Smithsonian Talks Admission Fees in Open Meeting

Baltimore Examiner - AP, 11/17/2008

"Democratic Congressman Xavier Becerra promised Monday to 'fight tooth and nail' against any effort to begin charging admission for the Smithsonian Institution museums, speaking at the first open meeting of its governing board in 162 years. . . . Smithsonian officials have struggled with how to tackle a $2.5 billion backlog on maintenance for its 19 museums, the National Zoo and numerous research centers. The museum complex relies on Congress to fund about 70 percent of its $1 billion annual budget, but lawmakers have pressed the Smithsonian to become more self-reliant."

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