Pay What You Wish Admission Extended and Expanded at MOPA

Visitors continue to decide the cost of admission – now every day

SAN DIEGO – After evaluating the success of Pay What You Wish admission and listening to visitors’ responses, the Museum of Photographic Arts is extending the program through May 29, 2016, and expanding it to six days a week.

MOPA launched the first Pay What You Wish program in Southern California in March 2015 to highlight “Art is for Everyone.” Visitors chose the admission price with a voluntary contribution every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. It will now be offered Tuesday – Sunday with the expansion through MOPA’s newest exhibition, Flor Garduño: Trilogy.

“When we say ‘Art is for Everyone,’ we mean it,” said MOPA Executive Director Deborah Klochko. “Whether it’s a dime or a hundred, our visitors decide the cost of admission every day the museum is open, now including the weekends.”

The extension of Pay What You Wish has significantly depended on public response and support. During the last year, MOPA has evaluated the sustainability and impact of offering the program. It has proven to be a success after two exhibition cycles. Whether it continues after May 29 is once again up to MOPA visitors.

“We’re listening to our visitors’ feedback and experiences,” Klochko said. “We have a lot to be excited about in 2016. If you want us to keep Pay What You Wish going like we do, come tell us and enjoy the museum.”

2015 was a year of expansion, experimentation and inclusiveness for MOPA with the launch of Pay What You Wish, a flexible monthly membership, and the completion of an extensive remodel. The physical transformation included aesthetic and technological upgrades to the Joan & Irwin Jacobs Theater, the David C. Copley Atrium, a new MOPA Shop and the addition of the Diane Dammeyer Gallery. These initiatives collectively support the museum in its endeavors to reach the broadest possible audience.

“We embrace our role as a center for visual learning that continually evolves and remains relevant,” Klochko said. “From testing ideas and taking risks to providing an improved space for dialogue and creativity, we realize the importance of making visual literacy accessible to everyone.”

-30-

Press Opportunities: To request high-resolution images, additional information or to schedule an interview, please contact MOPA Marketing & Communications Manager Raya Greenbaum at 619.238.7559 x203 or via email (greenbaum@MOPA.org).

The Museum of Photographic Arts is a center for visual learning located in San Diego’s Balboa Park. Its mission is to “inspire, educate and engage the broadest possible audience through the presentation, collection, and preservation of photography, film and video.” As a 501(c)(3) organization, MOPA is generously supported by members, individuals, corporations, foundations and government agencies. Learn more at www.MOPA.org.