Unfortunately, lack of parking will have a measurable negative impact on your attendance.
An interesting poll or focus group (I have worked at three museums conducting studies of this type) is to ask members of your potential visitor audience what they would look for in a good museum.
We found the responses included:
Lots of places to sit
Safe, close-in parking
Clean bathrooms with changing tables
Soft floor surfaces (no marble or terrazzo)
Large type on exhibit cases
Staff available to answer questions
No waiting for amenities
Kid-friendly food option available
"Good" prices at snack bar and gift shop
Convenient places to sit during programs or demos
Take-home activities for young children
And so on. Depending upon the museum, it took from 30 minutes or more before the focus group got around to mentioning artifacts, collections, etc.
Has anyone else found this to be the case?
Liz Bleiberg
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