JFKvsNixon Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Because rightly or wrongly, they'll refuse on principle to pay for something, in this case admission to a Museum, that by rights should be free. Why should a museum be free, they have serious costs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andygardener Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Because rightly or wrongly, they'll refuse on principle to pay for something, in this case admission to a Museum, that by rights should be free. What makes you think we have a "right" to free entry to museums which cost a lot to assemble and run? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxman Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Life is tough - welcome to the real world I'd rather the funding be spent on essential things eg schools, healthcare, new roads, emptying bins, care of vulnerable people and not wasted on a few museums/galleries that can't make money / exist without handouts. The only money that should be given to these institutions is a payment for the safe keeping of City treasures. The people who use the services of the museums/galleries including schools and groups should pay to use them I'd rather the money currently spent on weekly bin collections was used to fund the museums instead. Weekly bin collections are not essential...but then that's a matter of individual priorities. Rights? What rights? Explain to me what right there is in this country to a free museum. You need to start paying for stuff laddo and get in the real world. What makes you think we have a "right" to free entry to museums which cost a lot to assemble and run? Are they "free"? Don't we already, in part, fund the city museums from our taxes? Why do we have "free" libraries or "free" healthcare? We don't, similarly with museums. We pay somewhere along the line and the question is who should pay, the user or everyone, and how much should be paid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 One visit by a family of 4 = £20 cost to Sheffield Museums. Is that money well spent? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SportsTrophy Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Education of the costs and services required to run the museums has been kept from the viewing public when visiting so how would people know how much it costs to run them? Free is great but can't happen anymore. A blanket fee can be prohibitive for young people and those seeking to improve themselves and I wouldn't go as far as means tested entrance fees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alchresearch Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Museums and parks generally have a historical remit of being free to provide education or open spaces to the masses, usually as a gift to the city from a rich benefactor. Is it time to start charging? I can't say but many museums offer free entry and then charge for special exhibitions. The MSI in Manchester certainly does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forumosaurus Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 To be fair, when was the last time you went to a Museum and needed help from staff? You go it, look at stuff, go out again. If you need help to look at a painting then..well, I'm just lost for words at the OP right now. And if Museums weren't free they'd simply close, they're not worth an entrance fee, the ones in Sheffield. No one would go. That's why they have donation boxes, so you can donate what you think the visit was worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number Six Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 One visit by a family of 4 = £20 cost to Sheffield Museums. Is that money well spent? I'd be interested to know where those figures came from - the suggested donation is £3 per person. I go to Weston Park fairly often I suppose, but not that often anymore; there isn't really that much there once you've been a few times. If you compare it to the Manchester Museum it's a little embarrassing, I can't imagine many international bidders piling if for: LOT 1 - a faded and tatty stuffed Puffin LOT 2 - the wood worm from under the model oak tree, whose stand fell over at least 12 months ago LOT 3 - A Sinclair Spectrum I suppose the art is worth something, but if they closed it I bet they'd just end up in the Town Hall .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrannyGranny Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 A little recent history of charges since 1997. "The Labour government came to power in 1997 having made a commitment to reinstate free entry at the national museums. They believed that doing so would broaden audiences. The national museums had attracted large numbers of working people when they were first opened, but by the 1990s their audience was better educated and more affluent than the general population. In England, the government funded free admission for children in April 1999 and for over 60s in April 2001. " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 I'd be interested to know where those figures came from - the suggested donation is £3 per person. Sheffield Museums stated that the £1.4m p/a that have just been refused represents 30% of their annual budget. They have 1.2m visitors p/a and I wasn't going to split hairs over the 34p. So that's twenty quid cost to Sheffield Council's Musems Service for every family of 4 that visits. I personally think that's an extraordinary sum... and I'm a big supporter of good museums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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