Desmond,
I certainly can not speak for everyone on the list, but I can answer for my
museum. The only statistics I am aware that we keep are financial and
visitorship/membership. The financial stuff is reported and published in
the state budeget records of Kansas. Our visitorship information is broken
down by several categories of visitor, time of year, and whether or not
they were here for tour, events, general visitation, etc. That information
is not published in any form that gets dissemanated. Membership is broken
down by categories of giving, with students having a special category. Also
not published.
For definitions:
1. A visitor is defined as anyone who enters the museum with the intent of
using our facility or viewing the art. We try not to count people who are
just passing through, such as students and professors on their way to
class. Our museum is free to the public, so paying is not a factor.
2. We only charge for entry into very special "members only" events, which
involve food and drink. The public is always given a separate opening,
which is free.
3. I doubt the age for children is uniform. We view "children" as anyone
under the age of 16 not accompanied by an adult.
4. I am not sure about this one. Seems self-explanatory. High school ages
generally range from 14 to 18, and school groups are required to have
chaperones/teachers present. College students can generally be of any age
17 and up.
5. Since we are free(and no gift shop), there is no concession to families.
6. School groups are generally 4th through 12th grade classes, and are
scheduled through our education coordinator. Those are organized as general
tours, exhibition specific tours, and outdoor sculpture tours. Also
combinations.
7. I am not sure what a "coach group" is, and I do not think it is one of
our categories.
8. We get infrequent SIG tours and activities, but our education department
is trying to improve that area of visitation. Especially with seniors.
9. My information still indicates that 55 is the standard age for becoming
a "senior citizen".
The State of Kansas, for whom I work, does distinguish between professional
and non-professional staff. They are referred to as classified and
unclassified. Volunteers are treated quite well. I am not sure what you
wanted from that question. We do an annual event to thank them, and there
is a monthly general meeting to keep them informed of exhibitions and
program changes. I know the volunteer hours are recorded, but I do not know
if they are tallied in any organized way.
We do keep separate statistics for events versus regular visitorship, with
both being rolled into the whole in the end.
Let me know if you need more info.
Mark Janzen
Registrar/Collections Manager
Edwin A. Ulrich Museum of Art
Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection
Wichita State University
(316)978-5850
dkennard
<[log in to unmask]
ET.AU> To
Sent by: Museum [log in to unmask]
discussion list cc
<[log in to unmask]
SE.LSOFT.COM> Subject
Museum statistics
02/02/2005 11:09
PM
Please respond to
Museum discussion
list
<[log in to unmask]
SE.LSOFT.COM>
I am preparing an outline of a paper I am writing about the inadequacy
of statistics on Australian museums.
I am interested in what happens in other countries, so I thought it
would be useful to gather some information from members of this List.
What statistics do US and Canadian museums maintain, are these published
in annual reports and reported to government (State and Federal)?
I am also interested in finding out whether there are uniform
definitions of:
1. A visitor. If a visitor pays a fee and that person presumably
would be counted, no matter the length of the visit, are
non-paying guests, including media representatives, and members
(friends of the museum and volunteers) also included?
2. What happens when entry is free or requires a fee, but entry to an
exhibition requires an additional fee? Counted twice?
3. A child. Is the min and max age uniform?
4. A high school and/or college student.
5. A family, where some form of concession may apply.
6. A school group.
7. A coach group.
8. Special interest groups (SIGSs)
9. Senior citizens.
With staff, have any classifications been standardised? Is there a
distinction between professional staff and non-professional staff? What
happens to volunteers? Is there a record of the number of hours of work
undertaken by volunteers?
If the museum holds exhibition openings and functions in the museum, are
any separate statistics reported?
Many thanks in anticipation.
Desmond Kennard
Principal Consultant
Museums in the making
HILL TOP, NSW
In this case, I am enquiring in my capacity as President, Southern
Highlands/Illawarra Chapter of Museums Australia - NSW Branch.
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