Extra charges for special exhibits in city museums

[Lorna Salzman]

Although the city museums' request for a required admission charge was turned down and a "suggested admission" implemented, special exhibits at the American Museum of Natural History require an extra charge. The resent climate change exhibit costs $24!. Is this legal? This exhibit is funded by Bank of America, Rockefeller Foundation, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and numerous other wealthy donors. Can the museum impose ANY charge it wants? I am trying to track down the City Council hearing on the issue of the required admission charge, which took place within the last three years. Does anyone know how I can find the minutes of that meeting? I want to see if the issue of an extra charge was addressed and whether the city council authorized this and whether any limit was placed on it or not.

[dtolman]

What exactly are you complaining about? A museum having a high suggested admission? Or a museum charging for special exhibits (something that it has done for at least the past few decades)?

Either way, whats the problem? No on has to pay a suggested admission, and if you don't want to pay a fee for a special exhibition, skip it and see the rest of the museum.

[dtolman]

Just to add - what you may be thinking of are the conditions of the partnership between the City and the Cultural Institutions Group. The city gives them the land they sit on rent free (plus additional services), in return the members of the CIG are supposed to provide access to the public.

They do this by either providing free access at certain times of the week, or by only asking for a donation (suggested admission).

[stache]

dtolman, do you happen to know of a list of these institutions? I tried looking on the net but could not find anything. :(

[ZippyTheChimp]

Here you go. (http://home2.nyc.gov/html/dcla/html/funding/institutions_links.shtml)

[stache]

Thank you, Sir Zip! :)

[Lorna Salzman]

The climate change exhibit presently at the American Museum of Natural History has a mandatory $24 charge. This is in my opinion way out of line. For a family to attend this exhibit would cost nearly $100. This is not exactly my idea of a public institution performing a public service. I am presently researching the legality of this high charge and if it is indeed authorized by the city council I am going to propose legislation that would put a limit on such extra charges. Incidentally this special exhibit received funding from, among others, the Rockefeller Foundation, Bank of America, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia and many other governments and institutions.

[scumonkey]

Geesh....when was the last time you went to a "special" exhibit at a museum, and didn't have to pay a premium?
Back in 2004, when the Tut exhibit came back to tour the states, it cost $30.00 a person.
These exhibits are NOT part of the reg. museum, and it's perfectly legal to charge for them.
Exhibits like this are NOT the Museums way of performing a "public service".
"Special" exhibits don't just materialize, and are quite expensive to put together-
usually by people, and resources found outside of the particular institution they are shown at.
If the show travels (even more $$$), it has to be paid for in some way.
A big reason to mount such shows, is for the purpose of raising moneys to help continue research in that field etc.
If you want to see something above and beyond, you have to pay for that privilege.
Like dtolman said
if you don't want to pay a fee for a special exhibition, skip it and see the rest of the museum. :cool:

[stache]

Incidentally this special exhibit received funding from, among others, the Rockefeller Foundation, Bank of America, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia and many other governments and institutions.

I'm wondering how many times we're going to hear this snippet of info. BTW, most museums have free periods for their permanent collection.. If you want sticker shock, take your family to see Nutcracker.

[ZippyTheChimp]

Become a member. (http://ev12.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventList?groupCode=M&linkID=amnh-tm&caller=MEM)

[dtolman]

Lorna,
If you think the special exhibits are expensive - you should see what they charge for other "services" to the public:
Laser Light show (sonic vision) - 15$ per person
See the Butterflies - 24$ per person
Bird Walk in Central Park - 85$ per person
Sleepover at the Museum - 130$ per person
After-School program - 300$ per person
Symposium on Exploring the Dynamic Relationship Between Health and the Environment - 450$ per person
South African Safari - 20,000$ per person

Are you going to ask the city council to cap the Safari prices as well?

All these programs - including the special exhibition you are up in arms about - are outside of the scope of providing access to the museums collection to the general public. In many cases, for the actually educational programs above, they are willing to lower prices for special needs.

Want to see what happens to a museum that doesn't charge access for special exhibits? Look no further than across the park at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which recently started cutbacks and layoffs. Their commitment to free special exhibits means that the access and quality for the rest of their collection is going to suffer. You can't get a free lunch.

[stache]

People pay $85 to look at birds in C. Park? :confused: