----Subject: Re: Funding Rationale for Historic Houses


>>>
>> We are planning to restore our 1874 Victorian house museum and are
looking for
>> ammunition to convince the city which owns it and potential donors that
it's a
>> good investment of $1 million.  Any ideas for appropriate uses of a
historic
>> house museum that generate income or attendance would be helpful.
>> Thank you.
>> Ann Kiewel
 I think, Ann, knowing Holland Michigan slightly, that your chances of
justifying a $1 million expenditure on the basis of a return that is
amortised over any reasonable period, is slim. Your operating costs alone
will eat up any earned income. I don't mean to be discouraging, but I have
seen too many museums lately get into trouble by building a model of revenue
to justify a capital investment, only to find that the rationale is a
promise they can't keep. Some of those museums are no more.  Be careful.