The Mariners’ Museum and Park received the largest individual gift in its almost 90-year history. The Batten Foundation has committed $10 million to endow the Museum’s signature access initiative of $1 admission. This gift will ensure the long-term sustainability of $1 admission at the Museum, which underscores the execution of their mission: “We connect people to the world’s waters, because that is how we are connected to one another.” By lowering the barrier to entry to $1 per person, the Museum helps to clear the way for people of all backgrounds to find their own connection to the world’s waters and ultimately to each other.
The Mariners’ Museum lowered its admission to $1 in August 2016, which yielded a dramatic increase in the diversity of people visiting the Museum, the number of kids present in the galleries and overall visitation numbers. The Museum has seen a 19% increase in overall visitation since the $1 admission began.
