MOCA Los Angeles Goes Free Thanks to $10M Donation

The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Los Angeles will offer free admission for five years, thanks to a $10 million donation from board chair Carolyn Clark Powers. Announced at the museum's annual gala, the gift marks MOCA's 40th anniversary. Currently, admission costs $15 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $8 for students. MOCA joins other LA museums like The Broad and the Hammer Museum in offering free entry. The Broad saw 800,000 free visitors last year, while the Hammer reported a 25% increase in attendance since going free in 2014. MOCA foundation board head Maria Seferian called the donation an inspiration and a step toward making the museum a more inclusive cultural and civic center. Clark Powers stated that paid admission contradicts art's ability to connect and heal. The article contrasts MOCA's move with the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, which in 2018 ended its pay-what-you-wish policy for non-New York residents, introducing a $25 mandatory fee due to financial deficits.