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Met Changing Admission Signs From 'Recommended' To 'Suggested'

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork)-- The pay-what-you-like policy at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art will be spelled out more clearly under a settlement of a class-action lawsuit that challenged the museum's $25 "recommended'' admission.

Under the settlement reached Friday, the $25 ticket price will be "suggested'' instead of "recommended.'' In addition, signs will advise visitors that "The amount you pay is up to you.''

A 2013 lawsuit accused the Met of misleading visitors by implying that they had to pay the full amount. Museum officials denied the allegation.

To some, it's just semantics.

"They are pretty much synonyms," one museum-goer told 1010 WINS' Darius Radzius.

Other don't mind paying the full amount.

"Seems fair. We come here once every five years, so not a big deal," a visitor from Ohio said.

Met CEO Thomas P. Campbell says the museum seeks to emphasize that it is "accessible to the widest possible audience.'' A lawyer for the plaintiffs, Andrew Celli Jr., says the new signs ensure that the museum is open to people of all economic levels.

(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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