Robert,

Diane is right; our attendance is likely not that much lower in the general
sense compared to other institutions our size, and is certainly not the
result of some intrinsic flaw. Comparing the visitorship of large well
funded organizations to small underfunded ones, or science centers and
history museums, etc. is apples and oranges. There are always fluctuations,
but I know visitorship is fairly stable in my institution. I think the
issue is a combination of the attitudes of the viewing public and the way
in which we market ourselves. There is, of course, a great deal of
variation in size, collections, programs, and visitorship to all of our
institutions, so results may vary.

The real problem is entertainment. We are forced to compete with
innumerable other activities, which our immediate-gratification-obsessed
populace has to choose from. If we move too far toward competing with them,
we become a side show and lose the nature of what we are. If we do nothing,
we risk being relegated to the bottom of the list. I personally find it
rather insulting to be lumped in with water parks and sports events as
options for entertainment, but that is the nature of our world. If a
history museum that is generally the same size as my art museum is getting
significantly more visitorship, then it seems likely they are doing a
better job of engaging the public on that entertainment level.

Our society also does an excellent job of teaching its individual parts to
turn off their minds in the pursuit of that enjoyment(as well as most of
the rest of the time). A deeply intellectual and/or emotional pursuit such
as appreciating art seems to generate an aversion reaction in the general
public. We are asking people to use their minds in a fashion they are not
used to, and in a way that is not supported in most of the rest of their
lives. A small percentage of the population realizes the benefit of doing
so, and those will be the ones who come back time and time again.

I have always wondered about people who have been to a gallery once,
thought it was nice, but who have never returned. I refer to this as the
pretty-picture syndrome. Perhaps they were overwhelmed or underwhelmed?
Perhaps they felt they did not "understand" the art? Perhaps they think one
gallery/exhibition is going to be so much like another that there is no
point. However, I think it most probable that they got exactly what they
were expecting to get from the gallery experience, and are unaware(or
unconcerned) that the experience can change with further visits, even when
viewing the same works. We need to make sure they get more than they
expect, so they will come back for more.

Mark Janzen
Registrar/Collections Manager
Edwin A. Ulrich Museum of Art
Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection
Wichita State University
(316)978-5850


                                                                           
             Robert Steven                                                 
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Do you think there is an intrinsic problem with the insitution of the
public art gallery that causes it
to receive lower attendence in general than other types of museums? What do
you think that
problem is? Is there a solution? Your advice will inform my research on
this subject.
Thanks very much,
Robert Steven

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