While some museums in the United States have had to close their doors after the recession in 2008, two museums in Los Angeles vow not only to keep their doors open but also to remain free of charge.
The USC Fisher Museum of Art as well as the Getty museums allow their visitors – whether they are from across the street or another country – to explore their exhibits for a fee of $0.
This strategy, which is a major incentive for people to spend their time studying and appreciating the art that the museums offer, is in place largely because of the founders of the museums.
“USC has honored the request of Elizabeth Holmes Fisher in 1939 who wanted the museum to always be free,” said Selma Holo, the executive director of the USC Fisher Museum of Art. Likewise, by keeping the Getty Villa and Getty Center free, the Board of Trustees is honoring the request of their founder J. Paul Getty.
Even 55 years after the Getty established the museum trust that funds both the Getty Center and Villa, as well as other art institutions, people are still drawn to the museums because of they are free of charge. For Eric Jackson, a student at the University of Southern California, the fact that both admission and parking are free on Saturday night at the Getty Center was an influential incentive for him to visit the museum.
“My friend and I came because it was free,” Jackson said, “As college students, we’re just trying to save money.”
The cheap cost to attend the museums also lures international visitors to them.
“It’s hard to fit a museum into my schedule,” said Kim Landry, a young woman from Quebec, Canada, who visited the Getty Center while on vacation, “but I thought that Saturday night was good, and I saw that it was free, and I thought – why not?”
The USC Fisher Museum of Art as well as the Getty museums allow their visitors – whether they are from across the street or another country – to explore their exhibits for a fee of $0.
This strategy, which is a major incentive for people to spend their time studying and appreciating the art that the museums offer, is in place largely because of the founders of the museums.
“USC has honored the request of Elizabeth Holmes Fisher in 1939 who wanted the museum to always be free,” said Selma Holo, the executive director of the USC Fisher Museum of Art. Likewise, by keeping the Getty Villa and Getty Center free, the Board of Trustees is honoring the request of their founder J. Paul Getty.
Even 55 years after the Getty established the museum trust that funds both the Getty Center and Villa, as well as other art institutions, people are still drawn to the museums because of they are free of charge. For Eric Jackson, a student at the University of Southern California, the fact that both admission and parking are free on Saturday night at the Getty Center was an influential incentive for him to visit the museum.
“My friend and I came because it was free,” Jackson said, “As college students, we’re just trying to save money.”
The cheap cost to attend the museums also lures international visitors to them.
“It’s hard to fit a museum into my schedule,” said Kim Landry, a young woman from Quebec, Canada, who visited the Getty Center while on vacation, “but I thought that Saturday night was good, and I saw that it was free, and I thought – why not?”
There is a price to pay for the museums themselves by keeping their entrance fee free.
When the recession began in 2007, many museums, including the Getty Center and Getty Villa, struggled to keep their costs manageable for the public.
“The endowment is the museum’s only source of income,” said Julie Jaskol, the Assistant Director for Media Relations for the Getty, “and it took a 24 percent hit in 2008.”
When the Getty’s endowment shrunk from over $6 billion to $4.5 billion in early 2008, the Board of Trustees for the Getty decided to raise the price of parking by $5 and to cut almost 14 percent of their staff in order to keep the museum free.
“The management team focused on our long-term strategic goals in making reductions,” James Wood, President and CEO of the Getty, said “We felt strongly that it was essential to preserve free entrance and existing public hours for our visitors at both the Getty Center and Getty Villa.”
The endowment has increased since it fell by 24 percent, and the additional $0.8 billion has been used to finance every part of museum operations.
Jaskol said, “It doesn’t go in one particular direction” such as recreating the lost jobs or funding exhibitions, like their recently opened Pacific Standard Time display.
When the recession began in 2007, many museums, including the Getty Center and Getty Villa, struggled to keep their costs manageable for the public.
“The endowment is the museum’s only source of income,” said Julie Jaskol, the Assistant Director for Media Relations for the Getty, “and it took a 24 percent hit in 2008.”
When the Getty’s endowment shrunk from over $6 billion to $4.5 billion in early 2008, the Board of Trustees for the Getty decided to raise the price of parking by $5 and to cut almost 14 percent of their staff in order to keep the museum free.
“The management team focused on our long-term strategic goals in making reductions,” James Wood, President and CEO of the Getty, said “We felt strongly that it was essential to preserve free entrance and existing public hours for our visitors at both the Getty Center and Getty Villa.”
The endowment has increased since it fell by 24 percent, and the additional $0.8 billion has been used to finance every part of museum operations.
