Philadelphia’s Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History will continue to offer free admission through at least the end of 2023 after receiving two donations totalling $500,000.
In a press release, the museum said free admission increases attendance and visitor diversity, which helps further its mission to educate a larger audience.
According to a survey completed in 2019 when the Weitzman piloted free admission, it enjoyed a 37 percent increase in summer attendance compared to the previous five years.
The survey also found that 75 percent of guests identified as non-Jewish when admission was free, compared to 75 percent of visitors typically identifying as Jewish.
Free admission increases attendance
“We have been pursuing avenues to keep admission free since we reopened last spring, following our pandemic closure,” said Misha Galperin, the Weitzman’s president and CEO.
“This work… the interconnections that are explored, the mutual appreciation and common understanding that develops among visitors, and between visitors and the stories in the galleries, this is how we cultivate empathy and promote civil discourse.
“We create tangible connections with stories of real Jews and this work provides an antidote to antisemitism.”
Established in 1976 and located on Philadelphia’s Independence Mall, the Weitzman is the only American Jewish museum in the US.
Visitors to the institution have enjoyed free admission since May 2022, following a grant from the Florida-based Jane and Daniel Och Family Foundation.
After seeing the benefits of free admission, the Ochs have made a three-year, $300,000 donation to continue the initiative.
“Jane and I began supporting free admission last spring because we wanted to help ensure that there were no barriers to engaging with the museum,” said Dan Och.
New York-based Weitzman supporters Sofia and Mikhail Segal have given the remaining $200,000 gift towards free admission in 2023 through their foundation. “We believe in the Weitzman and have supported it for several years,” said Mike Segal.
Nearby in Philadelphia, the First Bank of the United States has received $22 million in federal funding to transform the site into an interactive museum.
In the UK, London’s Jewish museum has announced plans to close its site in Camden indefinitely, citing “unanticipated rising costs” in a statement.
Lead image credit: Shoot from Within OY/YO, 2015, ©2022 Deborah Kass / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
