New Lower Prices - FAQs
- What are the ROM's new prices?
- Why did the ROM reduce prices?
- Can the ROM afford to do this?
- Why is the free Wednesday program being eliminated?
- The new lower prices are great, but may still be prohibitive to some people. Does the ROM still have a free access program?
- How can I or someone I know apply for free ROMCAN tickets?
- Are there any other ways to visit at a further discount?
- Families are an important audience for the ROM - are you offering anything specifically for families?
- Why is the ROM Membership price not changing?
- This price reduction is good news, but why doesn't the ROM just offer free admission like some other museums around the world do?
- What does my admission cost pay for?
1. What are the ROM's new prices?
We’ve lowered our general admission prices by over 30% on average (38% for adults), as well as reduced the cost of visiting a major exhibition. These new prices are already in effect. View the new pricing chart.
2. Why did the ROM reduce prices?
We listened to what our audiences had to say. Through extensive audience consultation, we heard that admission cost to the ROM was becoming increasingly prohibitive to many, particularly to families. In response to that, we’ve significantly lowered ROM admission prices to become more affordable.
These new prices will allow more first time visitors to experience the ROM, as well as encourage repeat visits. We want to ensure that everyone who wants to be a part of the ROM can be.
3. Can the ROM afford to do this?
Fifty percent of the ROM’s operating revenue is self-generated, and admissions revenue is the primary source of earned revenue for the ROM. The ROM still needs to generate the same percentage of earned revenue annually.
We believe that by lowering prices, we will attract even more visitors to the ROM each year, and that those additional visits will offset the reduction in admissions revenue.
By visiting the ROM at our new lower prices, you’re helping to support one of Ontario’s essential educational and cultural destinations.
4. Why is the free Wednesday program being eliminated?
The Wednesday free period was not reaching those it was intended to benefit, that is, disadvantaged community members throughout the Province. Our audience research shows that most people visiting during the free Wednesday period can and would pay to visit the ROM. Therefore we believe that unrestricted, free admission does not benefit those communities who need it most, and in fact deflects support from those individuals and families who cannot afford to visit the ROM at any price.
The ROM has eliminated the free Wednesday period in favour of offering lower prices across the board to all of our audiences, every day of the week, all year round. These lower prices are now available during all Museum business hours, providing Ontarians and travelers alike both reduced prices, and greater convenience.
Now you can visit at the times that best suit you, and always be guaranteed a lower admission price.
5. The new lower prices are great, but may still be prohibitive to some people. Does the ROM still have a free access program?
To ensure that needs are being met for people who would not otherwise have the ability to visit, we’ve significantly grown our financial accessibility program. Effective immediately, the ROM is increasing our targeted free access program ROM Community Access Network “ROMCAN” by fifty percent, which offers free tickets to individuals and communities in need. Instead of 50,000 free tickets a year, we’ll now be providing 75,000.
The program has been expanded through increased support from existing partners, The United Way and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), as well as the addition of new partners, the YMCA and YWCA, which serve families and individuals on fixed incomes as well as new Canadians. Also newly partnered with the ROM are Kids Up Front Foundation Toronto, Literature for Life and the Youth Challenge Fund - organizations serving at-risk youth, marginalized young people and children from families in need. The ROM has also recently partnered with VIEWS, an organization who supports children who are blind or have low vision and their families, Make a Wish Foundation, serving children with life-threatening medical conditions, and The Centre for Addition and Mental Health (CAMH) serving persons with mental health and addiction problems.
ROMCAN is a ROM initiative undertaken without any government or donor funding.
6. How can I or someone I know apply for free ROMCAN tickets?
The program is administered by our external partners who work directly with communities in need, to ensure that tickets are provided to those who require free access most. To take advantage of this part of our program interested parties must be a client of one of the member organizations listed below. If you are not a client of one of these organizations, please contact us for more information at accessibility@rom.on.ca.
7. Are there any other ways to visit at a further discount?
The ROM continues to offer free admission on Tuesdays all year round for students attending a Canadian post-secondary institution, with a valid student ID.
ROM Fridays, presented by Sun Life Financial, continue to offer best value for individuals and families alike. ROM Fridays run every Friday, from 3 pm to 5:30 pm, with new reduced prices. View new ROM Fridays prices.
8. Families are an important audience for the ROM - are you offering anything specifically for families?
Families have always been extremely important to the ROM, and it’s important for them to continue to feel that they belong at the ROM even during difficult economic times. The new reduced pricing makes the ROM a more affordable place to visit for everyone. The cost for a family of four to visit the ROM has been reduced from $80 to $54, and from $101 to $84 if they visit a major exhibition.
ROM Family Membership remains a great value, paying for itself in less than two visits if you plan to see two major exhibitions a year.
In addition, the ROM is offering more family programming than ever, which is included free with your admission. We just finished a series of very popular family weekends in October including Medieval family weekend, Dinomania and Halloween, and the upcoming ROM for the Holidays and March Break periods will include tons of family activities around Maya: Secrets of their Ancient World and other popular themes such as nature.
9. Why is the ROM Membership price not changing?
ROM Membership has always been, and continues to be, a great value. A family membership for example, still pays for itself in less than two visits including major exhibitions. As well, we now offer two major exhibitions a year versus one. Members can look forward to unlimited free admission to Maya: Secrets of their Ancient World opening November 19, and we will soon be announcing our 2012 schedule which is arguably the most impressive line-up of exhibitions ever held at the ROM. Member previews will be held for all major exhibitions.
10. This price reduction is good news, but why doesn’t the ROM just offer free admission like some other museums around the world do?
Many factors including volume of government funding and private endowments vary greatly between Canadian, US and European museums.
While the ROM has always had strong government and philanthropic support, the operational costs to maintain the quality of the ROM's visitor experience with our wide range of exhibits, events and programming makes it impossible to offer free admission today.
Admission fees are one of the many ways that museums support themselves. The ROM is a registered charitable organization. Visitor admissions provide a large percentage of the ROM’s basic operating revenue, which always functions on a non-profit, break-even model.
11. What does my admission cost pay for?
Meeting admission revenue targets annually is absolutely essential to operating the ROM and continuing to offer a world-class museum.
Your ticket fees help support all aspects of the ROM’s operations, including but not limited to the preservation and display of the collections, bringing internationally significant exhibitions to Toronto, creating regular family programming such as ROM for the Holidays and March Break, and supporting curatorial research into ancient cultures and the natural world both at home and around the world.
Online Ticket FAQs
Questions about buying tickets online?
More Information
Plan Your Visit FAQs
Questions about visiting the museum?
More Information
Live from the roof of the downtown Park Hyatt Toronto. |
