I can tell you how visitors were counted at Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science during the 1980s and early 1990s [a.k.a. Buhl Science Center, at that time]. Of course, visitors were counted as they, or their group, paid the entry admission fee. At that time, there was one charge for the museum [i.e. Institute of Popular Science/Science Center], Planetarium, and observatory. The only activity requiring an additional and/or separate admission charge, which was open to the general public, were laser-light shows in the Planetarium. So, the building admission count was the main count. Counts were also taken for the number of people who attended a particular Planetarium show and a particular observing session in the Observatory. So, the people were not counted "twice;" these counts helped to determine how many of the people who paid general admission then went to the Planetarium show and/or Observatory observing session. For school groups, usually they are scheduled together for a Planetarium show and/or Observatory session. Hence, it is not necessary for additional counts in this case. We simply use the group admission counts for the Planetarium and Observatory counts. In the case of rentals and special events, we do keep a count of how many people enter the building. And, as usual, we also keep counts of how many of these people take advantage of an available Planetarium show and/or Observatory session. Hope this information helps. gaw --- Phyllis Oppenheim <[log in to unmask]> wrote: Date: Wed, 25 Jan 2006 15:34:33 -0700 From: "Phyllis Oppenheim" <[log in to unmask]> Subject: [MUSEUM-L] visitor counts To: [log in to unmask] > We were discussing at our staff meeting how to > better count our visitors. We wondered what other > facilities do. > > We have visitors to our museum, planetarium, and > observatory; organizations who use our > banquet/conference hall: school groups; and > those who visit a combination thereof. > We wondered how other facilities count these people. > If they come to the museum and then go > to the planetarium are they counted 2 times? If it > is a school group and they do the museum educational > program, planetarium and observatory is each child, > teacher, parent volunteer counted 3 times? If they > are coming to see a planetarium progam and spend 1 > minute in the museum are they counted 2 times. If > they come in, leave and return are they counted 2 > times? > Or as they enter the building is that the only time > they are counted. > > Does anyone know of a research project on this? > > Thanks for your help, > Phyllis Oppenheim > Collections Manager gaw Glenn A. Walsh Electronic Mail - < [log in to unmask] > Author of History Web Sites on the Internet -- * Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh: < http://www.planetarium.cc > * Adler Planetarium, Chicago: < http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com > * Astronomer & Optician John A. Brashear: < http://johnbrashear.tripod.com > * Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries: < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc > * Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh: < http://www.incline.cc > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ========================================================= 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).