It's a sign of the times and sad news that the Brooklyn Museum is having a tough time during these tough financial times.
Or maybe I should say, it looks like they're being very proactive about cost cutting measures that will insure the museum's survival.
First they raised the price of admission from $8 to $10 for adults and $6 to $8
for senior and students. That was a bitter pill to swallow for some but understandable in light of the fact that the museum's admission fees were not on par with other NYC museums.
But there are other changes afoot as well. And these effect staff members at the museum, who have been offered voluntary "separation packages." Is that s golden handshake or something? Plans are also being developed
to implement a one-week furlough this summer
for all staff members (dates and details not released yet) while the Museum remains open to
the public. In addition, all higher-paid
non-union staff members will receive pay
reductions on a sliding scale.
Pay reductions on a sliding scale? Wow. Now that's a big and not very pleasant turn of events. But I guess it's better than massive layoffs that's for sure.
Here's the press release I received today from the museum.
are a recent increase in suggested admissions
fees, from $8 to $10 for adults and $6 to $8
for senior and students, a commitment from
all Brooklyn Museum Trustees to maintain or
increase their financial support, and an
enhanced program of traveling exhibition
development.
The critical nature of these financial
challenges has led the Museum to make a
voluntary separation package available to
each staff member. Plans are being developed
to implement a one-week furlough this summer
for all staff members, details to be
determined, while the Museum remains open to
the public. In addition, all higher-paid
non-union staff members will receive pay
reductions on a sliding scale.
"These measures have been carefully
considered, along with additional means of
enhancing revenues, in order to minimize the
impact on our visitors and to allow the
Museum to continue to provide the same degree
of access and quality of experience to our
public, while maintaining our financial
stability. As with most other cultural
organizations throughout the country, the
economic downturn has created funding issues
that have forced extremely difficult choices.
These measures were developed over the past
several months and affirmed yesterday evening
by the Museum's Board of Trustees at their
regularly scheduled meeting," states Museum
Director Arnold L. Lehman.
The Brooklyn Museum is one
of 34 New York City cultural institutions
that comprise the Cultural Institutions Group
(CIG): each member is located on City-owned
property and receives significant capital and
operating support from the City to help meet
basic security, maintenance, administration,
and energy costs. Several segments of the
staff, including security guards, engineers,
and art handlers are members of DC37, a union
made up of New York City employees.
For the fiscal year 2009, which
began on July 1, 2008, the annual operating
budget of the Brooklyn Museum is $29 million.
Since FY 2008, City operating support to the
Brooklyn Museum has been reduced by 32%. The
value of these reductions in FY 08, FY 09 and
those currently proposed in FY 10 is $2.31
million, and additional cuts are possible.
The recent economic downturn has also created
a significant loss to the Museum's endowment,
which is currently valued at $65 million,
down from $93.1 million a year ago, as well
as substantial losses in earned and
contributed revenues. The Brooklyn Museum,
one of the oldest and largest art museums in
the country, currently has a staff of 281
full-time and approximately 40 part-time
employees.
Only the SUGGESTED admission fee went up. Like many major museums, if you can’t afford it, you are free to pay less. No alarms go off, no one will chastise you and your picture will not appear in the newspaper under “paid less than suggested admission.”
It would be tragic if the Brooklyn Museum had mandatory admission charges, but thankfully they don’t!