It's not yet set in stone, but the Met is considering to charge out-of-state visitors to decrease its $40 million-deficit.
According to the Gothamist, the Met plans to get rid of its long-running donation-based admission by altering its agreement with NYC.
Since 1893, the famous museum boasted free admission with a $25-“suggested fee” in exchange for the city providing state funds for the museum.
However, the Met signed an amendment in 2013 to renegotiate the ticket price if it faced such money issues. The museum expects to profit millions of dollars off of a mandatory $25-fee... but just for tourists.
"We are still waiting to see the proposed plan between the Met and our department of cultural affairs. The Met is one of our most beloved, historic New York cultural institutions, and we are ready to work with them to make sure they have the resources they need to thrive," mayoral spokesman Ben Sarle said in a statement.
New York City locals will still be able pay the suggested admission, but wait. What about Northern New Jerseyans? What about the whole tri-state area? Are they considered tourists even if so many of them commute to city for work?
Sit on those cramped NJ Transit buses for 30 minutes to over an hour during rush hour. Then, book it to the subway on a mad dash to work on time. Tell me if that sounds touristy to you!
[anad]
This proposal comes after the discovery of serious mismanagement of the museum. Just after the February departure of its director Thomas P. Cambell, top executives were forced to make drastic cuts in annual exhibitions, laid off staff and held off on building a new wing.
Let’s see how this budget cut measure fares for the museum over the summer months.