Why Was I Told To Pay Admission Fees For Public Museums In Nyc?
After I came back from my trip to NYC, I read that NYC’s public museums, like the American Museum of Natural History and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accept donations for an entrance fee. 2 dollars is fine. Why was I told by the counter staff at the Metropolitan Museum of Art to pay an entrance fee of 20 bucks and only credit card was accepted? The staff at the natural history museum told me to pay 15 bucks too. I feel so cheated!
The machines that allow you to skip the lines take only credit cards, but you can still pay cash at the desk. And you can still get in for $2 if you are really that stingy. It’s a suggested donation — they are not allowed to require an admission fee, b/c technically the museums are part of a public park.
Of course the staff are going to pressure you to pay the full suggested admission fee — that’s how the museum keeps itself running, brings in new exhibits, etc. I think it’s a pretty good deal, actually, given the amount of material in the two museums you mentioned and given how expensive they are to operate (energy bills for huge spaces, New York wages for tons of employees, etc.) I think it’s great that truly low-income people can get in for very little, but most of us can and should make a larger donation to the museums.
neither of those museums is a ‘public museum’ …they are both privately owned, although funded in part by government endowments …. usually, you are allowed to pay as you wish, perhaps you were too intimidated by the situation to understand …. in any case, both muesums are really fine, you do no need to feel cheated …. no worse than for a B’way show, or a movie & chips ….
Actually, many people don’t pay the full price. I don’t (usually.) I did, sometimes, when it was lower, but now it’s just way too high.
So it isn’t a convenient fiction at all.
It really is on the honor system, but these days they don’t let you know that. The signs used to say (a long, long time ago) “You may pay what you like, but you must pay something. The suggested admission is___.” But they took those signs down long ago.
Today, they are a bit gruffer if you don’t pay full price. But really! $20!!! That’s just too much!
The donation thing isn’t really upheld anymore. You can still do it, but I usually pay full price now that I am an adult. When I was younger I gave a few bucks. Just know that your money went to a worthy cause.
They were just pressuring you. Tourists always pay the full fee.
I usually give a nickel.
It’s largely a convenient fiction that admission is by donation–I think it’s for tax purposes or to meet some requirement of their museum charter. In reality you did what everyone else does, you paid the suggestion admission fee, the money of which is needed to keep the museum open.
In theory you can refuse to pay, or give a nominal fee, and still get in, but unless you’re truly a struggling student or someone else unable to pay, it’s best just to pay the fee.
I am surprised to hear that they refused to accept cash–that doesn’t seem correct. Or were you offering a debit card?
The bottom line is that you shouldn’t feel cheated. You paid what everyone else does. If you truly don’t want to pay, I believe that most museums have periodic days and times when they let everyone in without paying.
Here’s what the Met’s website says…
Fee includes same-day admission to the Main Building and The Cloisters Museum & Gardens. There is no extra charge for entrance to special exhibitions.
Suggested
Adults $20
Seniors (65 and older) $15
Students $10*
Members (Join Now) Free
Children under 12 (accompanied by an adult) Free
To help cover the costs of special exhibitions, we ask that you please pay the full suggested amount.
*The Museum participates in several programs that include free admission for students. All New York City public school students, along with students from Bard Graduate Center, Barnard College, Columbia University, and the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University, may visit the Museum for free. Please check with your school administrator to see if your student I.D. allows free admission to the Museum.