To Pay or Not To Pay: Not the Question Anymore

By Joanna Miller in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 18, 2006 4:30PM

Last month, when a University of Chicago study revealed that Chicago’s museums were disproportionately attended by white, educated and affluent visitors, admission fees and visiting hours were among the reasons listed for the disparity.

The Art Institute, with its longstanding voluntary donation policy, was one place where visitors could pay as little as $1, although few had the nerve. If the Art Institute gets its way, that won’t be an option anymore. The museum wants to make the current suggested $12 fee more than just a suggestion, and the Chicago Park District Board is expected to approve the proposal on Wednesday.

Around the Chicagoist offices, we’re already a little nostalgic for the days when, theoretically, we could see Monet for just a buck. But only 10 percent of visitors are paying less than the suggested donation, so we’ll put our idealistic musings aside.

Besides, the Art Institute is also proposing some changes that we think might bring in a more diverse crowd. Instead of free visits for children 5 and under, the museum wants to admit anyone under 13 for free. It also wants to get rid of free Tuesdays in favor of free Thursday evenings year round, free Fridays during the summer, and three free weeks in February.

Free Tuesdays have become a tradition for some, but evenings are more accessible for many working people and families. Is it enough to overhaul attendance? Maybe not, but it’s a step.

Monet - a perspective via balaji shankar V