[BCMA] To charge or not to charge?

[Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.]

Hi everyone,

In 2011, Burnaby Village Museum went from charging $12 for adults to free admission. As a result, we saw a dramatic increase in visitor numbers that has largely been sustained since. Of course a lot depends on the specific context of each museum, but from my perspective, free admission has been a huge success. We also heard the same fears about "free" devaluing the museum experience but I have not seen that happen. Instead, we have seen many more local visitors, many of whom return to visit several times each year. As well, making the museum more accessible has created more opportunities for community partnerships and more diverse programming.

If you're interested in the backstory, there's a bit more detail in the following article: https://www.burnabynow.com/news/attendance-up-revenue-down-at-burnaby-village-museum-1.412951.

Our latest stats are found in our 2017 Annual Report: http://www.burnabyvillagemuseum.ca/assets/Documents/Annual~Reports/2017_Annual_Report.pdf

Sanya

____________________________________________
Sanya Pleshakov |  Museum Programs Coordinator
Burnaby Village Museum & Carousel
6501 Deer Lake Avenue, Burnaby, BC  V5G 3T6
T:604.297.4546  F:604.297.4557

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