“When I arrived, I found it confusing for visitors coming through the doors,” says Kris Lewis, who joined the Henry in 2023 as the John S. Behnke Director. At a time when museums are attracting fewer visitors than they did five years ago, the report suggested that by charging admission to subsidize costs, most museums were reducing visitations. Going free, Lewis says, makes the museum more accessible to all and reaffirms values the Henry has held for decades. Free admission is one clear way—it helps ease the financial burden and opens the museum to all.”The shift is already making a measurable difference. According to Tanja Baumann, director of communications and public relations, the Henry welcomed 5,482 visitors in June, a 40% increase from the year before.