Jaskol said, “It doesn’t go in one particular direction” such as recreating the lost jobs or funding exhibitions, like their recently opened Pacific Standard Time display.
While the Board of Trustees has struggled to keep the Getty Museums free, the Fisher Museum of Art has fared much better over the past few years due to its close affiliation with the University of Southern California.
“Because the museum was funded by USC, it was able to enjoy the same success as the rest of USC - all because of the incredible management of our finances from USC’s Board of Trustees,” Holo said.
Like the Getty museums, USC’s endowment, one of the sources of financing for the Fisher Museum of Art, began to shrink in 2008 during the recession. However, unlike the Getty, the Fisher Museum of Art is not solely dependant upon the endowment and was able to use other resources to share its art for free with the immediate community.
Art in the Village, a program put on by the Fisher Museum that brings art education to underprivileged children in South-Central Los Angeles schools for free, is one such initiative. “We receive grants to put this on,” Holo said, “We go into the schools and present art making, art exhibiting and art understanding to kids who wouldn’t usually have exposure to it.”
Although the USC Fisher Museum of Art has few financial constraints of their own, people who want to visit the museum on the University Park Campus find getting to and around the campus challenging.
“With all the bikers rushing to class at the same time, I feel like driving is slower than biking,” said Jerry Green, a USC commuter student who deals with the traffic three days a week.
Like the Getty museums, USC’s endowment, one of the sources of financing for the Fisher Museum of Art, began to shrink in 2008 during the recession. However, unlike the Getty, the Fisher Museum of Art is not solely dependant upon the endowment and was able to use other resources to share its art for free with the immediate community.
Art in the Village, a program put on by the Fisher Museum that brings art education to underprivileged children in South-Central Los Angeles schools for free, is one such initiative. “We receive grants to put this on,” Holo said, “We go into the schools and present art making, art exhibiting and art understanding to kids who wouldn’t usually have exposure to it.”
Although the USC Fisher Museum of Art has few financial constraints of their own, people who want to visit the museum on the University Park Campus find getting to and around the campus challenging.
“With all the bikers rushing to class at the same time, I feel like driving is slower than biking,” said Jerry Green, a USC commuter student who deals with the traffic three days a week.
Future Light Rail Station Source: Wikimedia Commons
Holo and the rest of the staff are excited for when they will be better able to serve the Los Angeles community in January 2012 after the new Expo light rail station opens.
“The metro line means we can encourage even more people from around Los Angeles to visit the Fisher Museum of Art,” said Holo, and, as it has been for the past 72 years, anyone can visit for free.
The USC Fisher Museum of Art and the Getty Museums are able to keep their museums free at least partly because they have been blessed with such large endowments.
The J. Paul Getty Trust, which was established in 1953, is currently the largest museum trust in the world. Similarly, while the University of Southern California does not top the list like the Getty, it is still ranked number twenty-two in endowments for United States universities in 2009.
Using these funds to keep entrance free, both of the museums have exposed the greater Los Angeles to art that some people would have not seen otherwise.
“The metro line means we can encourage even more people from around Los Angeles to visit the Fisher Museum of Art,” said Holo, and, as it has been for the past 72 years, anyone can visit for free.
The USC Fisher Museum of Art and the Getty Museums are able to keep their museums free at least partly because they have been blessed with such large endowments.
The J. Paul Getty Trust, which was established in 1953, is currently the largest museum trust in the world. Similarly, while the University of Southern California does not top the list like the Getty, it is still ranked number twenty-two in endowments for United States universities in 2009.
Using these funds to keep entrance free, both of the museums have exposed the greater Los Angeles to art that some people would have not seen otherwise.
“I’m here every Saturday night because they have free parking, and I can walk around,” said Stephen Dukes, a resident of Los Angeles and consistent Getty visitor, “I’ve lived in L.A. all my life, and up until a year ago I never came.”
Perhaps that’s why the directors of both museums make free admission a priority – because they know that over one million people combined per year are appreciating the art they put on display for the public.
Even more so, the visitors to the museums, including Dukes and Landry, agreed that they would keep coming back even if the museums did start charging admission.
“It might limit me,” said Dukes, “but I would keep coming. It’s a wonderful experience.”
Perhaps that’s why the directors of both museums make free admission a priority – because they know that over one million people combined per year are appreciating the art they put on display for the public.
Even more so, the visitors to the museums, including Dukes and Landry, agreed that they would keep coming back even if the museums did start charging admission.
“It might limit me,” said Dukes, “but I would keep coming. It’s a wonderful experience.”