# MOMA (Museum of Modern Art, New York) admission increase to $20 **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 5, 2004, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moma-museum-of-modern-art-new-york-admission-increase-to-20/267651 "2004-10-05T15:18:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moma-museum-of-modern-art-new-york-admission-increase-to-20/267651/21 "2004-10-05T17:26:19Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > Penn Station. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moma-museum-of-modern-art-new-york-admission-increase-to-20/267651/22 "2004-10-05T18:23:55Z")
$20 seems pretty cheap to get into one of the best art museums around. Movies are about $10. Skip 2 and you’re set. Most of them are junk anyway. How much does it cost to go to a ball game these days? A lot more than 20 bucks. Why do so many people think that something should be cheap just because they want it? ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moma-museum-of-modern-art-new-york-admission-increase-to-20/267651/23 "2004-10-05T18:38:18Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > $20 seems pretty cheap to get into one of the best art museums around. Movies are about $10. Skip 2 and you’re set. Most of them are junk anyway. How much does it cost to go to a ball game these days? A lot more than 20 bucks. > > Why do so many people think that something should be cheap just because they want it? Hell $20 is cheap, why don’t they make it $100 :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moma-museum-of-modern-art-new-york-admission-increase-to-20/267651/24 "2004-10-05T19:33:22Z")
Balthus’ _The Street_ Picasso’s _Les Deimoselles d’Avignon_ Van Gogh’s _Starry Night_ Magritte’s _Ceci n’est pas une Pipe_ Rousseau’s _Sleeping Gypsy_ and _The Dream_ Matisse’s _Dance_ Mondrian’s _Broadway Boogie Woogie_ Dali’s _Persistence of Memory_ At least one of them Francis Bacon Screaming Popes I’m just really happy to have all these astounding paintings readily available for viewing again, in what is supposedly going to be the most extensive display of the core collection ever. For the past several years SOME of them have been in the temporary museum in Queens, and a LOT have been in storage. ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moma-museum-of-modern-art-new-york-admission-increase-to-20/267651/25 "2004-10-05T21:17:18Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by lurkernomore > Hey, my favorite is Air and Space - but where do you transfer from the A train to the Orange Line? > > > [@Neurotik](#): > > > > Penn Station. [hijack] My sister, who’s in a wheelchair, does pretty much exactly that, except she takes a bus to Penn instead of the A train. She then takes Amtrak from Penn Station to New Carrolton, transfers to the Orange Line and takes it out to Vienna where my folks pick her up. [/hijack] Unfortunately, the [MOMA](http://www.moma.org/visit_moma/admissions.html) site doesn’t say anything about the $20 admission being ‘suggested’. > [@John Mace](#): > > $20 seems pretty cheap to get into one of the best art museums around. The beauty about New York’s museums is that all you need is a few bucks and you can gaze upon works of the great masters up close and personal. A visit to a museum is educating and inspiring. In a city where so much is so expensive, easy admission to it’s museums is one of the great things. A mandatory $20 admission fee will put that experience out of reach for a lot of people and in so doing defeats an important mission of the museum in the first place. That is, it’s accessibility. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moma-museum-of-modern-art-new-york-admission-increase-to-20/267651/26 "2004-10-05T21:56:08Z")
What a bunch of whiners. The museum is FREE every Friday evening, and if you really need to go a bunch of times, then buy a membership for $75-- you can go every single day if you so desire. There are also discounts for students, children and seniors. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moma-museum-of-modern-art-new-york-admission-increase-to-20/267651/27 "2004-10-05T22:52:21Z")
Your MOMA’s so big she charges a $20.00 entrance fee. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moma-museum-of-modern-art-new-york-admission-increase-to-20/267651/28 "2004-10-05T22:57:40Z")
_gigglesnort!_ ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moma-museum-of-modern-art-new-york-admission-increase-to-20/267651/29 "2004-10-05T23:19:54Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#): > > Your MOMA’s so big she charges a $20.00 entrance fee. Well, your MOMA is free to anyone who wants her every Friday!! ---
