April 26, 2007 | Read Time: 1 minute
It’s a “big deal” that the Smithsonian Institution, in Washington, plans to charge admission to a new permanent butterfly exhibit at the Natural History Museum, writes Tyler Green in Modern Art Notes. Mr. Green is a freelance writer who lives in Washington.
Historically admission to all Smithsonian museums has been free, but The Washington Post reported on Wednesday that the Smithsonian’s board of regents voted in January to charge $5 for the exhibit, with one day of the week set aside for free admission.
Mr. Green names five people or organizations he says should speak up and say charging a fee to visit any part of 19 museums that make up the Smithsonian is wrong. Among them: Americans for the Arts, a lobbying group in Washington.
“The primary arts lobby in DC hasn’t said a word. (It’s worth noting that the organization’s VP for “leadership alliances” is married to a senior Smithsonian employee,” writes Mr. Green.
“Here’s hoping that Americans for the Arts or some such arts group lobbies against the Smithsonian charging access to parts of our national museums,” writes Mr. Green. “And fast.”
—Nicole Lewis
