In a message dated Fri, 3 Nov 2000 10:31:16 AM Eastern Standard Time, Ross
Weeks <[log in to unmask]> writes:

<< One would think places like Colonial Williamsburg, Winterthur, Sturbridge,
etc. are paying very careful attention to a pricing strategy that would
maximize income without turning off the spigot.

I can only speak for Williamsburg, as that's the only place I have visited
but I think an institution like that is in a different category than
traditional museums. Williamsburg is spread out and had a lot more activities
and "exhibits" than most traditional museums. And it also has loads of shops
and resturants that also contribute to its income. It's very easy to spend a
day wandering around Williamsburg because its size and variety.

Your average museum goer would have a hard time spending a day in a museum,
unless it was very large like the British museum or the V&A or had a lot of
interactives like a large science centre. Thus I think a family will look at
the cost of an activity v. the time it takes to do it. They could spend
$10/person for a few hours of a museum and then have to go do something else
or $30/person to spend an entire day at an amusement park, the kids will be
exhausted and sleep all night and they only thing the parents will have to do
is follow their kids around the amusement park. Having worked with kids, I'd
take the amusement park over the museum because it's better value and less
work for me. (Not the right thing to do mind you but I understand that some
days, you just want someone else to entertain the kids. :)

deb

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