This Summer, Nearly 20 San Francisco Museums will Offer Free Admission to Low-Income People Receiving Public Benefits
San Francisco is home to some of the world’s greatest cultural institutions—from the SFMOMA to the de Young Museum to the Academy of Science. Many families in San Francisco, however, cannot afford the admission fees to visit these and other cultural institutions, which can range from $20 to $150 for a family of four to visit.
Over the past year, The Financial Justice Project partnered with the San Francisco Human Services Agency and Mayor’s Office to streamline the application processes for low-income people to receive discounts on fines, fees and tickets that are beyond their ability to pay.
Today, in partnership with Mayor London Breed and the San Francisco Human Services Agency, we are proud to announce San Francisco Museums for All.
Through the program, low-income San Francisco families who currently receive means-tested public benefits, such as Medi-Cal and CalFresh, can receive up to four free tickets to each museum when they present their benefits card and proof of San Francisco residency. More than 210,000 people – nearly one in four San Franciscans- receive one of these means-tested benefits and would be eligible.
“No San Franciscan should be excluded from our amazing museums and cultural institutions because of the size of their wallet,” said Treasurer José Cisneros. “We all benefit when all San Franciscans, regardless of income, can participate in the cultural life of our city.” The announcement of San Francisco Museums for All was featured in the San Francisco Chronicle.
The program will run June 1st through Labor Day, allowing low-income families to enjoy the cultural institutions throughout the summer break. HSA will conduct outreach to City residents who receive public benefits, and promote participation among community organizations that serve qualifying households, including children, and older adults, and people with disabilities.
“All San Franciscans, regardless of their income, should have access to the art and culture institutions that San Francisco has to offer,” said Mayor London Breed in a statement. “This partnership will help ensure that no one is priced-out, and help provide opportunities for our children to remain engaged even when school is out for the summer.”
Approximately twenty of San Francisco’s cultural institutions are participating. To view the full list of participating museums, visit the San Francisco Museums for All website: http://sfmuseumsforall.org
This program builds on a national initiative called Museums for All, which works with museums across the country to offer individual admission fees ranging from free to $3 to individuals and families presenting a benefits card and photo ID. Please help us spread the word to families who could benefit!
Yours in Financial Justice,
Anne and Christa