freebies

MAN wonders:

Why is it the Philadelphia Museum refuses to allow museum staff into Dali? Such courtesies are extraordinarily routine in the museum world, but apparently pulling in an extra $20 is more important than being collegial.

I'd have to say that in my experience ticketed exhibitions are one of the gray areas of museum staff comping.  Policies differ by institution, popularity of the exhibition, even who is manning the ticket booth at a given moment.  Just as some museums will restrict free admission only to someone actually bearing another institution's ID, while others will wave in a whole group as long as a single staff person is present.

For the MFA's Gauguin exhibit, I was told that I would have to buy a ticket - and if I didn't want to have to pay the regular admission fee as well, I'd have to make the purchase in person at the Museum.  I decided not to bother going, until a pair of free tickets feel into my lap.  After attending the show, I was very glad I hadn't paid.  Then just months later I showed up only wanted to see the permanent collection.  When I presented my ID, the staff at the counter asked if I wanted a ticket to the Art Deco show as well.  And it's not just the MFA; my experience with other museums and ticketed exhibitions has been similarly inconsistent.  Some will admit staff of institutions that lent to the show in for free, but not others, and so on.  As a general rule, the greater the interest in the show, the less likely one is to get comped.  Unfortunate, but until I get a blockbuster of my own, something I'll learn to live with.