[BCMA] To charge or not to charge?

[Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.]

Hi everyone,

We’re grappling with this issue right now too, as we re-write the business plan for our new museum. Here’s what our consultant, Bill Peters, had to say when I asked him Linda’s question:

People are carrying little or no cash these days so cash donations boxes are becoming less effective. I'd recommend the Kelowna Museum ticket all visitors and ask for a cash donation via a credit/debit card reader. The card reader would offer suggested donation amounts just like the tip calculator on restaurant card readers. With this strategy the average ticket price/donation would go up significantly, perhaps in the range of 50%. Of course cash would be accepted from those who offer it instead of a card.
With the card readers and a point of sale/ticketing in place they would be in a good position to move to a firm ticket price whenever they wish.
www.billpetersconsulting.com<http://www.billpetersconsulting.com>
www.billpeters.ca<http://www.billpeters.ca>
403 808 5081

Nancy Kirkpatrick | Director
T: 604.990.3700 x 8001 | kirkpatrickn at dnv.org<mailto:kirkpatrickn at dnv.org>

nvma.ca<https://nvma.ca/>
North Vancouver Museum & Archives
Community History Centre | Archives & Offices
3203 Institute Road, North Vancouver, BC, V7K 3E5

NEW North Vancouver Museum: Opening in 2020!
A museum as extraordinary as the community it serves.


From: bcma-bounces at lists.vifa.ca <bcma-bounces at lists.vifa.ca> On Behalf Of Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.
Sent: August 02, 2018 11:17 AM
To: bcma at lists.vifa.ca
Subject: Re: [BCMA] To charge or not to charge?

Hi Linda,

Here is an article from Colleen Dilenschneider on free admission and its impact on attendance rates. Not exactly answering your question, but I thought it might be relevant: https://www.colleendilen.com/2015/08/12/how-free-admission-really-affects-museum-attendance-data/

Cheers,
Erica

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Erica Mattson
Executive Director

BC Museums Association || 675 Belleville Street  || Victoria, BC || V8W 9W2<https://maps.google.com/?q=675+Belleville+Street%C2%A0+%7C%7C%C2%A0Victoria,+BC+%7C%7C%C2%A0V8W+9W2&entry=gmail&source=g>

Direct: 250-356-5694<tel:(250)%20356-5694> || Office: 250-356-5700<tel:(250)%20356-5700>  || www.museumsassn.bc.ca<http://www.museumsassn.bc.ca/>


On Wed, Aug 1, 2018 at 3:21 PM, Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv. <bcma at lists.vifa.ca<mailto:bcma at lists.vifa.ca>> wrote:
Dear Friends,

We operate three museums in downtown Kelowna, with admission by donation. Our admissions  policy is under review, and we would like to know what other museums have learned about admission policy.  What are museums of various size categories handling admission? Does charging admission, rather than asking for a donation, increase or decrease revenues?  How does it impact visitation?  What else has been learned?

Here is our experience:  Kelowna Museums Society sees just under 40,000 visitors a year at our three museums.  We have a long history of offering admission by donation.  Last year, we posted small signs on the donation boxes stating the suggested donation is $5 per person. This worked for us, and we noticed an increase in donation box revenues. Based on recent performance, our budget reflects anticipated donation box revenues from our three facilities of $34,000.  Our average donation per person is about half of our suggested donation, or around $2.50 (some of our visitors pay program fees that are not reflected in the donation box revenue line, so this average refers to casual drop-in visitors).

The board would like to know if revenues would increase if we instituted an admission fee.  Alternatively, they wonder if it would be beneficial to make our suggested donation signage more prominent and detailed, with suggested donations for individuals,  families, seniors, students, etc.

General comments may be shared with the entire listserv community.  Anyone who would like to engage in a more detailed exchange may contact me directly at:
ldigby at kelownamuseums.ca<mailto:ldigby at kelownamuseums.ca>, or 778-478-0346

Best,
Linda

[Linda Digby_email tags-small]


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