Canadian Museum of History, Canadian War Museum hike admission fees

The Canadian Museum of History, the capital region's most visited museum, has hiked its admission fees and membership rates in a move officials say makes things simpler for visitors.

As of April 4, it costs $20 for a regular adult admission to the national museum, while youth pay $16 and seniors $18 — a $5 increase for each ticket type.

Children now pay $12, an increase of $3.

The change to an "all-inclusive" price means the museum will not charge extra for special exhibitions as it sometimes has in the past, and the cost of seeing a film on the giant CINÉ+ screen has now been rolled into admission. 

In essence, adult visitors are being charged the former $20 "combo" rates for museum entrance and a film, whether they end up seeing a film or not.

"People don't have to pick and choose. They can come and see everything," said Patricia Lynch, the museum's director of corporate affairs.

"We feel for one competitive price, we're giving people a whole lot."

The change comes three months before the museum opens its Canadian History Hall on July 1, but Lynch said that's not the reason for the change in pricing.

"We regularly review our price structure to make sure it's in line with our offering and with what other museums around the region and the country offer," said Lynch.

Admissions, memberships raise about $6.5M

Meanwhile, the cost of an adult ticket for the history museum's sister institution, the Canadian War Museum, has also gone up by $2 to $17.

Membership rates have also increased: a family membership for the two museums used to cost $90 annually, but now costs now $125, with added access to the CINÉ+ films.

Between the two facilities, the national museum brings in about $6.5 million through admissions and memberships, which goes toward the $92 million it spends annually on operations, according to figures for 2015-16.

For comparison's sake, here are the adult admission fees charged at some other museums:

• Canadian Museum of Nature — $14, or $20 with special exhibition.
• National Gallery of Canada — $12, and higher for many special exhibitions.
• The Canada Science and Technology Museums Corporation:
  • Aviation and Space Museum — $13.
  • Agriculture and Food Museum — $10.
  • Science and Technology Museum — $12 in 2014, before it closed for renovations due to mould.
• Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto — $20, or $30 with the current Blue Whale special exhibition.
• McCord Museum in Montreal — $20.
• Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. — free.
• The British Museum in London, U.K. — free.

While some museums in other countries grant free access to their national collections, Lynch said that's not planned for the history museum.

Instead, the museum makes its exhibitions free on Thursday evenings and several days throughout the year, including Canada Day.

The war museum, meanwhile, is free today to mark 100 years since the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

Is it still value for money?

Visitors to the Canadian Museum of History on Friday didn't seem to mind the new prices, especially if they took advantage of a one-day family rate of $50 for two adults and up to three children — a price, said Lynch, that's less than the cost of those same five people attending a movie.

But visitors Jill and Paul Marchand, who have grown children and grandchildren, still wondered whether the new prices would put the museum out of reach for some young families.

"I'm not sure how many families can afford to go to a movie with three children right now. I'm sure they're renting videos or watching Netflix at home," said Jill Marchand.

​​Steve Morison, meanwhile, said he's been getting his money's worth out of his family membership. He's on paternity leave and finds himself at the Children's Museum area of the history museum every two weeks.

While a $35 jump in membership prices is not inconsequential, Morison said he would probably still spring for it because the museum is such a useful place to spend a cold winter day.

"It's awesome for kids," he said. "The children's museum is probably the highlight of the week."