Dear John Martinson,

I am currently working on a research project and the info you shared would
be very helpful to obtain.  Could you tell me where I can get info on
similar dates and numbers?  (I'm more interested in adult audiences versus
families).

Thank you very much,
Laura

>[John Martinson]  I would appreciate comments, feedback or updated data on
>the following:
>
> In 1985, 347.8 million people visited museums, in 1990 over 500 million
>visited.  Who visits?  Most often family groups, with parents who are 30
>to 50 years in age, with children ranging n age from eight to twelve. They
>visit mainly children museums, zoos, and science and technology centers
>that consist of as high as 80% of their visiting public.
>Fewer families visit natural history and history museums, and even less
>(10%) visit art museums. The family is the most significant factor in
>learning leisure activities. More males visit science museums, while
>females are higher at art museums and galleries.  If not with children,
>adults come with other adults, which account for 30-90% of visitors under
>sixty years of age.  Sixty years of age (+) visitors accounts for 10% of
>visitors.  Most adults range in the 35 to 50 year age group, and it
>accepted that the museum visitor is educated.
>Socioeconomic factors of visitors:  a) low-income visitors mainly visit
>National Parks, and visit infrequently;  b). middle income visit only
>certain types of museums; c) higher income levels visit art museums,
>however, a high amount in higher status visit all museums.
>The World Tourism Organization (WTO) estimated that there were more than
>595 million international travelers in 1997.  Spending by these tourists
>was more than US$425 billion (again about 1/2 of Ecotourist....so not sure
>on statistics for ecotourism).    Ecotourists (worldwide) in 1988 amounted
>to 235,000,000 (though they say this is low...I cannot believe ecotourism
>is almost one half of total international travelers) with an economical
>impact of US$233 billion (a low estimate).    I am particularly interested
>in statistics for cultural, heritage and rural tourism, and numbers
>related to visitors to small, rural communities.   Why does the visitor
>want to leave the freeway and visit a small, rural museum? (yes, many
>questions....sheesh!)
>
>Thank You in advance!!!
>
>John Martinson, Salt Lake City, Utah.  Curator of Collections, This Is The
>Place Heritage Park and Graduate student, Norwich College, Museology.
>



Laura Gittings-Carlson
Museum of the Rockies
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