I have been involved with four non-profits which have,
or have had, donation boxes:

*Original* Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular
Science, Pittsburgh
< http://www.planetarium.cc >

Buhl Planetarium's donation box specifically stated
that the donations would be used for the institution's
Science programming.

Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall,
Carnegie PA
< http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com >

The Library received very small donations,
occasionally--particularly from out-of-town visitors.

Civil War Museum of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library,
Carnegie PA
< http://garespypost.tripod.com >

Most people who visited the small Museum left some
type of donation. At some times a donation [of at
least one dollar] was requested; at other times it was
not.

The Duquesne Incline, Pittsburgh
< http://www.incline.cc >

The Duquesne Incline is a historic 1877 funicular
railway which includes a small museum as well as
observation decks for observing the equipment in
action and viewing Pittsburgh's beautiful Golden
Triangle. As there is a charge for riding the Incline,
and for viewing the equipment in action, donations are
occasional. But, we do get some donations, due to the
many tourists who ride the Incline.

> *	Will are visitors feel like we are "nickel and
> dime-ing" them?

Not really. Most people understand that non-profits,
particularly small non-profits, are hurting and must
do everything they can to gain income.

> *	Will the donation box give an excuse for our
> higher-end donors
> to give an anonymous gift, and result in a lower
> donation?

If so, then such a "high-end" donor was looking for an
excuse to give little or nothing anyway. If a high-end
donor considers a non-profit worthy of a significant
contribution, a donation box will not stop that.

> *	How many one-time visitors will actually
> contribute on top of
> the admission cost?

It will not be a large number. With an admission
charge, the income received from a donation box will
be somewhat nominal. But, if you are having trouble
making ends meet, every little bit helps!

> As a
> trial, we are
> considering putting the donation box in our
> discovery room with signage
> telling the visitor that donations will go towards
> the cost of
> children's costumes and hands-on exhibits.

Yes, this is probably the best way to handle it. If a
visitor is convinced that donations will benefit a
specific educational project, rather than to defray
maintenance or payroll costs, donations are likely to
be higher.

gaw

--- Jeff Bowen <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2007 12:11:55 -0500 
From: "Jeff Bowen" <[log in to unmask]>  Add to Address
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Subject: [MUSEUM-L] The Donation Box - Pros and Cons? 
To: [log in to unmask]

> Greetings fellow Listserv readers,
>  
> Our staff is having a lively debate regarding
> donation boxes.  We
> currently do not have one in our museum, but are
> considering putting one
> out.  What are the pros and cons of having a
> donation box?  Some of our
> concerns are:
>  
> *	Will are visitors feel like we are "nickel and
> dime-ing" them?
> *	Will the donation box give an excuse for our
> higher-end donors
> to give an anonymous gift, and result in a lower
> donation?
> *	How many one-time visitors will actually
> contribute on top of
> the admission cost?
>  
> We consider our Whaling Museum a medium-sized museum
> with about 60,000
> annual visitors, the majority of those visits
> occurring in the summer
> months.  We have a membership base of about 2,800. 
> Our family
> membership sells for $125 (with a discount for
> year-round island
> residents) and admission to the museum is $15.  As a
> trial, we are
> considering putting the donation box in our
> discovery room with signage
> telling the visitor that donations will go towards
> the cost of
> children's costumes and hands-on exhibits.
>  
> Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
>  
> -Jeff
>  
> P.S.  I searched the archive and saw that a similar
> topic was discussed
> a couple of years ago, but was focused on where to
> put the donation box,
> not the pros and cons of donation boxes.
>  
> Jeffrey S. Bowen
> Assistant Membership Coordinator
> Nantucket Historical Association
> P.O. Box 1016
> Nantucket, MA 02554
> Phone: 508-228-1894 x 116
> Fax: 508-228-5618
> Email:  <mailto:[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask]
> www.nha.org

gaw

Glenn A. Walsh
Electronic Mail - < [log in to unmask] >
NEWS - Astronomy, Space, Science:
< http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/#news >
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh: 
  < http://www.planetarium.cc > 
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago: 
  < http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com >
* Astronomer & Optician John A. Brashear: 
  < http://johnbrashear.tripod.com > 
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries: 
  < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc > 
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh: 
  < http://www.incline.cc >


 
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