Newseum Closing

[RJNorton]

Thanks to Laurie for sending this news:

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/j...washington

[Rsmyth]

Great, great museum! If you like historical artifacts from a complete section of the Berlin Wall to Ted Kosinski's shack, this was the place.

[JMadonna]

I wonder if the public's observations of what the main stream press has devolved into contributed to this decision.

[L Verge]

I wonder if the public's observations of what the main stream press has devolved into contributed to this decision.

In this day when folks prefer to Google their history (if they are even interested), I suspect that distrust of the press has been one factor. However, it is an expensive museum to get in ($18 per person the last I heard), huge to fully tour in even one day, not little kid friendly. In a city where most of the museums are free, it has been a hard sell.

Note: It sits where Booth's favorite National Hotel once stood.

[Gene C]

I wonder if the public's observations of what the main stream press has devolved into contributed to this decision.

I was thinking the same thing.

[Steve]

Here's an wonderfully written review panning the Newseum when it first opened in 2008:

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2008...facts.html

[Thomas Kearney]

The Newseum said in a statement it is looking for a new location

[JMadonna]

Doubtful they'll find one. If you can't make it in a building you own - chances are you aren't going to find a cheaper place in the sky high rental market of Washington DC.

[L Verge]

The Newseum said in a statement it is looking for a new location

I doubt that they will find anything in the city proper that they can afford - or that can hold the amount of displays and artifacts that they now exhibit.

[RJNorton]

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-new...180973274/

[L Verge]

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-new...180973274/

First, I was surprised to see that the Newseum is located along the Potomac River! All these years, I thought it was located on Pennsylvania Avenue at 6th Street with the Potomac a good distance away.

Second, how they found visitors willing to pay the very high admission prices, which kept rising upwards over the years to the current $25/person is beyond me. You would not believe how many of the local folks here in Clinton do not want to pay the adult price of $5 to take the tour at Surratt House -- and we're less than 15 miles from the Newseum. DC must get a lot of rich visitors... or, its founding fathers are so rich that they didn't/don't understand the plight of average people who visit the nation's capital.

Third, the museum is huge, and to really take in $25 worth of history takes hours and hours. Most people just collapse from "too much information" after awhile.

[LincolnMan]

Great points Laurie! Were there some incentives-like discounts for military/veterans/ senior citizens, etc?

[L Verge]

Straight from their website:

General Admission Tickets
Members. Always FREE! Become a member.
Adults (19 to 64) $24.95 plus tax.
Seniors (65 and older) $19.95 plus tax.
Youth (7 to 18) $14.95 plus tax.
Children (6 and younger) Free.
Tickets | Newseum

https://www.newseum.org › visit › tickets

OOPS -- just found this on a note about getting a 15% discount if you visit now before December 31:

Purchase a ticket, and the next day’s visit is free!

Adults, 19 to 64: $24.95 + tax
Seniors, 65 and older: $19.95 + tax
Youth, 7 to 18: $14.95 + tax
Children, 6 and younger: Free
Prices subject to change without notice.
Discounts for journalists, military, teachers, college students, and AAA members are available only at our admissions desk with applicable ID (view details).
15% discount on food at The Source by Wolfgang Puck (view details)
Complimentary coat check
PURCHASE NOW AND RECEIVE 15% OFF!

[RJNorton]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertain...story.html