The National Building Museum announced this morning that it will begin charging admission for the first time since the museum opened its doors in 1985. The fees ($8 for adults, $5 for seniors, students, and kids) will go into effect July 27, and apply only to exhibits, and not the massive, iconic great hall that the museum is perhaps best known for.
Museum executive director Chase W. Rynd cited the effects of the recession as the main reason for the change. In an excerpt of an internal memo released to reporters, Rynd called the recession "particularly devastating for the culture and arts community, as well as the building and design industry."
"Around the world and in our backyards, the landscape for nonprofit organizations has shifted dramatically," Rynd wrote. "Those who wait too long to realize this truth or dismiss it entirely are likely to become casualties of the era. Under no circumstances will we allow this to be the fate of the National Building Museum."
The museum will waive the entrance fee for active duty military personnel members and their families between Labor Day and Memorial Day. And families content with only visiting the interactive Building Zone feature of the museum, which is designed for children ages 2 to 6, can pay just $3 per person.
Despite its name, the NBM is actually a private organization, and is one of the few such museums in Washington that doesn't charge. And $8 is still less than the Corcoran ($10), Phillips Collection ($12), and Newseum ($21.95). Still, with this city's plethora of free museums and exhibits, we can imagine some NBM devotees will be disappointed by this news.
National Building Museum to Start Charging Admission
Starting July 27, it'll cost $8 for adults and $5 for students, seniors, and kids to take in exhibits at the private museum.
The National Building Museum announced this morning that it will begin charging admission for the first time since the museum opened its doors in 1985. The fees ($8 for adults, $5 for seniors, students, and kids) will go into effect July 27, and apply only to exhibits, and not the massive, iconic great hall that the museum is perhaps best known for.
Museum executive director Chase W. Rynd cited the effects of the recession as the main reason for the change. In an excerpt of an internal memo released to reporters, Rynd called the recession "particularly devastating for the culture and arts community, as well as the building and design industry."
"Around the world and in our backyards, the landscape for nonprofit organizations has shifted dramatically," Rynd wrote. "Those who wait too long to realize this truth or dismiss it entirely are likely to become casualties of the era. Under no circumstances will we allow this to be the fate of the National Building Museum."
The museum will waive the entrance fee for active duty military personnel members and their families between Labor Day and Memorial Day. And families content with only visiting the interactive Building Zone feature of the museum, which is designed for children ages 2 to 6, can pay just $3 per person.
Despite its name, the NBM is actually a private organization, and is one of the few such museums in Washington that doesn't charge. And $8 is still less than the Corcoran ($10), Phillips Collection ($12), and Newseum ($21.95). Still, with this city's plethora of free museums and exhibits, we can imagine some NBM devotees will be disappointed by this news.
Subscribe to Washingtonian
Follow Washingtonian on Twitter
More>> Capital Comment Blog | News & Politics | Party Photos
Most Popular in News & Politics
Roe v. Wade Was Overturned. These Protests Are Happening Around DC.
Anti-Abortion Clinic Protests Are Getting Bigger and More Aggressive
A Massive Asian-American Led Protest Is Happening Saturday. Here’s What You Need to Know
“The Handmaid’s Tale” Is Filming on the National Mall and the Photos are Kinda Intense
Photos from the Supreme Court: Roe v. Wade Has Been Overturned
Washingtonian Magazine
July 2022: Summer Music Guide
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
FIRST LOOK: The Molina Family Latino Gallery Opens This Weekend
Best Things to Do in the DC Area 6/13-6/19: Juneteenth, Father’s Day, and Pharrell’s Festival
Guest List: 5 People We’d Love to Hang Out With This June
Last-Minute DC-Area Ideas 6/9-6/12: Rooftop Parties, Pride, and Unique Shopping Experiences
More from News & Politics
Devastation, Joy, and Fury: Reactions From the Supreme Court
Roe v. Wade Was Overturned. These Protests Are Happening Around DC.
PHOTOS: DC’s British Embassy Caps Off Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee
Photos from the Supreme Court: Roe v. Wade Has Been Overturned
50 Years After Title IX: Why Survivors Still Need More Protections
Anti-Abortion Clinic Protests Are Getting Bigger and More Aggressive
“Reading Lolita in Tehran” Author Azar Nafisi on How Freddie Mercury of Queen Helped Her Survive Life in Iran
This Maryland Start-Up Is on the Brink of Winning a Prestigious XPRIZE