The Cost of Culture

Think of the last time you visited a museum. Perhaps you saw the blockbuster Christian Dior exhibition at the Royal Ontario Museum over the winter break, witnessed Guillermo del Toro’s whimsical collections at the Art Gallery of Ontario, or just wanted to take a study break and admire the Agnes’s spring exhibitions. Do you remember having to shell out some cash or tap your debit card to get into these museums? In many cultural institutions, admission–especially to temporary exhibitions–is mandatory, but for others, you get a free pass. This issue hasn’t really been discussed until recently, when the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City announced that it would charge a $25 admission fee for out-ofstate visitors, effective March 2018. The reasons behind the Met’s mandatory admission rate are just as abundant as the masterpieces in its collection. Last February, it was announced that the landmark museum was experiencing a $40 million deficit due to overspending throughout many of its departments. As a result, the Met laid off approximately 90 staff members and made cutbacks to a $600 million proposed expansion plan. As the home of the illustrious Met Gala, and with the title of the world’s second most-visited museum–surpassed only by a little-known Parisian gallery, the Louvre–such a deficit is almost impossible to comprehend.

Historically, the Met has been lauded for its recommended donation offers ($25 for adults and $12 for students), as they recognized access for visitors of all financial capabilities. With the new implementation of a mandatory admission fee, I wanted to explore the question: How many museums are free, and how much am I willing to pay to get into them?

It’s an important question you, too, should be asking yourself before you set foot in a museum. Before we dive into this complex topic, let’s break down the types of art museums that exist. First, you have public museums. These include the Mets, the AGOs, and the Louvres of the world. They can house collections of historical and contemporary art, and are chiefly supported by the government. Then, there are private galleries. A bit more exclusive, these museums thrive on selling the art that they display, and are usually owned by one person, family, or business. Examples include the Judd Foundation (owned by the family of artist Donald Judd), San Francisco’s Pier 24, and Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in Qatar. Although most of your museum visits will take place at public institutions, it’s nice to know what you’re stepping into, and what you may be paying for.

So, which museums ask for admission and which don’t? It depends on the type of museum, and how much funding it receives. Provincial or state governments fund some museums, whereas others are funded federally or by other funding bodies, such as arts councils. However, a government-funded museum can still ask for admission. This is up to how much funding it receives, and how it is distributed. The AGO, for example, charges $11 for full-time students and $21.50 for temporary exhibitions. Like many museums, these figures decrease significantly if you’re a member.

Government-funded institutions that are known for not requiring admission fees include the Smithsonian museums in Washington DC, London’s National Gallery, the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney, the Museo del Prado in Madrid, and many, many more. These world-class institutions hold some of the greatest artworks and artifacts in history, so it’s pretty astounding that you don’t need to pay a dime to see them in the flesh. There are reasons for this, though. A lot of cities– especially throughout Europe–place a higher emphasis on the visual arts than we do in Canada, and for fair reason. Simply put, it’s more engrained in their cultural heritage and economy, so many European nations receive more funding to allow citizens and visitors to witness the definitive masterpieces of their past for free.

Although millions of dollars may fund these institutions to actively work to preserve, challenge, and reflect upon our heritage, we should always remember to give back what we receive, if we’re willing and able. Museums, no matter their size, invite donations in many forms. Donation boxes allow you to drop however much you wish upon entry or exit. You can also donate online, or better yet, through the purchase of a treat at the good ol’ gift shop–art museums have some of the best shopping around! We’re very lucky to live in a world where many museums allow us to lay our eyes upon history’s masterpieces without having to pay a dime. However, even though many museums are generous in this way, we should consider giving a little bit back to them, because they give so much back to us in education, inspiration, and pure enjoyment.

By Austin Henderson