**Author:** ![JayElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@JayElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JayElle)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moma-museum-of-modern-art-new-york-admission-increase-to-20/267651/30 "2004-10-05T23:29:22Z")
Employee of a large private museum checking in here. Museums (or at least mine) operate on a extremely tight budget. We get called onto the carpet if it even looks like we’re going anywhere near the limits of our departmental expense budget. (I’ve been begging for a new office chair that doesn’t tip me over backward, but I can’t get the expense approved. Anyway, that’s neither here nor there). Competition for entertainment dollars is tight, new acquisitions and maintenance of collections can be astronomical, and great traveling exhibits cost a lot of money to get them in the house. Raising your admission prices is an absolute last resort for my institution. We try absolutely everything first - slash expenses, freeze hiring, raise employee contributions to benefits, barter for marketing, and (my specialty) incease retail revenues. I wonder which of these tactics MoMA has tried? If you raise admission prices too much, then you end up decreasing attendance. Anyway, I thought I had a point here, but perhaps I don’t 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moma-museum-of-modern-art-new-york-admission-increase-to-20/267651/31 "2004-10-06T00:50:36Z")
> [@JayElle](#): > > I’ve been begging for a new office chair that doesn’t tip me over backward How _you_ doin’? ---
**Author:** ![JayElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@JayElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JayElle)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moma-museum-of-modern-art-new-york-admission-increase-to-20/267651/32 "2004-10-06T00:59:21Z")
> [@Ukulele Ike](#): > > How _you_ doin’? I’m doing great if you happen to be a kindly soul that provides safe office furniture for desperate non-profit employees! Oh, wait, I get it… :eek: Bad, bad man! ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moma-museum-of-modern-art-new-york-admission-increase-to-20/267651/33 "2004-10-06T01:07:33Z")
> [@JayElle](#): > > I’ve been begging for a new office chair that doesn’t tip me over backward You wouldn’t happen to deal with anyone named [Jerry](http://www.lileks.com/comics/jerry/1.html), would you? (Sorry, I couldn’t help it.) ---
**Author:** ![JayElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@JayElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JayElle)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moma-museum-of-modern-art-new-york-admission-increase-to-20/267651/34 "2004-10-06T01:20:15Z")
We got Jerrys out the wazoo! I performed a beautiful Givney flip the other day. Wheel came off the chair and I tumbled out. This was while I was on the phone, so the phone goes down with me and comes apart in about five or six plastic pieces. In the meantime, I yelling “Hello? Hello? Oh sweet merciful crap!” I managed to glue and snap the phone back together, 'cause you know, budgets don’t cover new phones. OK, I’ll quit hijacking now. Very sorry. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moma-museum-of-modern-art-new-york-admission-increase-to-20/267651/35 "2004-10-06T01:28:45Z")
To Those Who Feel We’re Whining You don’t get it. Normally, I would not say something that insulting and condescending. But, you really don’t get it. There were centuries when great art was available only to those rich enough to afford it. Timeless masterpieces were hidden away where almost no one could see them. The purpose of a museum is to display these works to everyone and anyone- anyone can come inside and witness humanity’s greatest achievements, they can be uplifted, inspired and ennobled. If a museum becomes too costly to visit, it loses its reason for being. ---
**Author:** ![OxyMoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9a140/32.png) [@OxyMoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OxyMoron)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moma-museum-of-modern-art-new-york-admission-increase-to-20/267651/36 "2004-10-06T01:47:37Z")
$20 is a bit of a sticker shock, but I suspect that part of the reason they’ve adopted that price level is exactly to encourage people to pony up the $75 membership. AMNH is the same way - I went a while ago and was appalled at how pricey that museum can get, especially if you want to see a special exhibit (butterflies, frogs) or go to the planetarium. But a family membership pays for itself if you go even twice a year with kids. I think museums would prefer the steady income of membership over the less-predictable income of gate. Frankly, it may also help improve the quality of exhibits to go that route. The Guggenheim is notoriously dependent on admissions, which is why they end up with ludicrious shows based on fashion designers. The other way to think of it is that $20 for what you get at MOMA is a helluva lot more permanent an improvement to oneself than $12 to a movie (which is indeed what Manhattan cinemas are charging these days). Out-of-towners should consider getting a [City Pass](http://citypass.com/city/ny.html), which covers a bunch of museums (including MOMA) at a lower price - I think it’s good for about a week or ten days. I’d totally