A Genealogy: Tracing the Origins of Museum Admission Charges

Using Jim Scheurich's “Policy Archeology” as a theoretical framework, a genealogy of museum admission charges in the United States is presented. The three factors that ultimately led to the implementation and expansion of charges are the income/expenses balance, isomorphism within the museum field, and the philosophical stance of museums regarding the public purpose of the institution. These factors are tracked from early museum history through the 1980s, when admission charges become a new norm in the field.