I was absolutely floored when I first visited that museum. It puts anything we have in the US to shame. Ahhh, the privileges of Empire! 
Who said crime doesn’t pay?
(line I SHOULDA used…)
Was that privileges or pillages?
But that’s COMMUNISM!!! DocCathode, you bloody pinko, why do you hate America?
:rolleyes:
JayElle-are you allowed to bring your own chair in? (Yeah I know, but a chair like that is an accident waiting to happen. A serious one-can we say workman’s comp? If they truly can’t afford it, though, remind them that if you get hurt, the expense will be much greater).
It is probably my favourite as well. I love the Tate for its Turners. The National Portrait Gallery is fantastic but might be a bit anglo-centric in taste for visitors. The National Gallery is fantastic with van Goghs and Picassos and my personal favourite.
The US has a pretty impressive set of museums as well. I personally have fond memories of the San Francisco MOMA, having got laid after meeting some one there. 
Except the International Spy Museum, which charges $13 adult admission (the discount for Seniors, Active Duty Military, Intel Community, & College Students is only $1 :dubious: ) and $5 to get into the Permanet Exhibition, which is always very cool-sounding and what they promote the most on the radio (without mentioning that it costs extra).
A good friend from Pittsburgh visited me this past weekend, and we decided to spend Sunday in D.C.: after finding out how expensive the Spy Museum is, we opted to head downtown early and check out the new National Museum of the American Indian (which, thank og, is a Smithsonian museum and therefore entry is free…and very worthwhile, btw!). We saw the new WWII Memorial, as well, and had a lovely walk on the mall. (We wound up spending as much on lunch as we would have on admission to the Spy Museum, but that’s another rant altogether… )
I didn’t know until this weekend that the Spy Museum charges admission…I was surprised, and a little disappointed. 
I still really want to go sometime, though, because it sounds really cool.
Further to what InvidiousCourgette said, since 2001 all of Britain’s national museums and art galleries are free.
Like many people, I would never bother going to any museum if I had to pay a material entrance fee. I imagine the positive impact on tourism goes a long way to offset the cost.
Does at least charging a nominal fee help people respect the art better, though? I visited both Tates and the British Museum back in 2002, and the condition of the latter especially appalled me - made me wonder what might happen with the Tate Modern once it’s been around a few years. It seemed that people didn’t respect the building or its contents very well - I saw a lot of people (and I mean people old enough to know better) touching ancient artifacts.
Of course, I’ve seen schoolchildren behave better at the equally free Smithsonian, so maybe there’s some other reason.
The latter comes with the former. Nothing like having a good chunk of the Parthenon in your national museum…!
All of Britain’s national museums are free… and the Saatchi Gallery charges 9 pounds.
So what? America’s national museums (AKA The Smithsonian) are also free. they just happen to be located in our national capitol, Washington DC.
BTW, the Spy Museum is well worth $12 in my view. At first I did think it a little steep but when I thought about the cost of movies these days, I realized I was being unreasonable and when I saw the items they had collected within, I knew they must have cost a pretty penny. SM is a private, money-making venture after all.
Also, side note, I was recently in the Ashmolean museum with my brother, and every time we’d enter a new room, we just had to say: mmm… plunder.
<Mel Brooks’ Lackey mode>
It’s good to be the king’s man!
</Mel Brooks’ Lackey mode>
I think it’s well worth it to pay $10 or $20 to visit a world class museum. I think the reason people object to admission charges is that most museums used to be free. Anyone over 40 remembers this. People don’t object to paying $10 to go to a movie, because they know that lots of other things that used to cost $1 when they were children, now cost at least $10, and movies are another example of that. But maybe they don’t see museums in the same light, since they used to be free.
I’m glad I saw this thread. I was wondering what to do with myself tonight while my wife goes to her business association dinner and meeting; seems like a good evening to visit the Getty Center.