Pensioners to Visit Theaters and Museums for Free

Starting now, pensioners have the opportunity to visit cultural events organized by theatrical organizations under the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport of the Republic of Armenia, as well as museums, free of charge.

Today, the Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport, Arayik Harutyunyan, and the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Zaruhi Batoyan, signed a memorandum under which pensioners (including those on work-related, age, preferential terms, long service, disability, loss of breadwinner, partial, military long service, and in cases of loss of breadwinner) will be provided with free tickets to visit cultural venues.

Minister Harutyunyan emphasized the importance of the program, noting that every effort has been made to involve as many groups as possible in the initiative. "Until now, we have implemented similar programs at the expense of budget funds, but now our cultural institutions have shown readiness to host pensioners. In this sense, we have done our utmost not to create additional difficulties for our compatriots," he stated, informing that each theatrical organization will independently decide the number of free tickets for each event, which can vary from 2.5% to 5% of the hall's seats.

Minister Batoyan informed that each pensioner can visit their preferred theatrical organization three times a year and museums two times a month. "We have simplified the procedures. From now on, to acquire tickets, pensioners will not need to visit the social territorial service; they only need to visit the cultural institution with a document confirming their pensioner status and their passport, where they will be provided with free tickets," she noted.

Additionally, it has been announced that the National Gallery of Armenia will soon host an exhibition featuring works by world-renowned Spanish artists Salvador Dalí and Pablo Picasso.