My guess is (and I don't know how much validity this has) that smaller
historical societies & history museums may often be visited on a whim --
oh,we're out for a walk in lovely Frederick and let's stop in -- and people,
sadly have not been educated very well about the value of organizations like
ours.
I think we do it to ourselves in part -- my museum is free -- and we have
sort of trained the public NOT to pay.  For example, folks would never dream
of not paying at say, Williamsburg or the Met or any ginormous science
center.  It's a given. It's figured into your vacation budget.
I wonder if visitors who come deliberately to see the museum are different
than those just out on a lark.
Perhaps we need to all band together and start charging. Then they can't go
to Frederick or Pennsburg or East Jabib and get away without coughing up the
price of the latte.
Candace Perry

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