Julie Mehretu (photo courtesy of Galerie Magazine)
Thanks to a generous donation, the Whitney Museum in New York will grant free admission to all visitors 25 years old and under starting in mid-December.
Julie Mehretu is one of the top painters living and working in the United States today. Born in Ethiopia and studying art in both the United States and Senegal, Mehretu creates what David Adjaye of Time described as “abstract three-dimensional landscapes that represent our often chaotic socio-political climate”. She maintains a studio in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood, which makes it easy to also serve as a trustee of the nearby Whitney Museum. Museum admission prices have been climbing in recent years, and the Whitney is no exception. An adult ticket currently costs $30. Visitors aged 18 and under, however, can visit free of charge. And now, thanks to a large donation from several board members, $2 million of which came from Mehretu, the Whitney Museum will soon be expanding its free admission policy to all visitors aged 25 and under.
The Whitney already offers free admission to all visitors on Fridays between 5:00 and 10:00pm, as well as all day on the second Sunday every month. Demographic data the Whitney collected indicates that free admission is incredibly effective in attracting not only more visitors in general, but a younger, more diverse crowd. During the times free admission was in effect, half of all visitors were visiting the museum for the first time. Additionally, 80% of visitors aged 25 and under cite free admission as one of the main reasons for their visit. Scott Rothkopf, museum director, also commented that expanding the museum’s free admission policy will help achieve one of the administration’s goals “to go even further in making the Whitney one of the most accessible large museums in America”.
According to Rothkopf, this is an issue Mehretu has been pushing ever since he assumed his post in November 2023. Mehretu stated that the need for increased access to the arts for young people was the primary motivation behind her donation. “You can’t have any conversations around diversity, equity and inclusion without providing access, and the culture can’t change and it can’t continue to grow without new and diverse voices having access to the culture being created at the moment.” With arts funding being cut in Florida, Texas, and across the pond in Britain, young people’s ability to access cultural centers and the content they provide is more important now than ever. Many major New York museums like the Metropolitan Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Guggenheim already offer some form of free admission or pay-what-you-wish. Hopefully, the Whitney’s expansion of their policy could lead to similar expansions at other American cultural institutions and greater access to the arts.