SOME MUSEUMS AND ART GALLERIES CHARGE ADMISSION FEES, WHILE OTHERS HAVE FREE ENTRY. DO YOU THINK THE ADVANTAGES OF FREE ADMISSION OUTWEIGH THE DISADVANTAGES?

Art galleries and museums have different approaches regarding

entry

fees: some allow the public free entrance, whereas others require

entry

fees. In

this

essay, I will explain why I believe that the benefits of not charging the public at places like these are overcome by the drawbacks of demanding a payment. Looking at the advantages of free admission, the most noticeable is the higher attendance that places under

this

policy

have in comparison with those in which a fee is charged. People tend to seek leisure activities under minimum costs, so free access to art and history seem an interesting option for many. The Louvre Museum, in France, has a free-

entry

policy

every

first

Sunday of the month, what causes it to be usually fully-crowded these days. Another advantage of not charging for

entry

is that people who cannot afford to pay the fees may benefit of culture for free.

However

, the problems experienced by places with open-doors

policy

are broader than its benefits. Lack of funding for basic routines is common to some museums and galleries, since they have the same obligations of any other company,

such

as payroll, taxes, and insurances. Institutions in which people do not pay to enter often rely on government funding or charity donations, which may not always be enough to cover their costs.

Moreover

, some people may see these places as worthless, considering they are not paying to visit. In conclusion, I would argue that art galleries and museums should charge, at least, a minimum fare for entrance. Those in which people are granted free

entry

often experience more disadvantages than advantages as an outcome of their

policy

, what happens due to numerous reasons,

such

as shortage of funding, or a reduced value perception by the public.