Numerous studies (Hood was the first) indicate that an average of 15% of a
population visit a museum more than once a year.  The only way to increase
salaries across the board is to make museums places many people want to go
frequently.  Without a major paradigm shift in museums there will be no major in public opinion or
increase in funding.  The literature on why people do not go to museums is
particularly informative on this issue.  If museum professionals were to
address the concerns of non- and infrequent visitors, comprehensively,
museum attendance would increase and the public would clamor for more
funding.
        Most people do not go to museums to learn they go to socialize and
have fun.  Learning is third on the list.  There are those that like
museums the way they are- these are the 15%.
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Christopher Whittle                         College of Education &
Box 72119                          Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Albuquerque, NM 87195                       University of New Mexico
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