Fees & Passes

Overview of entrance requirements

All visitors MUST have

Most visitors also need

Reservations and Timed Entry

Glenmont Estate Tour Reservation

Guided tour through Thomas and Mina Edison's Estate Glenmont
Dates applicable
Apr 21–Dec 31
Cost
$1.00
Tickets for the Glenmont Estate tour can be purchased only on the Recreation.gov website. When booking your reservation, please remember all adults and children need a ticket. There is a $ 1.00 per ticket nonrefundable reservation fee.
More about this reservation

Entrance Passes

Standard Entrance Pass

$15.00

Entrance Fees are $15.00 for adults 16 years of age and older; children 15 and younger are free - Credit or Debit Card only. Entrance fees are required for entry to the Glenmont estate. A guided tour of Glenmont is a separate ticket - please see below.

Children 15 and under free of charge. Visitors with Interagency Passes, AKA National Park passes, may waive entrance fees for each passholder plus three adults free of charge. Digital passes are also available. Thomas Edison NHP does not accept cash for fees; debit or credit only.

For Organizations & Businesses

THIS GUIDED WALKING TOUR IS FOR Elementary, Middle, and College Groups to learn about Thomas Edison’s West Orange Laboratory as a working invention factory where ideas became products, and those products became industries we all enjoy today.

Annual Entrance - Park

$45.00
Valid at Thomas Edison National Historical Park for 12 months from the date of purchase. Permits the cardholder and 3 adult guests' entrance (16 years and older, children 15 and younger are free). Includes Laboratory Complex and Glenmont Estate. All visitors must begin their visit at the Laboratory Complex. Please note: this does not guarantee entry into the mansion at Glenmont. Those tour tickets are separate, limited, and available only on recreation.gov.

2024 Free Entrance Days in the National Parks

Come experience the national parks! All National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone (other fees may apply). Mark your calendar for these entrance fee-free dates:

 
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Buy Passes Here

Rec.gov

 

Thomas A. Edison National Historical Park Visitor Center, Laboratory Complex & Glenmont Grounds is open Thursday through Sunday 10:00AM - 4:00PM. (During the summer, the park is open on Wednesdays as well.)

The entrance fee to the Thomas A. Edison National Historical Park is $15.00 for adults 16 years of age and older; children 15 and younger are free. Payment can be made with a credit or debt card at the Laboratory Complex Visitor Center.
Please note: We cannot accept cash payments for fees.

The entrance fee provides the visitor with a 7-day entrance permit to Thomas A. Edison National Historical Park. It is strongly suggested that visitors print their passes for Thomas A. Edison National Historical Park or save them on their mobile device prior to visiting. Connectivity onsite is limited.

Entrance Fee- $15.00 - Credit or Debit Card only.

  • Valid for seven days.
  • Only required for visitors aged 16 years and up. Ages 15 and under are free
  • Includes: Laboratory Complex and Glenmont grounds (Tickets for Glenmont House Tours can be purchased ONLY on the Recreation.gov website. When booking your reservation, please remember all adults and children need house tour tickets. There is a $1/ticket non-refundable reservation fee for all Rec.gov transactions.)

Audio Tour - $5.00 - Credit or Debit Card only.

  • Permits use of equipment for the day's visit
  • Includes standard audio tour, family version, and avaiable in: English, German, Japanese, and Spanish

Digital Site Passes
Purchase your Thomas Edison National Historical Park entrance pass through Recreation.gov before your visit and avoid waits at the Visitor Center! Whether you’re visiting tomorrow or months from now, you will have immediate access to your Site Pass on your phone or tablet and as an easily printable PDF sent right to your email.

The following digital park entrance passes are available on recreation.gov:

  • Thomas A. Edison National Historical Park 7-day pass ($15 - valid for pass holder only)
  • Thomas A. Edison National Historical Park Annual Pass ($45 - valid for one year from month of purchase, permits passholder and three guests 16 and older free entry into Thomas Edison NHP only)
  • Thomas Edison Narrated Audio Tour ($5 – Valid for 7 days)
  • Edison Narrated Audio Tour with Pass Discount ($2.50 - Valid for anyone who own one of the following passes: IA Access Pass, IA Senior Annual Pass, or IA Senior Lifetime Pass to rent an audio tour device)
  • Glenmont Estate Tour Tickets ($1 Reservation Fee, must also have valid Thomas Edison NHP Park Pass or entry waived via Interagency Pass to take the tour.)

