Met Increases Admission to $20 - Art Blogosphere Aghast
The art blogosphere is agog over the Met's announcement last week that it would rise to the challenge of MoMA's $20 admission price (albeit, the Met's is only "suggested") for most expensive museum in town. Faux-rage was thrown all around about how this would exclude the young and the poor and negatively impact the enjoyment and development of art. The argument goes that if a kid doesn't get access to MoMA or the Met when he/she is an impressionable youth, they will never be moved to make great works in thefuture. While the impact of viewing art at an early age appears to be the only indicator of actively art appreciation as an adult, so to some extent this is a true criticism, I suspect attendance will not drop for the want of a fiver. Museums hold near monoplies over their collections and as such as highly insensitive to price changes. Look at the line outside of MoMA and you'll see the tend for the Met.
Plus, this pricing isn't out of line with other NYC venues. Anything better than the bleachers at Yankee Stadium will set you back at least $19, not including peanuts and Cracker Jacks. For comparison, here are some other museum admission prices:
Guggenheim
Admission and complimentary audio tour
Adults $18
Students and Seniors (65 years +) with valid ID $15
Children under 12 Free
Frick
Admission and complimentary audio tour
$15, adults
$10, senior citizens (62 and over)
$5, students with valid identification.
On Sundays, pay what you wish from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Morgan Library
$12 Adults
$8 Children (under 16)
$8 Seniors (65 and over)
$8 Students (with current ID)
Free to members and children 12 and under (must be accompanied by an adult)
Admission is free on Fridays from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Museo del Barrio
Admission fees:
Suggested admission: Adults: $6.00
Students & Seniors: $4.00
Members & Children Under 12: FREE
Museum of City of New York
Suggested Admission
Adults; $9
Seniors, students; $5
Families; $20 (max. 2 adults)
Children 12 and under; free
Brooklyn Museum
Suggested contribution of $8 for adults
$4 for Seniors and Students with valid I.D.
Children under 12 accompanied by an adult are admitted for free.
Free admission on Sundays between 10 am and 12 pm.
Elsewhere:
When I was in high school, supporters of the NEA ran a memorable full-page ad in the Times: it was a picture of a family standing dejectedly at the Met's admission booth with an "Admission $20" sign. It seemed absurd at the time -- admission was about $3. Who knew?
Those queues are ridic! Make it an even $50 and be done with it- most of those people don't even know what there looking at to begin with...