Dear Christine, Ultimately, I suppose, a blockbuster fee, like any fee, is what the presumed market will bear, but these fees are usually determined in advance so that a purely borrowing institution (as opposed to a partner) knows what they need to commit to the project. (And, too, like most things in life, fees are to some limited extent negotiable.) As with all exhibitions, the fee is arrived at by some esoteric logrithim that takes into account innumerable factors that may or may not encompass staff time. Beyond that a blockbuster, like any exhibition, might include such real costs as the following items that spring to mind immediately: guest curator honoraria catalogue (which, if you self-publish, could also include editor & indexer fees, for example, as well as design, etc., in addition to actual printing costs) other publications (same costs for brochures, etc., including invitations, etc.) intro panels, object labels, & other didactic materials (e.g., maps, photo murals, etc) crating shipping customs fees loan fees insurance (inevitably onorous, especially if you're in an area famous for seismic activity!) photography conservation & framing installation furniture (cases, pedestals, risers) + other decorative embellishments for "atmosphere" couriers press packages and pr campaign banner(s) opening extravaganza donor relations In my opinion, however, the "blockbuster" label, I think, really derives from the material itself-the fame & quality/merit of the subject (Vermeer), its notoriety (King Tut) or relative popularity (Monet and more Monet) or provenance (Treasures from the Hermitage) or extravegance (Fabrege), or the magnitude of the undertaking combined with grand results (Treasures from Dresden; Rome in the 18th Century). On the other hand and as with movie hype, the label may simply reflect the hopes/expectations of the organizers &/or the aspirations their pr firm & the ticketing agency! Bernard Barryte Hi all! > >Can someone please tell me the range of fees charged for so-called >"blockbuster" traveling exhibits? > >If a "blockbuster" has a proven track records it can justify charging a >higher fee than one in its first venue, so is the fee usually increased as >an exhibit becomes more popular? > >How is the price set for such an exhibit in it's first venue? Is it what >the market will bear? > >Thanks! > >Chris > >Christine Mouw >Assistant Curator >Herbert Hoover Presidential Library-Museum >West Branch, Iowa 52358 >[log in to unmask] > >Important Subscriber Information: > >The Museum-L FAQ file is located at >http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed >information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail >message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the >message should read "help" (without the quotes). > >If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to >[log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read >"Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes). ------------ Bernard Barryte Associate Director / Chief Curator Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts at Stanford University Stanford, CA 94305-5060 [log in to unmask] tel: 650/ 725-0466 fax: 650/ 725-0464 ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).