Fee or free? How entry charges affect museums in the US

US museums that remove or reduce entry fees often expect higher attendance to translate into more on-site spending for merchandise, food, memberships, and special programs. Results are mixed. The Walters Art Museum eliminated admissions in 2006 and saw attendance rise by 45% and minority participation increase threefold, yet visitors did not spend more and the change did not cover lost admission revenue. The Baltimore Museum of Art also eliminated admissions and later saw declines in visitor numbers after an initial increase. A 2021 survey reported visitor declines of 18.6% at the Walters and 12.7% at the BMA. Broader evidence suggests meaningful visitation gains are uncommon, while museums face competing ethical and financial obligations.

"For US museums that have reduced or eliminated entry fees, the expectation has often been that doing so will lead to an increase in visitors who will spend money on different things at the institution, such as merchandise, food, memberships or other special programmes, making up for lost admission revenue. The reality does not always measure up to this expectation."

"Gary Vikan, the former director of Baltimore's Walters Art Museum, says the institution's decision to eliminate admissions in 2006 led to an increase in attendance by 45%, and minority participation went up by a factor of three, but still that greater influx of traffic did not pay for itself. People came for free but did not spend more while there."

"After the first year or so of increased attendance when entry became free, the number of visitors declined at both institutions, by 18.6% at the Walters and 12.7% percent at the BMA, according to a 2021 survey. What we have seen, across the country, is that institutions that have eliminated admissions have generally not seen an increase in visitation in any meaningful way."

"He adds that competing financial and ethical imperatives are at play. Museums have an ethical obligation to be accessible, but they also have an ethical obligation to be financially solvent. Free admission, financial strain Doing away with admission fees does not help the actual visitors and only hurts the institution, according to John Silvia, an economist and founder of the North Carolina-based business consulting firm Dynamic Economic Strategy."

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