Guggenheim New York raises ticket prices to $30, becoming second most expensive museum in city

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York has increased its admission prices for the first time in eight years, effective August 1, 2023. Adult tickets rose from $25 to $30, veterans pay $25, and students and visitors with disabilities pay $19 (up $1). Children 12 and under remain free. The museum also extended its Saturday "pay what you wish" hours to 5–8 PM. The price hike makes the Guggenheim the second most expensive museum in New York, behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art ($30 for non-New Yorkers) and tied with the Whitney Museum of American Art, which raised its adult ticket to $30 in July 2023. Other museums following the trend include the Philadelphia Museum of Art ($30) and the Art Institute of Chicago ($32 for non-residents). The Guggenheim attributed the increase to pandemic-related financial strain, inflation, and rising operational costs. Spokesperson Sara Fox told the New York Times that the new rates align with the city's museum community and will help cover operating expenses. The decision also reflects a broader decline in attendance: the museum sold 750,000 tickets in 2022, far below the 1.3 million in 2019. According to a report by the American Alliance of Museums, two-thirds of U.S. museums have not returned to pre-pandemic attendance levels, reaching at most 70% of previous numbers. Additionally, unionized staff have secured higher wages, adding to cost pressures.