The Whitney Museum of American Art will begin offering free admission for all visitors 25 and under starting in mid-December. The new program builds upon the museum’s free admission on Fridays and the second Sunday of every month, which launched in January.
“Since its founding the Whitney has been committed to supporting young and innovative artists, and we now hope to further support younger audiences, too, by addressing financial barriers that affect this group the most,” Scott Rothkopf, the Whitney’s Alice Pratt Brown Director, said.
“I believe deeply in the cultural and social impact we can have by sharing the vitality and relevance of the Whitney’s artistic program with young people from New York, the United States, and around the globe.”
The launch of these two programs marks the most significant free admission initiative in the history of the museum. In less than a year, nearly 200,000 visitors have enjoyed free admission, and when considering all of the museum’s free offerings, around 300,000 people have visited the Whitney for free in 2024.
During free Fridays and second Sundays, the Whitney has experienced double the average attendance that it sees during paid hours, with visitors being younger and more diverse. For example, on Friday nights, the average age of visitors dropped by 10 years, and the majority of visitors identify as people of color.
More than half of visitors during these hours were first-timers, and over 80 percent of those 25 and under said that free admission significantly influenced their decision to visit.
The Free 25 and Under program is made possible thanks to two three-year gifts from Whitney Museum Board members Susan Hess and artist Julie Mehretu.
“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,” Mehretu said.
“When I moved to New York, I was waiting tables — it was hard to access contemporary art and culture, as it’s hard for so many students, graduates and young people. If you really want to push and evolve the discourse, many more people need to have access.”
While admission for those 25 and under will be free, visitors must still reserve tickets online.
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