The GRAMMY Museum announced today that on Jan. 25, 2025 it will begin offering free general admission for ages 17 and under. The new policy is anticipated to more than double the number of youths who visit the Museum’s galleries each year, which feature three floors of interactive exhibits and exclusive collections that showcase music’s biggest moments throughout the years.
Free admission for 17 and under was generously made possible by the Stengaard Gross Family Education Initiative through a donation made to the Campaign For Music Education, a fundraising campaign launched in 2022 whose primary objectives are to eliminate the financial burden to access music education and foster the next generation of music’s creators and leaders. The Campaign For Music Education has recently surpassed its fundraising goal of $5 million, and with this initial milestone now achieved, the GRAMMY Museum is announcing that it has doubled its fundraising goal to $10 million, which it hopes to reach in 2026.
Additional funds raised through the Campaign For Music Education will greatly expand the Museum’s education and community programs, which have served more than 550,000 students through programs such as GRAMMY Camp, GRAMMY In The Schools and the Quinn Coleman Scholarship Fund. The Campaign For Music Education is co-chaired by some of the biggest names in music, including Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, Bruno Mars, Shawn Mendes, and Rosalía.
“The GRAMMY Museum has always been committed to increase access to music education by reaching underserved communities where access to our Museum and programming could make a huge impact,” said Michael Sticka, GRAMMY Museum President and CEO. “Waiving admission for kids 17 and under will go a long way towards achieving that goal.” Sticka, who has been leading the Museum since 2018, just renewed his contract to serve in this role until 2029.
Additionally, as a result of the Campaign For Music Education, the Museum will unveil Sonic Playground, a new hands-on permanent exhibit opening next month. Featuring 17 music-making interactives, Sonic Playground is a groundbreaking space designed for visitors of all ages, regardless of their skills or knowledge, to be playful and creative through music. The interactive space allows visitors to play different roles in the music industry, from rapper, singer, and producer to performer, music supervisor, and voice actor, and discover the myriad ways they could pursue a career in the music industry. Sonic Playground is made possible by a generous donation from Deborah DeBerry Long, dedicated to the legacy of Jim Long. More details will be announced in the coming weeks.
Additional donors to the Campaign For Music Education include the Ray Charles Foundation, Deborah DeBerry Long, the Living Legacy Foundation, the Natalie Cole Foundation, and BeatHeadz.
The GRAMMY Museum, currently celebrating its 15th anniversary, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating and exploring music from yesterday and today to inspire the music of tomorrow through exhibits, education, grants, preservation initiatives, and public programming. Paying tribute to our collective musical heritage, the Museum values and celebrates the dynamic connection in people’s diverse backgrounds and music’s many genres, telling stories that inspire us, and creative expression that leads change in our industry.
