This is terrible dishonest, but why not just omit the post 4:30 no-fee policy. Let your front desk people know that if real visitors come after that time, they can pretend to be making an exception and wave them in. I worked my way through graduate school at an admissions desk and that
is always what we did- admission until closing, but you always waved them through towards the end. Builds good will all around.
If the bus company complains, apologize, but they are using your facilities and there is a cost to that. Offer to arrange special tours for them if they can arrive earlier.  They are treating your museum like a rest stop, not a museum and that isn't the right message to be sending
out.  It might not seem the nice thing to do, but the bus drivers aren't being very nice telling their people not to stop in the shop either. Of course your shop is expensive- you have to cover all that free toilet paper you've been giving out!  It's all tit-for-tat.

"Blair H. White" wrote:

> I would suggest that you eliminate the free after 4:30 and offer instead, a free admission for the following day for those paying late in the day.  Sure you will miss a few people who cannot come in the next day, but you are telling people you care and want them to have time to see
> the whole museum, not just take their money.  And you take care of the tour people who are taking advantage of your existing policy.
>
> Blair H. White
>
> John Gavin wrote:
>
> > A tour bus company shows up at the museum door at 4:30 on Wednesdays. We
> > close at 5:00 and stop charging admisssion at 4:30. The bus unloads and the
> > tourists file in to use our restroom facilities. The tour bus operator has
> > told them that we do not charge after 4:30 and also tells them not to buy
> > in our giftshop because it is too expensive. We have talked to them about
> > paying, and we would stay open an extra hour. Of course their idea is to
> > come in for free so that is not an option! Any ideas? Thanks.
> >
>
> =========================================================
> Important Subscriber Information:
>
> The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).
>
> If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).

=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:

The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).

If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).