The Friend of the Museum card, in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet
Friends of a museum expect to walk in as often as they like, yet their card is usually a slip of cardboard that the ticket desk has to read and trust. With a Friend of the Museum card in the Wallet, the desk scans a QR code and sees at once whether the membership is still valid, and whether it is a Friend, a Duo or a Patron.
No sign-up or credit card · your test card in 1 minute
M-10482Friend, Duo, Patron: what the desk sees
The card takes the museum’s logo and colours and shows the Friend’s name, a number, the type of membership and the date it ends. You set the types, for example Friend at €45, Duo at €75 and Patron at €250 a year. A Friend who renews keeps the same card, with a new date that appears by itself; one who becomes a Patron sees the type change. At the desk, the attendant scans the QR code with a phone and lets the visitor through. Entry rules for each type remain those of your museum.
| Example plan | Example amount |
|---|---|
| Friend | €45 |
| Duo | €75 |
| Patron | €250 |
Example plans and amounts from the “Friend of the Museum card” template: you change the names, the amounts and the validity period. MPass does not collect these amounts. On the back of the card you write your own text, for example: Unlimited entry · Private views · Catalogue.
Three real situations
A rainy Sunday at the ticket desk
A Friend comes for the third time this month. They show the card, the attendant scans it, and they walk past the queue for tickets. The scan confirms validity; it does not count the number of visits.
The private view of a new exhibition
Invitations go out as tickets through a link sent to Friends and Patrons. On the evening, the cloakroom volunteer scans phones, and the director does not have to stand at the door with a list.
A guided tour with twenty places
For a curator’s tour, share a ticket link and stop at twenty. Friends arrive in the entrance hall with a QR code, and the guide starts on time with the right group.
How it works: 3 steps
Open the “Museum” template
It is already set up for this activity: “Friend of the Museum card” as the title, example plans, colours. Add your logo and your own text in ten minutes.
Add your members
One by one, through a sign-up link each person fills in, or by Excel import on the Pro plan. Everyone receives their card by email or by link.
Scan with your phone
The card goes into Apple Wallet or Google Wallet in one tap. To check it, you scan its QR code with your own phone, with no hardware to buy.
Example: a museum friends’ society of 260 members
Take a regional museum whose friends’ society counts 180 Friends, 30 Duo memberships with two cards each and 20 Patrons, 260 cards in total. New Friends sign up through the membership link on the museum website and pay the society by transfer; the society’s secretary then activates their card. The Essential plan at €19 excl. VAT per month covers up to 300 cards and sends each Friend a reminder a month before the membership lapses, which is when renewals used to be forgotten.
Tickets for your events too
The same app creates tickets for your events, for example “Guided tour” or “Private view”. You share a link, each guest gets a ticket with a QR code in their Wallet, and you scan at the door. MPass does not collect the ticket price: you take it as you always have. See event ticketing.
What it costs
Free up to 50 active cards or tickets, with no time limit. The Essential plan (€19 a month excluding VAT, up to 300 cards) adds renewal reminders and certificates. The Pro plan (€49 a month excluding VAT) adds Excel import. No commitment, and a 14-day trial of the paid plans with no credit card.
Frequently asked questions
Does a Duo membership mean one card or two?
Two people each need something to show, so the simplest approach is to add both under the Duo type: each receives a personal card in their own phone. Both cards then count as active cards on your MPass plan.
Can the card replace our admission ticketing?
No. MPass does not handle day admissions and is not connected to a till. It gives your Friends a membership card and lets you issue invitations and tickets for your own events, such as private views. Day tickets for ordinary visitors stay in your existing system.
Can Friends get a document for their membership fee?
On the Essential plan and above, a membership certificate can be created from the Friend’s record, stating the membership and the amount. Whether a contribution gives a tax advantage depends on your status and your country: check with your accountant, as MPass does not issue tax receipts.
Does MPass collect membership fees?
No. You enter the amounts for information only. Your members pay the club as usual (bank transfer, in person) and you activate their card in MPass. No payment goes through the app.
Do we need to install an app?
No. You manage everything from your browser, and your members install nothing: the card goes straight into Apple Wallet (iPhone) or Google Wallet (Android), which are already on their phone.
Other activities
Theatre
A subscriber card for the season, shown at the box office and the bar.
Cultural centre
One membership card for workshops, concerts and exhibitions at your centre.
Library & toy library
A library card on the phone for readers and families, scanned at the desk.
Cinema & film club
Subscriber cards for local cinemas and film clubs, plus preview tickets.
Concert hall
Member cards for live music venues, checked at the door and the members’ bar.
All activities
The full list of card templates, grouped by type of organisation.