Sept. 09--The Field Museum wants to raise its general admission fees as leaders try to boost revenue for the popular lakefront institution, which just went through a round of layoffs.
Under the museum's proposal, tickets would go up in January from $1 to $4. For Chicago residents, adult fees would go from $13 to $17, senior and student fees would increase from $10 to $11, and fees for children ages 3 to 11 would rise from $8 to $9.
The fees for nonresidents would increase by $2, according to the museum. That would be the second price hike in three years for visitors from outside Chicago.
Children younger than 3 would continue to get in for free. Basic admission does not include ticketed exhibitions or 3-D movies.
The museum, home to Sue the T. rex, ancient mummies and a host of other exhibits, will ask the Chicago Park District to authorize the new price schedule at the district's Wednesday meeting. The Park District board must approve the change because the district owns the land on which the museum sits.
The higher ticket prices are necessary to counter rising expenses for maintenance and personnel, and to help cover the price of exhibit upgrades, Park District officials wrote in a letter recommending the increase to the board. Income from ticket sales currently covers just over one-fifth of operating expenses, the officials said.
"The Field Museum is an invaluable resource to the people of Chicago," district officials said in the letter. "Increased admission fees will help allow the museum to continue to provide world-class experience for guests of all ages."
The museum last raised its fees for Chicago residents in 2010, according to the Park District. Admission fees went up $3 for non-Chicago residents in 2014. The Field Museum also hosts free field trips for Illinois students and free days for Illinois residents throughout the year.
Park District officials say they looked at other Chicago museums as well as at science museums nationwide in determining a new pricing structure. The new costs would make the Field Museum the most expensive basic ticket on the downtown Museum Campus. General admission at the Adler Planetarium is $8 for children and $12 for adults; at Shedd Aquarium it's $6 for children and $8 for adults.
Entry to the Museum of Science and Industry is $18 for adults, $17 for seniors and $11 for children.
The move to increase general admission fees comes at time when the Field also is trying to slash expenses. Four exhibitions department employees were laid off at the end of August, and 17 other employees will not have their contracts renewed after early 2016.
cdrhodes@tribpub.com
