As a long-term Brooklyn resident, I grew up spending my summer months out of school exploring the wonders of the city’s museums and attractions. My family and I would spend hours wandering the rooms of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and we’d pay multiple visits to our animal friends at the Bronx Zoo. As a parent, I continued the tradition with my children and brought them to the same places I explored as a kid. I now want to share this experience with my grandchildren, but I am faced with the harsh realities of today’s sky-high admission prices. 

The average cost for a family of four to attend one of New York City’s cultural attractions is staggering, ranging anywhere from $30 to a jaw-dropping $140. This doesn’t even cover the additional expenses for special exhibit fees or the essential costs of food and transportation. With poverty on the rise in New York, it’s heartbreaking to me that many of us will be unable to experience all the culture and education our city has to offer because of these costs.

Admission costs weren’t always a concern for New Yorkers. One of the city’s best-kept secrets is that in the 1800s, 17 cultural and educational institutions, including the American Museum of Natural History, the Bronx Zoo and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, agreed to provide free admission to city taxpayers in exchange for their rent-free use of park situated, city-owned buildings. Despite being mandated by state laws, these institutions disregard free admission while continuing to benefit from over $700 million in free rent each year. While some offer “pay-what-you-wish” options and occasional free days, these policies do not comply with the original requirements and certainly don’t consider the city residents who could benefit from them.

We need to change this. In a city as diverse and vibrant as New York, ensuring legislated equitable access to such experiences should be a priority. In fact, the founders of these institutions, along with city leaders and the commissioner of education, formed a first-of-its-kind public-private partnership with the goal of creating museums, zoos, gardens and science and performing arts centers to bolster the public school system and educate recently arrived immigrants. Yet the reality remains that economic disparities rather than compliance with laws often dictate who can and cannot partake in these enriching experiences. 

I’m currently a domestic worker and housing organizer. Middle- and working-class New Yorkers like me are priced out of the institutions we subsidize. And with the recent influx of immigrant families with school-aged children, it’s more important than ever that we recommit to these aims. 

Bill A3059b/S5265b asks legislators to identify and report the facts of the over 150 years of laws applicable to the terms of New York City residents’ free access to the 17 museums and institutions. The bill is currently in committee and faces increasing pushback from some of the city’s largest museums. Lobbying efforts from the institutions, including The Met, delayed its passing this last session in Albany. 

What are these museums so afraid of that they’ve gone so far to prevent a study bill from being reviewed and passed? Shouldn’t these institutions willingly assist in assembling and reporting the facts of their obligations to New Yorkers in return for their more than $700 Million annual free rent? The study bill would:

• Investigate the current barriers to public access 

• Review how people have accessed the museums historically

• Look into the laws that determine free public access to museums 

• Analyze the financial and operational effects of making museums more accessible to the public 

• Assess the financial support that these institutions receive from the government and other sources

• Examine how this financial support has changed since the museums were established

To all parents, grandparents, caretakers and those who understand the struggle of sacrificing family outings due to financial constraints, this is our moment to unite and make a change together. Please join me in urging state legislators to pass Study Bill A3059b/S5265b in the next session. This crucial legislation could pave the way for free admission to museums, opening doors of opportunity for families, teachers and students. 

Let’s stand up for equity and inclusivity in our communities by supporting free museum access for our residents.

Winsome was born in Jamaica, where she grew up surrounded by her community and culture. She later moved to the United States and dedicated her life to raising her grandchildren. Despite facing challenges, she was determined to create a better life for herself and her family, and her hard work and resilience have led to her success. Her accomplishments serve as an inspiration for other black and brown individuals to follow their dreams and pave their way toward success. Winsome resides in Brooklyn, New York.