General Discussion

frazzled

(18,402 posts)

1. That's great, but even with admission, a museum is a pretty good deal

Sun Dec 2, 2012, 11:02 AM

Dec 2012

compared to other "entertainments" people indulge in. A $15 or $20 fee to spend a whole day at a museum is cheaper than most sporting event tickets, definitely way cheaper than a day at Disneyland or Legoland or SeaWorld, cheaper by far than a ticket to a rock concert, etc.

The Metropolitan Museum in New York has probably the highest admission fee in the country ($25, though that is only "recommended"; you can pay what you want) ... and the lines to get in are always out the door. Same for the Art Institute of Chicago, and other places.

I still think it's great if they can return to the no admission price policy, though. I wonder who or what is financing that reduction? Because museums are extremely expensive to run: not just with salaries for staff like curators and guards, but conservation of the artwork, climate control, insurance, shipping costs for exhibitions (huge), building maintenance and utilities, etc.

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Dallas Museum makes art free for all [View all] xchrom Dec 2012 OP

That's great, but even with admission, a museum is a pretty good deal frazzled Dec 2012 #1

I notice that when I am in museums in Europe I see young families with a couple of kids CTyankee Dec 2012 #2

a ton of investment in arts happening here justabob Dec 2012 #8

I have to smile. Back when I was growing up there Ft. Worth was dissed and called Cow Town. CTyankee Dec 2012 #11

yes, the Kimbell was, and still is, great justabob Dec 2012 #13

well, the feeling was mutual. I used to hear about it when I was growing up. CTyankee Dec 2012 #14

oh me too! justabob Dec 2012 #15

Well the people with taste who are often the style setters tend not to be in the majority in CTyankee Dec 2012 #16

I don't know justabob Dec 2012 #19

You talk about other cities in Texas being less provincial. I am guessing you mean Austin and CTyankee Dec 2012 #24

provincial may not be exactly the right word justabob Dec 2012 #26

Houston...that's interesting. I don't know that much about Houston...but I have relatives in CTyankee Dec 2012 #27

Dallas is where people work, for the most part. X_Digger Dec 2012 #31

not so much anymore justabob Dec 2012 #34

Fort Worth has an incredible museum district jsr Dec 2012 #9

Yes, I've read about it. And the guy who does my retirement planning lives there and his kids are CTyankee Dec 2012 #12

It's probably only a 2% reduction in revenue. tammywammy Dec 2012 #3

There is a devil's bargain, however frazzled Dec 2012 #4

Playing devil's advocate to your devil's advocate. woo me with science Dec 2012 #7

It's a business decision. Better to charge 0 and make $ on concessions than charge $ bt no one comes Honeycombe8 Dec 2012 #18

Oh, c'mon, they have an excellent collection frazzled Dec 2012 #22

Ten dollars is a lot. It would have prevented my friends and me from going. woo me with science Dec 2012 #33

Las Colinas. n/t tammywammy Dec 2012 #23

This is wonderful. woo me with science Dec 2012 #5

i think it's excellent as well. nt xchrom Dec 2012 #6

That's Great Dallas! The free museums on the DC Mall are one of my favorite things about DC /eom dballance Dec 2012 #10

I'm in Dallas. I never go to the DMA. It doesn't have good stuff. Honeycombe8 Dec 2012 #17

Go Van Gogh justabob Dec 2012 #21

I love that van. I've seen it around town for years. :) nt Honeycombe8 Dec 2012 #29

I think you need to go to the DMA again tammywammy Dec 2012 #25

Socialists! CrawlingChaos Dec 2012 #20

Yes. Like libraries. It allows everyone to get exposure to art in person. nt Honeycombe8 Dec 2012 #32

Art Museum in STL has NEVER charged admission. Our Zoo is free as well. benld74 Dec 2012 #28

That's wonderful. Aristus Dec 2012 #30