A further word on admission fees vs. no admission fees for museums and the issue of whether free things are perceived to be of little value-- My untested theory is that the vast majority of museum visitors would prefer museums with free admission; this seems like a no-brainer. Those who are seriously interested in what museums have to offer and know a bit about the variety of attractions in museums would probably be pleased if they were all free. If there's any point to deliberately seeking out a museum with stiff admission fees for a family visit, it's probably snob appeal. Some people like to demonstrate their thriftiness and cleverness with how much money they save, while others at the opposite extreme enjoy reporting how much they spend. It occurs to me that if there's anything to the notion that free or inexpensive museums are sometimes perceived as being of little value, it might be detected by polling the people who spend considerable sums for theme parks and other expensive entertainments. Do they also visit museums, free or not? Or do they assume that spending more money will yield a higher-quality experience? Although I wouldn't know how to devise a survey with scientific or statistical validity, I think it would be enlightening to quiz people standing in line to pony up their Disneyland or Disney World admissions about their museum-going habits and attitudes. Conversely, how do visitors to free museums compare that experience to expensive diversions such as theme parks, concerts, etc.? Although the interests of large segments of each group might exclude the interests of the other group (i.e., museumgoers who wouldn't be caught dead in a theme park, regardless of price, and theme park fun-seekers who disdain any kind of museum at any price), it seems to me that some indications of the perceived value of free cultural attractions might emerge. Just a thought. Do any of the studies from the entertainment industry include this kind of comparative information? It may sound like comparing apples and oranges, but after all, you can compare them in some respects, especially with regard to price and perceived value. David Haberstich ========================================================= 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).