MCA to offer free admission to patrons ages 18 and under

Beginning June 1, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago will offer free admission to persons ages 18 and under.

The 5-year initiative, is underwritten by Liz and Eric Lefkofsky, in honor of the MCA’s 50th anniversary celebration this year. The initiative was inspired by participants in the museum’s nationally recognized Teen Creative Agency program.

“We believe in the power of creativity to change people’s lives, especially young people,” said the museum’s Pritzker director Madeleine Grynsztejn. “Young people today want more than a place to look at art, they want a place where they can talk and discuss, and a community hub where they can hang out. By offering free admission to all those 18 and under we ensure that there are no financial barriers for today’s youth to engage with and learn about contemporary art and ideas.”

According to today’s announcement, “the MCA has a 50-year history of supporting and providing access to Chicago youth, including a commitment to offering free bus transportation to all Chicago Public Schools for field trips, and most recently a school partnership and civic engagement initiative working with under-resourced schools. During the school year, the MCA welcomes over 10,000 students from 135 schools, in addition to thousands more youth from all over Illinois and beyond.”