Whitney Museum to Expand Free Offerings
Beginning this December, anyone age 25 or younger can visit the Whitney Museum free of charge.
| 23 Oct 2024 | 11:33
The Whitney Museum is expanding on its Free Fridays and Free Second Sundays program by offering free entry to visitors 25 and younger, beginning in December. (
)
The museum is already free to those 18 or younger, but the new program will allow easier access to art for even more people. (
)
According to the museum, 300,000 people visited the museum free of charge since beginning the Free Fridays and Free Second Sundays programs earlier this year. (
)
Starting in mid-December, the Whitney Museum will be free to visitors under 25 years old, announced the museum Oct. 22.
The museum is already free for those 18 and younger, and that age maximum will rise to 25 before the end of the year.
“Since its founding[,] the Whitney has been committed to supporting young and innovative artists, and we now hope to further support younger audiences, too, by addressing financial barriers that affect this group the most,” stated the Whitney’s Alice Pratt Brown Director, Scott Rothkopf.
Financially backed by Susan Hess (who the museum calls a “longtime supporter”), and artist Julie Mehretu, the expansion of free offerings is a continuation in a larger effort to make art more accessible.
“Engagement with the arts for young people in particular can be transformative, and the Free 25 and Under program will make sure that residents of all income levels and backgrounds can get the access they deserve to the world-class exhibitions and programming that the Whitney creates for audiences,” wrote NYC Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo.
This comes after the Whitney Museum began offering two free entry initiatives—Free Friday Nights and Free Second Sundays—in January. The museum reports that the programs brought in 200,000 visitors for free (with an additional 100,000 entering for free through additional means).
“The launch of our first two free admissions programs have had such an incredible impact on our audience that we wanted to go even further in making the Whitney one of the most accessible large museums in America,” said Rothkopf. “You can feel the amazing energy in the galleries on free days, and I couldn’t be more excited to see that grow.”