Frank:

        Cultural institutions have done what they must to survive.  Times have
changed, Frank.  Priorities of the average American have changed, too.
To relate cultural institutions to entertainment venues is, sadly, valid
and necessary.
        The way I look at it is this:  Families come in droves to Joslyn Art
Museum on Saturdays from 10 am to 12 pm because we are free.  We are
free becasue a national construction company -- with national
headquarters in Omaha, NE -- funds the free saturday mornings.  But the
rest of our week, we have only school groups, with teachers literally
dragging their students -- who would rather be playing Nintendo --
through the museum, trying to teach the kids about the important history
of their country.
        If movies were free, I'd go more often . . . wouldn't you?  If
amusement parks were free, I'd go more often.  If baseball games were
free, I'd definitely go -- considering I live three blocks away from
Rosenblatt Stadium, home of the "College World Series."
        The reason this is a valid concern is that the general public views art
museums as entertainment.  If it's not entertaining, they will not come.
After all, "Field of Dreams" was about a baseball diamond . . . not an
art museum, history museum, maritime museum, etc.
        American society tends to favor easy and instant gratification.
Museums were not traditionally sources of easy and instant
gratification, but are becoming that . . . because museums must compete
with entertainment venues for visitors.  Parents often feel that taking
their kids to a movie or an amusement park is easier than taking their
kids to museums . . . further, the parents of these children, when they
themselves were children, may not have been taken to museums by their
parents.  (Surveys show that children taken to museums often by their
parents will be regular museum visitors once they grow up.)
        Reality is more harsh than some ideological fantasy.  Museums can be
free to all if the government is willing to fund them and if corporate
donors are willing to donate without the forethought to the "advertising
impact per dollar of charitable investment."  After all, isn't the
government supposed to do what is best for the nation which, according
to experts in the field of education, includes funding museums?  Tell
the government that, Frank.  Isn't charity -- from corporations and
individuals -- about giving for the sake of giving, to improve daily
life . . . not to pad one's pocketbook?  Tell the companies that, Frank.
        Frank . . . you seem to have a fundamental problem with American
society -- not, actually, a problem with museum finances.
        What more can be said . . . ?

Sincerely,

Jay Heuman, Visitor & Volunteer Services Coordinator
Joslyn Art Museum, 2200 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE, 68102
342-3300 (telephone)     342-2376 (fax)
http://www.joslyn.org

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
> Behalf Of (Frank Gregory)
> Sent: Sunday, February 25, 2001 11:12 am
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: $admission$
>
>
> A postage stamp was 3 cents in 1932, 10 cents in 1974.
> Minimum wage was
> $2.00 in 1974, $5.25 now (and some studies suggest worth less in real
> dollars)...I assume you make more than $5.25 now.  A new car,
> ski tickets,
> movies and other entertainment are not the same as access to and a
> connection with a human and national culture.  This access is a truly
> American egalitarian ideal and it's effective denial can be directly
> connected to the dissillusionment and alienation felt by many
> of todays
> youth, who did not grow up with it.  When cultural history is
> equated with
> entertainment and diversion only, present culture becomes
> inbred. Critical
> thinking and taste sink to the bottom like a rock.  The
> National Museums are
> treasure for their access and one that I fear for with the current
> "privatization " bandwagon.  We are witnessing the
> "privatization" of public
> dollars in public education as we speak, the most cherished
> egalitarian
> ideal...could the museums be far off?  Why should the Fogg
> Art Museum charge
> an admission other than to keep people out.  What might the
> endowment of
> Harvard University be?  Do they need my admission to pay for
> the janitor?
>
> As you can see. . . I have a passion about this issue also!
>
> Frank Gregory
> artist/educator
>
> www.frankgregory.com

=========================================================
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).