Museums in the United States are expensive; the Metropolitan Museum of Art , the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the San Francisco Museum of Art, among others, are now charging a $30 entry fee for adults.
Of course, there are deals to be swung: many institutions offer free entry or discounts on specific days or for particular groups, such as children, students and members of the military. Even so, the cost of entry is a significant barrier to would-be museum-goers.
A new study out Thursday makes the case for scrapping museum admission fees entirely — though it doesn’t tackle how the country’s already cash-strapped art institutions might make up for any budget shortfall arising from going free…