2 Tourists and 1 NYC Resident Suit against MET Museum Admission Policy

[FamousNYLover]

philanthropy.com/blogs/philanthropytoday/n-y-s-met-museum-sued-over-deceptive-suggested-fee/63959

http://www.thelmagazine.com/TheMeasure/archives/2013/03/08/full-price-at-the-metropolitan-museum-is-a-tourist-tax

 

Tourists suiting in museum is crazy.

To me sign is not misleading.

 

American Museum of Natural History has same policy, but only their special exhibtion have fee.

 

Bronx Zoo on Wednesday has same policy as well, suggested admission.

 

 

Sign is clearly CLEAR.

 

Also, when there was Angle Tree was on display, which plays same role as Special Exhibtion during Christmas Season Nov-Dec, someone complain against No Photography Policy for Angel Tree, they changed "No Photography" policy to "No Flash Photography."

[CDTA]

I agree with you 100%, this lawsuit is ridiculous.

[Minato ku]

Looking at this sign, as a tourist I understand that you must to pay to enter in the museum.

This is sign is very misleading.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Oh boy... What a load of BS!  The last time I went to the MET I don't think I paid anything because the pricing is suggested... These people are complete idiots.  Now I support a few museums as a member and also donate to the arts so if I want to take in some art for free, I feel like I give more than my fair share of money to the arts esp. considering that I go only a few times a year at the most, so it all evens itself out.  Heck being a member of a few places, now I get hit with stuff from all over the friggin city inviting me to become a member... It's not even about the money but simply about the time... Who has time or even wants to spend all of that time going to exhibitions and galleries?  I mean I usually do that stuff in the summertime or in the spring when the weather is nice and make a day out of it by inviting friends of mine who are in into the arts with guest passes if the museum isn't free and then we have dinner afterwards, but seriously, art is supposed to be for everyone IMO so that's why I support the arts, but their job is to market what they do! Duh... I let them send me whatever they want and then I decide if I want to give or not and that's that and they send me a thank you letter in the mail with what I donated and my membership level and I make sure to bring that letter with me when doing taxes for a tax write off. 

[peacemak3r]

This lawsuit is just like Apple's legal issues...retarded.

[FamousNYLover]

I never seen other tourists complaint.

I think this might be first time tourists and one resident filed law suit.

 

 

[User]

Theres lawsuits for everything, and this one is just plain stupid.

[Threxx]

Looking at this sign, as a tourist I understand that you must to pay to enter in the museum.

This is sign is very misleading.

 

If you read the sign clearly and fully, then it's not misleading at all. I don't see why any literate person would have trouble understanding it.

[Grand Concourse]

I last went there a month ago and paid $1. I mean there's nothing wrong with paying a little bit since I'd hope any bit of payment goes for improvements and keeping up maintenance. I'm not an art person, but I do like the collection of stuff there from the architecture to all the other items (statues etc).

As for this lawsuit, people need to read more carefully or the museum should just get rid of the recommended option and force the admission (at lower than what's listed prices). So the lawsuit is stupid, if you (in gen) don't want to pay that much, then don't go.

[Minato ku]

If you read the sign clearly and fully, then it's not misleading at all. I don't see why any literate person would have trouble understanding it.

Where ? I don't see it in the picture.

In this picture, there is nowhere where it is written that those prices are suggested for donations and that the entrance is free.

Worse, those prices by category adds to the misleading. Why putting a different price for adult, senior or student if it is just for donation ?

In most other museums all over the world, this difference is for the entrance fee.

 

The "no extra charge for extra exhihibiton" could mean that if you paid the price, you don't have to pay more for special exihibitions, not that the museum is free.

The word "recommended" has a more authoritarian meaning than "suggested" in my opinion.

 

You shouldn't forget that tourists don't necessarily know the system. What may seems obvious for locals may be misleading for tourists, especially foreign tourists.

 

Anyway I agree that the lawsuit is stupid but this sign may lead to errors.

[Threxx]

You can interpret the words how you like, but they mean that the price isn't mandatory however you slice it, so the signs shouldn't lead to errors.

[realizm]

Looking at this sign, as a tourist I understand that you must to pay to enter in the museum.

This is sign is very misleading.

 

You know you do have a point to be fair. Not all tourists will understand clearly the message posted on the screen on admission policies and charges. It can be misleading to the non-native NYer. But if you look closely at the displayed text on the monitor it does say that you can join as a member on the same day and attend the museum for free and keep that cash in your wallet. 

 

Now if the customer agents fails to do their jobs and explain to each visiting tourist the option of applying for membership to qualify for same day free admission then that's a definite basis for a solid irate complaint to the BBB and management. So I hear you.

 

Lawsuit over this though? I call bullshit, this is nothing but the carrying out of legalistic scamming tactics  for money, obviously.

 

That's why we are all in accord with this reality concerning many non-descriptive lawsuits, as one person stated (Coming straight to the point):

 

Theres lawsuits for everything, and this one is just plain stupid.

 

It's all about the money Minatu Ku, particularly in the States where we have insane lawsuits that holds no merit day by day around the clock by greedy lawyers looking to make a profit rather than advocating for justice and fair practices.

