On Thu, 10 Feb 2000 13:40:30 -0500, you wrote:

>I have been asked to review our admission policy with our five municipally
>operated museums. Specifically to offering free admission with a corporate
>backer.(some do not like giving to the city).
>Our museums already offer a number of free incentives (teachers / bus
>drivers free/ museum members free etc) as well as waiving admissions for
>inner city schools as long as they book during public hours.
>
Marilynn,
Just a few reactions to this message based more on gut feel and our
own experience than having specific data.

        You write as if the only concern or factor is whether you
charge the attendees or not.   It is my belief, backed up by our
experience over the last three years at our art museum, that if you
produce good exhibitions, the people will come.   If you have poor
exhibitions,  people will not come even if it is free.  

Use corporate money to improve or to get good shows.  Corporations
like to give money to winners.

John Bing
Laguna Beach, CA

>Some issues I am thinking of are:
>-can you get can corporate sponsor to contribute for several years -
>difficult to have free admission one year and not next
>-are admission fees really a barrier
>-will attendance increase significantly
>-a member of our board suggested that local community be offered this
>package (difficult to separate tourists from locals!) and another suggestion
>was to offer on Mondays etc. (every school group would book that day) OR
>free admission after 3 pm (which would affect staff costs over and above
>what we are paying now)
>
>
>-are ther other ways of providing incentives (free Mondays, free family
>weekends) etc.
>
>Any thoughts on above!

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