CBC: The French government says visitors will get free access to several museums in Paris and other towns to test out a possible nationwide program.
In his policy address to the French parliament on Tuesday, Prime Minister Francois Fillon announced that he wants to make art more accessible and referred to other European countries that have made museums free.
While short on details, Fillon also said he hopes to give young people a “culture passport,” valid nationwide, that would give them easy access to a variety of cultural sites.
Fillon was recently appointed by France’s newly minted president, Nicolas Sarkozy, who floated the idea of abolishing entrance fees for French museums.
In an April interview with Le Journal des Arts, prior to his May election win, Sarkozy said he might make state-run museums free so they can “become frequently visited places” and “play a role as a gateway to other cultures.”
Francoise Cachin, former head of the country’s state-run museums, doesn’t like the idea.
“He has not weighed the consequences of free admission, and will regret it if he goes ahead,” Cachin told Bloomberg News recently. “There will be a huge gap that the state will either have to fill directly, or by renting out works in exchange for cash.”
Entry fees at some of the country’s top museums, such as the Louvre, cost about $14.
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