for the federal Lifeline program, which provides up to $9.25 per month off a monthly phone or internet bill. Many participating Lifeline providers in Maryland offer unlimited talk and text plans for free or at very low cost for qualifying households. Some carriers include a free smartphone for new enrollees.
Visit lifelinesupport.org to find participating Maryland Lifeline providers and apply.
Internet Service — Discounted Broadband Plans
SNAP enrollment qualifies Maryland households for discounted home internet through several national providers. Comcast Xfinity Internet Essentials, AT&T Access, and other carriers offer reduced-cost plans to qualifying low-income customers in Maryland. Contact your current or prospective internet provider and ask about income-based or SNAP-qualifying plans — your Maryland Independence Card is typically the primary qualifying credential.
Summer EBT — Maryland SUN Bucks for Children
Maryland participates in the SUN Bucks (Summer EBT) program, which provides $120 per eligible child per summer loaded onto an EBT card for grocery purchases when school meals are unavailable. The program is available to school-age children who receive free or reduced-price school meals during the school year. Most Maryland SNAP households with eligible children are enrolled automatically. Keep the SUN Bucks card — it may be reloaded in future summers. For questions, contact your local Department of Social Services or call the Maryland SNAP hotline at 1-800-332-6347.
Free School Meals for Children
Maryland SNAP households automatically qualify their school-age children for free school meals through the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. Maryland uses direct certification — you typically do not need to file a separate free and reduced meals application if your household already receives Food Stamps.
Energy Bill Assistance — LIHEAP
Maryland Independence Cardholders automatically qualify for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps pay heating and cooling costs. In Maryland, LIHEAP is administered through the Maryland Department of Human Services and local community action agencies. Funding is seasonal and limited — apply early in the heating or cooling season. Dial 211 to find the nearest LIHEAP program in your county.
Walmart+ and Instacart+ — Discounted Delivery Memberships
Walmart+ is available to SNAP recipients for approximately 50% off the standard $12.95 monthly price — around $6.47 per month. Includes free grocery delivery on orders of $35 or more, free shipping on Walmart.com, and Paramount+ streaming. Walmart accepts Maryland Independence Card for online grocery pickup and delivery at participating Maryland locations.
Instacart+ is available to EBT cardholders who have placed at least one SNAP order on Instacart within the past six months for $4.99 per month for the first year. Instacart accepts Maryland Independence Card for grocery orders at participating retailers including Giant Food, Safeway, Harris Teeter, Aldi, Costco, Whole Foods, and others.
YMCA — Reduced Membership Rates
Many YMCA locations in Maryland offer reduced or sliding-scale membership rates for SNAP recipients and low-income households. Discount levels vary by location. Contact your nearest Maryland YMCA directly to ask about income-based membership pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What discounts can I get with a Maryland Independence Card?
Maryland SNAP cardholders can access free or discounted admission at nearly 30 Museums for All participants statewide, including the Maryland Science Center ($3/person, up to 4), Port Discovery Children’s Museum, the Baltimore Museum of Industry (free), the William Paca House and Garden in Annapolis (free with guided tour), the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, Historic St. Mary’s City, and more. Several Baltimore institutions — including the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Walters Art Museum — are free to everyone, every day, with no EBT card needed. Your Independence Card also qualifies you for half-price Amazon Prime ($6.99/month), dollar-for-dollar produce matching through Maryland Market Money, the Restaurant Meals Program (if age 60+, disabled, or homeless), Lifeline phone discounts, Summer EBT ($120/child), free school meals, and LIHEAP energy assistance.
Is the Maryland Market Money program the same as Double Up Food Bucks?
No. Maryland Market Money (MMM) is Maryland’s statewide produce incentive program, operated by the Maryland Department of Agriculture. Maryland does not participate in the national Double Up Food Bucks network. Like Double Up Food Bucks, MMM provides a dollar-for-dollar match when you use your SNAP EBT benefits at participating farmers markets, farm stands, and CSAs — but it is a separate Maryland-specific program. Find participating locations at marylandmarketmoney.org.
