Free admission to IMAS every Sunday afternoon

McALLEN — The International Museum of Art & Science is set to scrap its admission fee every Sunday afternoon for at least a year starting this weekend.

New state legislation and a $50,000 donation from Hidalgo County helped museum leaders make the move.

IMAS began charging admission in 2006 after former management pushed it in to debt, said board president John Gerling.

I call that the dark ages," said Gerling, who is also a local orthodontist. "We're in the renaissance now."

He said it was heartbreaking to make the museum less accessible, but IMAS can't afford to operate without the admission fee, he said.

Normally, admission for adults is $7; for students and seniors $5; and children 4 to 12 years old $4. Those 3 and under have always been able to enter free.

Now, every Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m., all fees are suspended.

The county's donation would have been illegal a year ago because the state prevented counties from donating to nonprofits for things like admission fees.

The museum asked state Rep. Veronica Gonzales, D-McAllen, for help and she pushed a bill through the Texas House this year to make such donations legal in Hidalgo County.

County Judge J.D. Salinas said in many ways ensuring free admission to IMAS is an economic development tool.

"The better McAllen does, the better Hidalgo County does and the better South Texas is," Salinas said, explaining that funding cultural centers such as the museum provide a creative outlet for young adults who might otherwise gravitate toward criminal activity.

"This is an investment in the future."

IMAS leaders continue to seek support from other local governments and groups to expand the free admission program. For more information, they ask you to contact Executive Director Serena Rosenkrantz at (956) 682-1564.

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Dave Hendricks covers general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-4454