Barnes Raises Ticket Prices More Than 22 Percent To Keep Out The Riff-Raff

Looks like that move to the Parkway has worked out pretty well. The Barnes Foundation is raising its ticket prices from $18 to $22 for most hours of the day, starting May 1. The reason? Too many people are coming to the new museum—raising prices is intended to keep a few art lovers away! Really! That’s really the reason they’re raising prices!

And the proles are creating problems, doing things like standing too close to the sculptures and making people anxious, and there’s enough poor-versus-rich stuff going on here to make up the faintly ludicrous plot of a 1930s Marx Brothers movie. “We’re seeing many more people not familiar . . . with what is proper behavior,” said Derek Gillman, the Barnes’ president and chief executive, right before removing his monocle and finding himself holding the leg of an impish, silent, curly-haired man carrying a harp. Don’t worry, though: If you’d like to wear jorts and see the purty pictures, Cleetus, the first Sunday of every month will be free admission all day. [Inquirer]