Source: Museums + Heritage.
Should museums charge admission fees? AIM publishes admissions charging research, Museums + Heritage Advisor, 13 September 2016
New research published by the Association of Independent Museums (AIM) has shown that the issue of charging for museum admission is not a one size fits all and that museums in areas where the visitor economy is significant are more likely to charge that those where it is moderate.
AIM commissioned the study, Taking Charge: evaluating the evidence, and its accompanying guide for people running museums Successfully Setting Admissions Policy and Pricing from DC Research, in partnership with ACE and the Welsh Government …
Key findings show that a large proportion of independent museums provide free admission, and a large proportion of local authority museums charge, so there is no ‘typical’ charging or free-entry museum. It also found that what a museum charges has no effect on the diversity of its audience – both charging and free-entry museums have similar demographic profiles for their visitors.