America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass System

In January 2007, the National Park Service joined the USDA Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Bureau of Reclamation in the new Interagency Pass Program. This program provides pass holders access into any federal recreation site that charges an entrance or standard amenity fee; some passes also offer discounts on other fees, such as camping. Each pass admits the pass holder and passengers in a non-commercial vehicle at per vehicle fee areas and pass holder plus three adults, not to exceed four adults, at per person fee areas. (Children under 16 are admitted free.)

America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass replaced the Golden Age Passport, Golden Access and Golden Eagle Passport and Golden Eagle Hologram.

All National Park Passes, Golden Eagle, Golden Eagle Hologram, Golden Access an Golden Age Passports will continue to be honored according to the provisions of the pass. Only paper Golden Age and Access Passports my be exchanged free of charge for new plastic passes.

 
 
This is a picture of the 2018 annual pass
2020 The America the Beautiful-The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass

Interagency Annual Pass- $80.00

(Formerly called: Golden Eagle or National Park Pass)

 
There are 2 passes displayed.  The top one is the Lifetime Sr Pass and the lower picture is of the Annual Sr Pass
Lifetime Senior Pass

Annual Senior Pass

Lifetime Senior Pass - Yellowstone National Park/Lori Wilkinson

Annual Senior Pass

Interagency Senior Pass - $20 Annual / $80 Lifetime

  • Available for: U.S. citizens or permanent residents age 62 or over. Applicants must provide documentation of age and residency or citizenship, such as a state-issued driver's license.
  • Annual passes are good for one year from month of purchase through the same month the following year. Lifetime passes do not expire.
  • Annual passholders may exchange their annual passes for a discount on a lifetime pass equal to the value of the pass at time of purchase. For example, two annual senior passes exchanged would discount the cost of a lifetime pass by $40. All exchanged passes must be from the same individual passholder.
  • Passes are non-transferable, and may only be used by the passholder in all cases.
  • Lost, stolen, or otherwise missing passes cannot be replaced. Damaged passes may be exchanged for a new pass at no cost.
  • Older passes in the same program, such as the Golden Age pass, may be exchanged for a new pass at no cost. This is at the preference of the passholder, as those older passes are still valid.
  • In person at our park or a federal recreation site (see PDF list of federal recreation sites that issue passes)
  • Online–buy the lifetime pass or the annual pass online now through the USGS store!
  • Through the mail using this application form (PDF).
  • NOTE: There is an additional cost of $10 for passes purchased online or by mail. See more information about changes to the Senior Pass.
 
This is a picture of the 2018 Interagency Pass.  There is a picture of an owl flying across the pass.
Access Pass

Interagency Access Pass- Free

(Formerly called: Golden Access)

  • A lifetime pass for citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. who have a permanent disability, regardless of age.
  • NOTE: You must present documentation of permanent disability or sign an affadavit swearing to the same, as well as proof of residency or citizenship, such as but not limited to a driver's license, in order to receive this pass. Please check the USGS Store FAQ for more information on acceptable documentation and other requirements.
  • Valid for entrance fees, standard amenity, and day fees for the passholder and three others at National Parks and five other federal land management agencies.
  • This pass also discounts certain expanded amenity fees; please check with the park or facility you plan to visit for more details on any discounts honored.
 
This is a picture of the 2018 annual Military pass
2020 Interagency Military Pass

Interagency Annual Military Pass- Free

 
Example of graphic on the Interagency Military Lifetime pass
NPS Military Lifetime Pass

NPS

Interagency Lifetime Military Pass - Free

  • Veterans and Gold Star families qualify for a FREE lifetime pass.
  • NOTE: Veterans can present one of the four forms of acceptable ID (Department of Defense ID Card, Veteran Health ID (VHIC), Veteran ID Card, or veteran’s designation on a state-issued US driver’s license or ID card) to obtain the pass.
  • Gold Star families may print and sign a voucher and present it to park staff to obtain the Lifetime Pass. By doing so, they self-certify that they meet the requirements and criteria for Gold Star family identification as outlined by the Department of Defense. To obtain the voucher and more information about qualification, visit the service-wide page about the new pass.
 
