Expanding Access through Free Admission
As an important cultural and educational resource, the Portland Art Museum has placed access at the core of its mission.The Board of Trustees and staff leadership envision a time when children always will be admitted free, and adults will have regularly scheduled no-charge opportunities to visit the Museum.
Collecting, preserving, and protecting great works of art are expensive responsibilities. Currently, the Museum's average cost per visitor is $60; however, the Museum collects only $10 in admission for adults, $9 for seniors and students, and $6 for children. The remainder of the cost is subsidized through donations, endowment earnings, and income from the Museum Shop, Rental Sales Gallery, and event space rental. Despite these subsidized fees, ticket prices can be a barrier. Ongoing, regularly scheduled free admission would ensure all individuals have access to the Museum.
During the past several years, the Museum has offered sporadic free days, based on one-time donations or sponsorships. To offer these regularly, the Museum must create an endowment that will enable its doors to open to all — young and old, student and scholar, tourist and resident.
The Museum is seeking funds to create a $5.5 million endowment to make this vision a reality. The endowment would include the following:
- $1 million to fund free general admission for children and students (age 17 and under)
- $1 million to fund free admission for school tours
- $1 million to fund free transportation to the Museum for schools that need transportation assistance for student tours
- $1.25 million to fund free admission for all visitors on one Thursday night each month
- $1.25 million to fund free admission for all visitors on four Sundays per year
When invested, the income from this endowment will fund ongoing opportunities to visit the Museum free of charge, not just this year, but every year. To date, the Museum has raised $1.75 million, including a gift of $1 million from Gordon Sondland and Katherine Durant to fund free general admission for children, and a gift of $600,000 from The Bank of America Foundation to fund free Museum tours for school groups, grades K through 12.
To join in this effort to expand access and further the Museum’s mission in the community, contact the Development Office:
J.S. May
Director of Development
503.276.4272
Marlene Carlson
Associate Director of Development
503.276.4337
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