Lancaster scraps entry fees to Museum of Art and History

Lancaster city officials have unanimously voted to abolish admission fees to the city’s popular Museum of Art and History and instead suggest visitors make a donation to the facility.

At a council meeting Tuesday, Ronda Perez, director of the Lancaster Parks, Recreation and Arts Department, told council members that eliminating the entry fee would allow the museum to qualify for a county property tax exemption that could ultimately save the city about $41,000 a year.

She added that free admission to the museum would also have wider advantages, such as “making it more accessible to children, seniors, and citizens on fixed income.”

The museum, which opened in May 2012, charged $5 for adults and $3 for students and children 6 and older. Entry was free for everyone on Sundays. The city was collecting about $6,000 a year in admission fees, according to Perez.

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