The Price of Curiosity

I was looking forward to visiting the Art Gallery of Ontario. There were several exhibitions I wanted to see, and I thought it would be a lovely way to spend a couple of hours.

Then I discovered that admission was $30.

 Thirty dollars! For a visit that would probably last two or three hours at most. I know my limitations, and wandering around a large gallery for an entire day just isn't going to happen. Rob and I talked about it, and we decided not to go this time. Instead, we might make a visit together in December, when we can plan a proper outing rather than trying to squeeze the gallery into a couple of hours.

But it bothered me. In fact, it made me downright angry.

I know they have expenses, but it wasn't just the price that upset me. You see, you can get an annual membership for $40. While it pays for itself quickly, it seems like a waste if you don't live in the city and don't know whether you'll visit more than once a year.

It just seems so ridiculous. I would have accepted $10–$15 for a single visit. This, this just doesn't make sense to me. It's almost as though they're discouraging ordinary people from coming in to see what's on display.

Now, here's the thing. I could have gotten in free because I'm Indigenous. Anyone under 25 can also visit for free, and I appreciate that these opportunities exist. But what about everybody else? The ordinary visitor who lives out of town, who might only make it to Toronto once a year, or who simply doesn't fall into one of those categories?

I don't begrudge anyone their free admission. Quite the opposite. I just wonder why making art accessible has to depend so much on who you are, how old you are or how often you can visit.

Here in Peterborough, our museum and art gallery have a pay-what-you-can policy, with a suggested donation of $5. You walk in, have a look around, enjoy yourself and contribute what you can afford. Nobody is standing at the door telling you that you need thirty dollars before you can see what's inside.

Now, I know the AGO and the Royal Ontario Museum are much bigger institutions. They have enormous collections, expensive buildings to maintain and staff who need to be paid. I understand all that.

But since when did cultural education become a luxury item?

I looked into the free admission opportunities, too. The AGO offers limited free hours on the First Wednesday of the month in the evenings. That's fine if you happen to live nearby and can arrange your life around their schedule, but what about the rest of us? By the time you've travelled into Toronto, you've already spent time and possibly money just getting there. A few hours in the evening aren't necessarily much use.

And that's what really gets under my skin.

We're talking about places filled with art, history, science and stories about people and cultures from all over the world. Places where you can learn something without sitting in a classroom, where something you see might spark an interest you didn't even know you had.

Shouldn't that be available to everyone?

I'm not suggesting these places can operate without money. Of course they can't. But surely there's a better way to balance paying the bills with making people feel welcome.

Maybe Peterborough has spoiled me. I've become accustomed to being able to wander into a museum or gallery simply because I'm curious about what's inside. Sometimes I stay for an hour, sometimes longer. Sometimes I find something wonderful, and sometimes I don't. That's part of exploring.

I don't want every outing to become a calculation of whether I'll get my money's worth.

I just wanted to go and look at some art.

Is that really too much to ask?