recommend that. Otherwise the $20 is really bad for people who don’t make Manhattan incomes. **JayElle** , I suspect that New York’s art economics in general, and MOMA’s in particular, are rather sui generis. The $65 million that MOMA got from the city? Bupkis, when you consider that their new museum cost over $850 million. The money that goes into, and out of, places like the Met, MOMA, the Whitney and the Gugg are just unbelievable (and the Gugg has had hard times lately). I’m not sure that public service is nearly as much a part of these museums’ missions as it used to be - not given the corporate and art-world egos running about. It’s part of the reason I love many smaller museums. I was in Denver last week - what a spectacular museum that city has. In many ways, a much pleasanter experience than what we find in NYC. ---
**Author:** ![JayElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@JayElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JayElle)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moma-museum-of-modern-art-new-york-admission-increase-to-20/267651/37 "2004-10-06T02:26:37Z")
Well, membership drives are a big deal. It seems at my museum that the most effective strategy is keeping permanent venue prices affordable (and offering package deals for purchases to more than one venue) and increasing mermbership drives during travelling exhibits. Membership subscriptions increase dramatically during those times (sorry, I’m at home and can’t pull any numbers). So we get the revenue from increased membership subscriptions, plus the temporary exhibit gate fees (reduced prices for members) and increased purchases to regular venues. We do hear quite a few comments about the expense to see special exhibits. We try to price the tickets as low as possible without our budget going in the red. Last year we brought in a major exhibition that cost $250,000 just for the privilege of hosting it. This didn’t include the cost of transport, installation, buildout, security, marketing, and the ticket price gate share with the founding institution. After all that, we were able to keep ticket prices at $12.50 ($9.00 for members!) by increasing membership drives and getting me to commit to bringing in a certain amount in gift shop sales (thankfully, I was able to do it). I felt $12.50 was a reasonable asking price for what was a stellar exhibition. MoMA’s 40% increase in permanent venue admission strikes me as lazy and short-sighted. That much of an increase seems to make any mission statement involving the words “education” and “public awareness” read like so much fluff. $65 million in city funds! I am agog. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moma-museum-of-modern-art-new-york-admission-increase-to-20/267651/38 "2004-10-06T08:18:25Z")
> [@OxyMoron](#): > > $20 is a bit of a sticker shock, but I suspect that part of the reason they’ve adopted that price level is exactly to encourage people to pony up the $75 membership. Good point. But…did they raise the price of membership as well? ---
**Author:** ![InvidiousCourgette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@InvidiousCourgette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InvidiousCourgette)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moma-museum-of-modern-art-new-york-admission-increase-to-20/267651/39 "2004-10-06T12:50:46Z")
In the last year I have been to the British Museum, the National Portrait Gallery and the Natural History Museum. In the past I have been to the Tate, the Tate Modern, the V&A and the National Gallery. All free. All brilliant. They are free for New Yorkers as well. Come visit London. ---
**Author:** ![lurkernomore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@lurkernomore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkernomore)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moma-museum-of-modern-art-new-york-admission-increase-to-20/267651/40 "2004-10-06T16:04:12Z")
> [@OxyMoron](#): > > I suspect that New York’s art economics in general, and MOMA’s in particular, are rather sui generis. The $65 million that MOMA got from the city? Bupkis, when you consider that their new museum cost over $850 million. Then IMO they should not be taking the tax dollars. As a private institution, if they want to charge $50, I say let them. If they are taking tax money, I don’t think they are truly private. MSG is privately owned. If they want $25 for a blue seat for a hockey game, that’s the rate. (or was - it was supposed to be cut this year before the lockout) FTR, even though I am a Jets fan (and happen to be wearing a Jets shirt as I type), I question the wisdom of using public money to build them a stadium, too. Don’t like mixing govt and private funds. Javits, OK. Jets… I doubt it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moma-museum-of-modern-art-new-york-admission-increase-to-20/267651.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moma-museum-of-modern-art-new-york-admission-increase-to-20/267651.md?page=3)