The Price of Viewing Art

The Museum of Modern Art recently announced that admission to its Midtown location, to be reopened on November 20, will be a whopping $20 (an increase of eight dollars over its current admission price), making it the most expensive art museum in the country. Citing higher insurance and security costs, decreased tourism since September 11, higher employee salaries, and costs related to its expansion, most likely the cost increase will work, at least for a while, with Yoshio Taniguchi's addition the star of its reopening. Also, MOMA's yearly membership will become more enticing ($75 individual and $150 family) since admission would be free for members. And, as the New York Times points out, the expansion will allow more of MOMA's collection to be displayed, making a day at the museum more worthwhile.

In comparison with other museums:

$20 - MOMA, New York (flat fee, free on Friday evenings)

$12 - Art Institute of Chicago (suggested admission, free on Tuesdays)

$12 - Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (suggested admission)

$10 - MCA, Chicago (free on Tuesdays)

$0 - Tate Gallery, London (admission fee added for special exhibitions)

$0 - J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles ($5 fee per car for parking)