Image of 2020-2021 Every Kid Outdoors Pass depicting smiling children looking through binoculars
2020-2021 Fourth Grade Pass

San Diego Bay NWR, Photo Credit: Lisa Cox

4th Grader Pass –Free

  • As part of the Every Kid Outdoors program, 4th grade students in the U.S. bearing this FREE pass will cover entrance and standard amenity fees for up to three individuals in their group who would otherwise incur those fees.
  • NOTE: The 4th grade student is considered the passholder and must be present for this pass to be effective. Home-schooled and free choice learners 10 years of age are also considered eligible for this pass.
  • 4th grade students must present a valid voucher printed from the Every Kid Outdoors website to be exchanged for the pass. The voucher and required activity can be found on Every Kid Outdoors.
  • Only 4th grade students with a printed voucher from the Every Kid Outdoors website are eligible for this pass. Students may not receive a pass without a valid voucher. Smartphone images and other virtual vouchers will not be accepted.
  • This pass is valid for 12 months beginning September of the year that the student begins 4th grade and expires the last day of August.
  • Valid for entrance fees and standard amenity fees at National Parks and five other federal land management agencies.
  • Educators can also be involved! Learn more at the Every Kid Outdoors website.
  • Additional Details about the Annual 4th Grade Pass (USGS website)
 

NPS Fee-Free Days

No fee will be charged for entrance to Thomas Edison National Historical Park on these dates. This only applies to the entrance fee. Other fees may still be assessed, and tickets for certain interpretive programs (such as the Glenmont house tour) may still be required.

Date

Holiday

***Monday, January 15, 2024

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Saturday, April 20, 2024

First Day of National Park Week

***Wednesday, June 19, 2024

Juneteenth

***Monday, August 4, 2024

Great American Outdoors Day

Saturday, September 28, 2024

National Public Lands Day

***Monday, November 11, 2024

Veterans Day

*** Thomas Edison National Historical Park will be closed on this day.

For more information on fee free days for other national parks click here

 

"Which Pass Is Right For Me?" Flowchart

 
A flowchart to decide which interagency pass is right for you. Arrows and images of the various passes accompany descriptive text about each. Detailed alt text found on the page with the image.
"Find Your Park, & find your park pass as well"

NPS

 

Alternative Text for Flowchart

The image is a decision tree to assist people deciding which entrance pass to get. It is titled “Which Interagency Pass is Right for Me?” Text reads “America the Beautiful – The National Park and Federal Recreation Lands Pass. There are a variety of options in the interagency pass program. These passes apply to multiple agencies (see logos below) and may be obtained with appropriate ID or documentation. Funds from Pass sales help Federal agencies support high-quality experiences for visitors” 

The infographic includes logos a website to “store.usgs.gov” to find more information about these passes. And includes logos of participating federal agencies, including the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It is also decorated with silhouettes of trees and a bison. 

The first row of pass options includes the questions and answers: 

It asks, “Are you between the ages of 16-42?” then points to an Annual pass for $80. 

It asks, “Are you a federal lands volunteer that has completed 250 hours of service?” then points to a Volunteer pass for free. 

Below a question asking, “Are you a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident?” there are multiple pass options: 

It asks, “Are you age 62 or over?” then points to a Senior Annual pass for $20 or Senior Lifetime pass for $80. 

It asks, “Are you a Gold Star Family member or veteran?” then points to a Military Lifetime pass for free. 

It asks, “Do you have a medically determined permanent disability?” then points to an Access pass for free. 

It asks, “Are you currently serving in the Military or a dependent?” then points to a Military Annual pass for free. 

It asks, “Are you a U.S. student in the 4th grade or home-school equivalent?” then points to a 4th grade pass for free.

Last updated: December 30, 2023

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

211 Main Street
West Orange, NJ 07052

Phone:

973-736-0550 x11
Phones are monitored as staff are available with messages being checked Wednesday - Sunday. If a ranger is unavailable to take your call, we kindly ask that you leave us a detailed message with return contact information and we will be happy to get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you.

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