February 27, 2009

Small price hikes at NY city zoos in March and April

Although the economy has been in the tank for several months, very few of the city’s museums, parks and zoos have turned t price hikes yet.

But starting this weekend, prices will rise at some of the city’s zoos.

Central Park Zoo, as of Sunday, adult admission will rise to $10 for adults, $5 for children and $7 for seniors. Until then, it’s $8 for adults, $3 for children and $4 for seniors.

That same day, the Prospect Park Zoo and Queens Zoo admissions will rise to $7 for adults, $3 for children and $4 for seniors (from $6, $2 and $2.25.)

At the Staten Island Zoo, admission will rise April 1 by $1 to $8 for adults.

There are no changes planned for the New York Aquarium at Coney Island, but its website notes: “Due to rising costs, the Wildlife Conservation Society reserves the right to change all fees without notice. “

Many of the city’s museums actually have to get permission for admission hikes from the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs. There are 33 in that category because they’re located on city property.

Of those, the only three to have received approval since July 1 for fee hikes were the Staten Island Zoo, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum (which reopened in September after a major renovation,) and the Museum of Jewish Heritage, where the entry fee is now $12 for adults (up from $10.)

Earlier this week, the New York Times reported that the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s “endowment, which provides about 30 percent of its annual operating revenue, has decreased 25 percent since June 30, 2008 to $2.1 billion from $2.8 billion.”

Earlier Crain’s reported that the American Museum of Natural History had “lost a quarter of its $620 million endowment, or about $170 million, and $3.1 million in city funding.”

Earlier: Free museum hours in NYC for Fall/Winter 2008/2009

February 27, 2009 3:44 PM in Cheap Stuff, Kids, Midtown, Museums, Out of Manhattan, Sightsology, Upper East Side, Upper West Side

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