The proposal to raise general admission fees for the Field Musuem was put on hold Wednesday.
The Chicago Park District board tabled the Field Museum’s request until October as to whether they would authorize an increase to basic admission fees.
The Field Museum asked to raise basic admission fees from $13 to $17 for Chicago adults and up a buck to $9 for Chicago children ages 3 to 11 and to $11 for Chicago students and seniors. Children under 3 would still get in for free.
The fee to enter for non-residents would increase by $2 to $20 for adults, $15 for children ages 3-11, and $17 for seniors or students.
Basic admission does not include ticketed exhibitions or 3D movies. The museum, home to Sue the T-Rex and ancient mummies, sits on park property. The increase would take effect Jan. 1, 2016 if approved.
But some board members questioned the mix of fee increases, specifically why there is a proposed $4 increase for Chicago resident adults and only $2 for non-resident adults. Put another way: why is the discount for Chicago residents getting reduced from $5 to $3?
The Field Musuem gets an average of 1.2 million visitors annually and about half are paying guests, said Field Museum executive vice president Jim Croft. Chicagoans account for 14 percent of visitors who pay admission while the remaining 86 percent live outside the city, he said.
Board member Erika Allen said it didn’t make sense to raise city resident fees more than non-residents if the majority of paying guests are from out of town.
The last time admission fees for Chicagoans went up was in 2010. Fees for non-residents increased by $3 in 2014.
Croft did not expect a fee increase to affect attendance.
The park board members said they understand the museum’s value but wanted a closer look at the distribution of fee increases between non-residents and Chicagoans, who are already helping fund museums through property taxes.
“If you can demonstrate that by increasing non-resident admission, there would be a decline in attendance, then I think it makes a lot more sense and is more palatable,” board member Tim King said.
Croft said the proposal for fee increases is part of the institution’s long-term financial plan and would generate $800,000. The museum has cut staff, restructured retirement plans and implemented energy-saving measures.
“Facing the economic challenges we have in last few years, the museum had to make some painful decisons on how we would restructure financial operations of the museum,” Croft said.
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Also, the board approved:
– $8.8 million contract to build a boat house at the park at 2754 S. Eleanor St. The rowing training facility and boat storage building are targeted to be completed in October 2016.
– $1.6 million contract to develop the two-acre Hadiya Pendleton Park at 4345 S. Calumet Ave. with a new playground, spray feature, walking path, fitness station, landscaping and lights. Construction is expected to be completed in September 2016.