Free ride

Date: February 18, 2008 1:33:36 PM EST
To: inyc@timeoutny.com
Subject: Museumgoers Beware

Having been a museumgoer for years, I must say how pissed off I am with the American Museum of Natural History. Other museums include entry to all exhibits with their admission fees. It bugs me to no end to see families notified at the desk how much extra each special exhibit will cost. Not everyone can afford these numbers.

Bruce Funk, Great Neck

You’re right, Bruce. Some people can’t afford it and some people are cheap. Either way, loopholes exist, and you should be aware of ’em. Most museums declaring “suggested admission” are members of the Cultural Institutions Group, a public-private partnership with the Department of Cultural Affairs. In exchange for direct subsidies and operating support from the government, the 34 participating institutions are required to provide “public access.” What kind of access they offer varies, but it usually takes the form of a suggested admission charge for the viewing of permanent collections, or free hours. This can make navigating the city’s cultural landscape tricky, but as a rule, suggested admission is generally understood to mean “you must pay, but pay what you wish”—even if that’s only a penny. Bucking social decorum, we channeled our inner cheapskate (hey, these are troubled times!) and put that theory to the test.

AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
The AMNH’s suggested general admission for adults is $15, which provides access to a whopping 45 halls housing the permanent collection, as well as the Rose Center for Earth and Space (but not the Hayden Planetarium, IMAX theater and special exhibits like “The Horse”). Flanked by seven-year-olds and European tourists, I approach the admissions desk. “You want to see the shows?” asks the cashier. I request one regular adult ticket. “So no shows?” I nod. She tells me it’s $15, suggested. I reach into my wallet and put down 1¢. The cashier stares at me blankly, looks down at the penny and then back up at me, waiting patiently for a more generous contribution. When nothing else materializes, she takes the coin and processes my ticket. As I walk away, I feel her boring a hole in my back.

METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART
The Met’s suggested charge covers, among other things, the main galleries, special exhibitions and a same-day visit to the Cloisters. A flat-screen display on the table of the admissions kiosk reads, “Your generous contribution is more important than ever. By paying the full $20 admission price, you help us defray our actual $45 per visitor cost.” Well, this is going to be uncomfortable. “The suggested price is $20, is that okay with you?” asks the cashier. I fork over 1¢. Her eyes widen in disbelief. “Wow,” she says, shaking her head as she takes my donation. Her eyes thereafter refuse to meet mine.

BROOKLYN MUSEUM
BMA encourages an $8 contribution for adults, excluding special exhibitions and events (like “© Murakami”). It’s a slow Sunday and the line is short. The cheerless cashier asks if I’m a student. I tell her no and she tells me that it’s an $8 suggested charge. I plop down my penny. “A penny,” she says matter-of-factly, and sighs. I sense that something inside her—and me—has died.

MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK
A sign outside tells me that the Museum’s “operation is made possible in part by funds provided through the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs” (hooray for transparency!) and that “admission is suggested and includes all exhibitions.” (It’s $9 for adults.) I arrive at the museum about 40 minutes before closing, and two security guards interrogate me on my knowledge of that fact before waving me through to the admissions desk, where a couple of youths are counting cash. I ask for an adult ticket and reach for my wallet. “It’s okay,” the cashier tells me. “You can give a donation if you want.” Staying true to form, I hand him a penny, which he accepts almost as an afterthought. The lesson? Pop in right before closing time and you won’t look as heinously cheap as you actually are.

For the most up-to-date prices, check the museums’ Web sites.

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