You hear so much about museums seeking out young audiences, the audiences of the future. It’s tiresome, actually, and that quest ignores another giant portion of the country’s population–seniors. Seniors make up nearly 15 percent of the U.S. population and that’s nothing to ignore. So I was glad to learn recently of a new program at, of all places, the Museum of Modern Art, which has been a big target of criticism of late, mostly because of the Bjork exhibit and the tear-down of the folk art museum building, but also just in general.
On May 1, MoMA took new aim of its own, in recognition that older audiences are desirable, too. It created a program called “Prime Time” for New Yorkers aged 65 and up. Prime Time, which began with free admission for seniors (plus a “variety of interactive drop-in activities throughout the Museum”) on May 9, will offer “an array of gallery conversations, film screenings, online courses, and more, designed to enhance cultural participation and provide opportunities for older adults to engage with modern and contemporary art.” Seniors will also get 25% off their membership renewals during May. Details are here.
May is, in case you were wondering, “Older Americans Month,” according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The theme for 2015 is “Get Into the Act.”
MoMA’s “Prime Time” initiative recognizes that museums are social places and it extends its own capacious space to senior for socializing and learning at the same time–a very big need. In all the years I’ve been covering museums, I think only one or two other press releases that I’ve received from museums specifically about senior programs.
So far, alas, MoMA is short on details about the future of this initiative, but we’ll be watching.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of MoMA