Oct

5

Nelson-Atkins cutbacks

October 5, 2008 | 4 Comments

Union Station isn’t the only local institution struggling to pay the bills after massive renovation and expansion fail to attract predicted attendance.  The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art has announced several cutbacks to help it balance the books after spending $200 million to add the new Bloch Building and renovate the original building. Tuesday hours have been dropped for a new five day schedule, thermostats have been raised, and the iconic lighting of the Block Building has been curtailed. That last one is especially painful considering criticism that the new building’s dramatic nighttime lighting was a centerpiece of the expansion project.

Not only did the expansion go over budget and increase permanent operating costs, attendance for its money-making special exhibits has been way below predictions. People have flocked to see the new building, but have been interested enough in the special exhibits to fork over cash.

For the moment the museum seems to be holding onto its free admission policy. In fact the Nelson-Atkins is probably one of the best values of any art museum in the country. Right here in our own community we have access to a top-flight museum for free, and with very reasonable prices for special exhibits and other programs. It’s actually quite amazing that the Nelson is able to thrive without the government support provided to many of its peers in other cities (For example, the regional property tax that supports the St. Louis art museum, zoo, and science center).

Categories: Arts/Entertainment


Comments

4 Comments so far

  1. JulesK on October 6, 2008 9:56 am

    I was just there this past weekend taking photos of the building as the sun went down. My father was in town from California and we couldn’t wait to beeline over there and make some images together. It was a priveledge to be on the outside looking in as the sun went down and I have decided to go back again and see it from the inside out.

    Anyone wanting to view the first of the images I made this weekd can check them out on my flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/heyjules

  2. ChrisM70 on October 6, 2008 2:24 pm

    This is a shame. The Nelson-Atkins is a BEAUTIFUL museum and one of the few great civic treasures Kansas City can be proud of.

    Kansas City should be ashamed for not supporting it.

    With that said, I do think that building an expansion that only looks really great when it’s lit up like a giant votive candle. This energy wasting idea was a bad choice in this green-thinking era we are entering. Perhaps they can figure out a way to cover the roof of the old building with solar panels to offset the costs?

    Either way, if you haven’t been to the museum in awhile, it’s worth your time.

  3. Bryan on October 7, 2008 10:30 am

    What a shame. I live right by there – the building is beautiful and the lighting is great for talking walks at night.

    I hope the museum stays free – they need to find more ways to keep the place funded other than charging for admission.

  4. Dave Sanders on February 19, 2009 4:06 am

    I love the Museum and have been going there since I was a child. Im sorry to hear that they have fallen on hard times. (I have always liked the classic style of the original building and feel the new addition clashes with it.) I think I could have spent the money better.. it seems short sighted to not think that heating a barn that big would be affordable. Why can’t our decision makers be more practical and less behind the curve! It’s already built so it’s too late to do anything about it. Now let see if the people that made the financial losses possible are smart enough think up a solution.. or are they just smart enough to spend money and pass along the cost of their mistakes.

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