The Metropolitan Museum of Art came to an agreement with city officials to amend its lease last Thursday, allowing the museum to set its own admission prices.
The lease terms allow the Met to establish official admission fees and hours of operation with the signed consent of the Commissioner of the City of New York Department of Cultural Affairs.
The change comes amid a class action lawsuit from tourists who said they believed the $25 suggested donation was mandatory because of misleading signs at the museum entrance.
Harold Holzer, senior vice president for public affairs at the museum, said the amendments were meant to officially affirm the current policy of suggested donations.
“The city initiated the lease amendment process, asking the Met and other institutions to formalize the policies that have been in place for decades,” Holzer said.
Since 1971, the Met has maintained a pay-what-you-wish admissions policy. Before then, the museum was funded by the city and visitors were admitted for free. But when the museum expanded, city funding was not sufficient upkeep of the museum.
Michael Cardozo, corporation counsel from the New York City Law Department, said the current admissions policy was agreed upon to continue accessibility while allowing the public to financially support the maintenance of the museum.
“These lease amendments confirm the authority of the museums to institute terms of admission with the city’s approval and continue the public-private partnership that serves the public so well,” Cardozo said.
Although the Met has not expressed plans to set a required admission price, NYU professor of museum studies Bruce Altshuler said the possibility of a mandatory fee is still a concern.
“As the director has stated, this change gives them the option to set a required admission fee, and it would not surprise me if they attempt to do so in the future,” Altshuler said. “But it would be a great shame to institute required fees of anything [similar to] the current recommended rates.”
LS sophomore Samuel Ison said he enjoys visiting museums and hopes the Met will not begin charging a set admission price.
“If that were to happen, I’d probably be a bit disappointed,” Ison said. “I would still visit it, definitely not as much as I would since it is free, as it currently is … but I would still pay to go.”
Altshuler said he hopes the museum will change its signs so visitors no longer believe the full price is required.
“This would be a positive outcome, encouraging visits to the the museum by many New York City residents who have viewed coming to the Met as a luxury, rather than a very special opportunity,” Altshuler said.
Thomas Campbell, director and CEO of the Met, said in an Oct. 24 press release that admission to the public is still a top priority.
“It is important to make clear, as we sign this amendment, that we remain very much committed to maintaining and further widening public access to the museum,” Campbell said.
A version of this article appeared in the Wednesday, Oct. 30 print edition. Ann Schmidt is a staff writer. Email her at [email protected].