[realizm]

This lawsuit is just like Apple's legal issues...retarded.

 

And it is retarded. Again just like Apple and their monopolization tactics by abusing the legal systems around the world, it's all about the money by means of insane lawsuits that break into the surreal.

[Minato ku]

You can interpret the words how you like, but they mean that the price isn't mandatory however you slice it, so the signs shouldn't lead to errors.

 

In some cultures, the word "recommended" or its equivalent almost means "required".

On a proper sign, it should be clearly wrote that the entrance to the museum is free. 

 

Those signs are mostly made for tourists. Indications should be clear and simple.

One must never forget that tourists are stupid.

 

 

But if you look closely at the displayed text on the monitor it does say that you can join as a member on the same day and attend the museum for free and keep that cash in your wallet. 

 

In my opinion this part increases even more the misleading.

 

You may understand that it is free for members and that the others should pay.

Some membership can be costly and then offers a free access for a long period. This sort of membership doesn't interest the tourists who visit the city for a limited time.

[realizm]

 

One must never forget that tourists are stupid.

 

 

Ouch. I loled at that.

[Turbo19]

Ouch. I loled at that.

Seriously, most are. What would you call a person/tourist that pays $25.00 for a single admission for something that would otherwise be free? Some even give a donation on top of that.

[Minato ku]

Ouch. I loled at that.

But this is true, I live in Paris, a city with a large number of tourists and especially foreign tourists. After a decade of life in this city, I can see how tourists react, how tourists think and how tourists watch.

Even in area with obvious signs (at least for us parisians) tourists seems very confused.

At CDG airport terminal 1 train station, there are signs where it is written "All trains go to Paris" (in English) and even with those signs, tourists always ask if this train goes to Paris or are afraid to enter in a train to not go in the bad direction.

 

Tourists are easily misled, overwhelmed and lost.

 

Personally, I wouldn't have paid $25 to go in a museum but at first this sign would lead me to the fact that the admission fee costs $25.

Obviously for me who have visited many museum over the world, I would have look closer because $25 is really a prohibitive price that I have never seen anywhere. But many visitors have almost never set the foot in a museum.

[checkmatechamp13]

Where ? I don't see it in the picture.

 

It says "Recommended".

 

In any case, it's basically fine print, even though it's not in a miniscule font like on contracts. So the museum's definitely going to win the lawsuit.

 

The museum is hoping that you'll pay the $25, and so that's why they put it in fine print like that. If you're the type of person who just glances at signs, then you'll pay the price (both figuratively and literally).

[Minato ku]

If you're the type of person who just glances at signs, then you'll pay the price (both figuratively and literally).

The case of most tourists, especially when they are not native of the language. 

 

As I wrote previously, a proper sign should clearly notify that the entrance is free.

Other cases are pretty dishonest. Legal but dishonest.

[MHV9218]

It clearly implies you have to pay. There's no way that a tourist would know that it's not a requirement. No way at all.

 

However, you SHOULD have to pay. It's just due to weird old legal policy that there's not a set price in the first place. There has to be a price, otherwise the place would go broke and we'd all suffer. I've never gone it without paying, cause I'm not a cheapskate.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

It clearly implies you have to pay. There's no way that a tourist would know that it's not a requirement. No way at all.

 

However, you SHOULD have to pay. It's just due to weird old legal policy that there's not a set price in the first place. There has to be a price, otherwise the place would go broke and we'd all suffer. I've never gone it without paying, cause I'm not a cheapskate.

No it doesn't... It clearly says recommended... These places won't go broke because of art folks like myself that donate to them in addition to getting memberships.

[MHV9218]

No it doesn't... It clearly says recommended... These places won't go broke because of art folks like myself that donate to them in addition to getting memberships.

 

If you barely spoke English, would you really see that tiny font and understand the meaning of it, or would you just read the price because that was understandable in your language? Plus, that's assuming you use our alphabet. You assume an Asian or Arab or Russian etc. tourist would understand that? Let me tell you, if I were in a foreign county with a foreign tongue, there's no way I'd understand that. And before you pat yourself on the back too much, that's totally not true. Without admissions they'd be auctioning out the paintings just to pay the electric bills...

[Via Garibaldi 8]

If you barely spoke English, would you really see that tiny font and understand the meaning of it, or would you just read the price because that was understandable in your language? Plus, that's assuming you use our alphabet. You assume an Asian or Arab or Russian etc. tourist would understand that? Let me tell you, if I were in a foreign county with a foreign tongue, there's no way I'd understand that. And before you pat yourself on the back too much, that's totally not true. Without admissions they'd be auctioning out the paintings just to pay the electric bills...

LOL... Anywhere that I've traveled to I've spoken enough of the language to get by... Even in Germany I understood some German though most of everyone in Frankfurt that I dealt with spoke English, but in any event I wouldn't assume anything.  I would simply ask...

 

As for the other part, that's totally not true... They need admissions of course but they also rely heavily on donations, esp. to do renovations and so on... Believe me that renovation that the MET is doing right now sure as hell isn't from "general admissions"...