On August 16th, 2023, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art raised its admission fees from $25 to $30, making it one of the most expensive museums in the country. The prices for young adults were also raised from $19 to $23, while the senior tickets will, from now on, cost $25 instead of $22.
Thus, the SFMOMA follows the steps of the Guggenheim and the Whitney Museums, which have already bumped their prices due to rising operational costs and lagging pandemic-era visitations. Inflation and “slow citywide recovery in the downtown core” are additional reasons for the increase. The museum’s general admission and membership revenue comprise around 22% of its budget.
The museum said in a press release, on Aug 16, “decreased attendance figures, slow citywide recovery in the downtown core, inflation and other rising costs.”
The museum reported that general admission and membership revenue accounts for 22 percent of its operating budget, and that attendance in 2023 is down 35 percent compared to 2019. It was not clear, however, whether that figure accounted for the fact that there are still more than four months left in 2023.
SFMOMA director Christopher Bedford said in a statement, “In making these changes, as both SFMOMA and our city continue to emerge from the pandemic, we have also committed ourselves to maintaining our free and discounted programs and to exploring new opportunities that will encourage the full spectrum of our community to experience the museum.”
