A decision to offer free admission to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is a wonderful gift to Kansas City and the surrounding area.

Congratulations to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art for deciding to open its doors to the public free of charge.

The museum had dropped its admission fee for 15 months while renovating its parking lot but announced last week that free admission would become a permanent policy except perhaps for some special exhibitions. Marc Wilson, the director of the Nelson Gallery, said the move had been a long-time goal that he believed “would help the museum fulfill its mission of bringing people together with great art.”

The admission fee of $5 for adults and $1 for children probably didn’t keep many people from visiting the museum, but the symbolism of presenting the museum’s collection to everyone free of charge is great. Admissions hadn’t provided a large part of the museum’s funding, and the goodwill the museum is spreading through free admission probably will be repaid easily by increased donor support and memberships.

The Nelson-Atkins Museum is a popular destination for many visitors to Kansas City. Free admission will make sure the pleasure of viewing its collection can be shared by as many people as possible.