Does the Maryland Zoo accept EBT cards for a discount?
The Maryland Zoo does not currently offer a dedicated EBT or SNAP Museums for All discount for individual visitors. Standard admission pricing applies. The most affordable general access option for individuals is winter tickets ($24 per person, valid January 2 through February 28 in 2026). Members of certain Baltimore cultural institutions — including the Baltimore Museum of Industry and the Maryland Center for History and Culture — receive reciprocal free admission to the zoo during specific months. Confirm current reciprocal offers at marylandzoo.org before visiting.
Can I use my Maryland Independence Card at museums in other states?
Yes. Your Maryland Independence Card is accepted at Museums for All participants in all 50 states. If you travel outside Maryland, bring your Independence Card — it unlocks free or reduced admission at more than 1,600 museums nationwide. Search for participating venues at museums4all.org.
What is the Maryland Restaurant Meals Program?
The Maryland Restaurant Meals Program allows SNAP recipients who are age 60 or older, disabled, or homeless to use their Maryland Independence Card to buy prepared meals at participating restaurants. If you qualify, your card is likely already enabled — contact your local Department of Social Services or call the Maryland SNAP hotline at 1-800-332-6347 to confirm eligibility and find participating restaurants near you.
When does Maryland deposit SNAP benefits onto the Independence Card?
Maryland sends benefits from the 4th through the 23rd of each month, based on the first three letters of your last name. For example, households with last names beginning with A or B typically receive benefits in the first days of the deposit window, while households with last names beginning with W, X, Y, or Z receive benefits near the 23rd. Contact the Independence Card customer service line at 1-800-997-2222 (available 24/7) for your specific deposit date or to check your current balance.
How do I get Amazon Prime at half price with my Maryland Independence Card?
Sign up at Amazon’s SNAP discount page and upload a photo of your Maryland Independence Card or a recent benefit letter to verify SNAP enrollment. The discounted rate is $6.99 per month. A credit or debit card is required as a backup payment method. A free 30-day trial is available for first-time Prime members. The $6.99 monthly fee cannot be charged to your Independence Card balance.
What are the best always-free museums in Baltimore?
Baltimore has an exceptional number of world-class museums that are free every day for everyone — no EBT card needed. The Baltimore Museum of Art is free every day and holds the world’s largest collection of Henri Matisse works. The Walters Art Museum is free every day and holds nearly 36,000 objects spanning 5,000 years. The Peale, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, and several other cultural institutions also offer free or frequently-free general admission. For any of these, no registration or proof of income is required.
Bottom Line
Maryland has one of the most generous always-free museum ecosystems in the country, led by the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Walters Art Museum — both completely free every day, no EBT card needed. For cardholders specifically, the Maryland Science Center at $3 per person, the Baltimore Museum of Industry for free, and the William Paca House in Annapolis with a free docent-led guided tour are strong value picks.
Maryland Market Money is the highest day-to-day value EBT perk for most Maryland SNAP households. A dollar-for-dollar match at participating farmers markets effectively doubles your produce budget on every visit. Find your nearest participating location at marylandmarketmoney.org.
Half-price Amazon Prime is available immediately to any Maryland Independence Cardholder. Sign up here to start saving on shipping and groceries right away.
For the full list of stores that accept your Maryland Independence Card for groceries, see our guide to grocery stores that take EBT. To see everything SNAP covers beyond the basics, check our guide on surprising things you can buy with EBT. And to find out how much in Food Stamps you may qualify for, use our SNAP Eligibility Calculator.
Last updated: 2026 | Discount programs, admission rates, and eligibility requirements are subject to change. Verify current details with each venue or program before visiting. Maryland SNAP (Food Stamps) is administered by the Maryland Department of Human Services. Maryland Independence Card support: 1-800-997-2222 (24/7). Maryland SNAP hotline: 1-800-332-6347.