Richmond, Virginia — The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) announced today that it has joined Museums for All, a nationwide initiative that encourages museum attendance by removing affordability barriers. VMFA will launch its program November 21, 2022, offering memberships and exhibition tickets at lowered costs for those who qualify.
“The mission of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is to enrich the lives of all through the arts,” said VMFA Director and CEO Alex Nyerges. “We are open to visitors 365 days a year, with free general admission. Now, as a participant in the Museums for All initiative, we expand access to special exhibitions and memberships at discounted costs for individuals and families because we don’t want there to be any barriers to visiting the museum.”
In Virginia, more than 10 percent of residents live below the poverty level. Through VMFA’s Museums for All program, people who receive assistance through Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Woman, Infants and Children (WIC) will be eligible to receive ticketed admission and memberships at lower costs.
Museums for All participants can purchase admission to VMFA’s special exhibitions at the reduced price of $2 per ticket with a limit of four tickets per EBT card. For children ages 6 and under, tickets to VMFA’s special exhibitions are free. A yearlong VMFA membership for a household — comprising one or two adults and children who are all under age 18 — will cost $5 for Museums for All participants and will include the same member benefits as those listed under the museum’s General membership levels.
Visitors wishing to participate in VMFA’s Museums for All program can present their Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards or digital cards on the Providers app, along with valid IDs at the museum’s Visitor Services Desk. SNAP and WIC recipients who prefer to do this in advance of their visit can instead email photos or scans of their EBT cards and valid IDs. Admission or membership fees must be paid by cash, credit card or check. More information about participating in VMFA’s Museums for All program can be found at www.VMFA.museum.
Museums For All is a signature access initiative of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), administered by the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM). It is the only nationally coordinated financial accessibility initiative in the museum industry. Participating museums are located nationwide, representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“As pillars of our communities, libraries and museums bring people together by providing important programs, services and collections. These institutions are trusted spaces where people can learn, explore and grow,” said IMLS Director Crosby Kemper. “IMLS is proud to support their initiatives through our grants as they educate and enhance their communities.”
More than 1,000 institutions in the U.S. are part of Museums for All, including art museums, children’s museums, science centers, botanical gardens, zoos, history museums and more. VMFA will join nine local institutions — The Science Museum of Virginia, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, The Children’s Museum of Richmond, The Valentine, The Poe Museum, Wilton House Museum, The American Civil War Museum, Virginia Museum of History & Culture and Agecroft Hall & Gardens — in this important initiative.
“We are pleased to welcome the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts to the Museums for All initiative,” said Association of Children’s Museums Executive Director Arthur Affleck. “Through this initiative, we are proud to serve children and their families by connecting them with enriching experiences.”
To learn more about the Museums for All program at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, visit www.VMFA.museum.
About the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums. We advance, support and empower America’s museums, libraries and related organizations through grantmaking, research and policy development. Our vision is a nation where museums and libraries work together to transform the lives of individuals and communities. To learn more, visit www.IMLS.gov.
About Association of Children’s Museums (ACM)
The Association of Children’s Museums (ACM) champions children’s museums worldwide. With more than 400 members in 48 states and 20 countries, ACM leverages the collective knowledge of children’s museums through convening, sharing and dissemination. Learn more at www.ChildrensMuseums.org.
About the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, Virginia, is one of the largest comprehensive art museums in the United States. VMFA, which opened in 1936, is a state agency and privately endowed educational institution. Its purpose is to collect, preserve, exhibit and interpret art, and to encourage the study of the arts. Through the Office of Statewide Partnerships program, the museum offers curated exhibitions, arts-related audiovisual programs, symposia, lectures, conferences, and workshops by visual and performing artists. In addition to presenting a wide array of special exhibitions, the museum provides visitors with the opportunity to experience a global collection of art that spans more than 6,000 years. VMFA’s permanent holdings encompass nearly 50,000 artworks, including the largest public collection of Fabergé outside of Russia, the finest collection of Art Nouveau outside of Paris and one of the nation’s finest collections of American art. VMFA is also home to important collections of Chinese art, English silver, and French Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, British sporting and modern and contemporary art, as well as renowned South Asian, Himalayan and African art. In May 2010, VMFA opened the James W. and Frances G. McGlothlin Wing I after a transformative expansion, previously the largest in its history.
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts has begun its more than $190 million expansion and renovation project led by the international architecture firm SmithGroup. Tentatively scheduled for completion in 2027, the project consists of adding a new wing of nearly 170,000 square feet and renovating 45,000 square feet of existing spaces, while maintaining four acres of green space in the Sculpture Garden. Visitors will experience a seamless journey through the collections in the new wing, which will house contemporary art, African art, American art, a new suite of galleries for rotating special exhibitions and a special-events space. The expansion and renovation will enable the museum to display more art, welcome more visitors and provide more enjoyment.
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is the only art museum in the United States open 365 days a year with free general admission. For additional information, telephone 804.340.1400 or visit www.VMFA.museum.
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Media Contacts
Jan Hatchette | 804.204.2721 | jan.hatchette@VMFA.museum
Amy Peck | 804.773.1791 | amy.peck@VMFA.museum
Kyla Coleman | 804.204.2702 | kyla.coleman@VMFA.museum
200 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd., Richmond, VA 23220