Tom Mann
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Yesterday, we visited a medium size local art museum, the Walters Gallery (Baltimore, Maryland). I was saddened because it felt like we were walking through a tomb. Not only were there very few visitors (even though many thousands of people were milling around a few blocks away at the Inner Harbor), but the Walters also seemed devoid of staff, even security personnel. This seems to be a consistent trend over the past decade.
I don't see such a decrease at the much larger National Gallery (also local, in Washington,DC), but a colleague of mine who is a member of their senior staff says that they have done extensive surveys and find a similar drop-off in "serious" attendance, but it is apparently masked by all the tourists who stop in only to use their bathrooms and restaurant. The trend towards lower art museum attendance has been documented in many reports: e.g., http://reachadvisors.typepad.com/mu...09/the-attendance-slide-a-call-to-action.html
I'm curious if any of you have noticed a similar trend in other parts of the world? Have you seen a change in your own attendance at museums, galleries, etc? Do you have any sense if this might be compensated for by an increase in related venues such as galleries that specialize in photography or digital art, or even on-line viewing of art? Have you seen a change in your own attendance at museums, galleries, etc? What are your thoughts on this?
Tom
PS - From yesterday's visit, a quick grab shot of a gold plated medieval religious artifact about 10 cm wide with my P&S (lighting: ambient only).
I don't see such a decrease at the much larger National Gallery (also local, in Washington,DC), but a colleague of mine who is a member of their senior staff says that they have done extensive surveys and find a similar drop-off in "serious" attendance, but it is apparently masked by all the tourists who stop in only to use their bathrooms and restaurant. The trend towards lower art museum attendance has been documented in many reports: e.g., http://reachadvisors.typepad.com/mu...09/the-attendance-slide-a-call-to-action.html
I'm curious if any of you have noticed a similar trend in other parts of the world? Have you seen a change in your own attendance at museums, galleries, etc? Do you have any sense if this might be compensated for by an increase in related venues such as galleries that specialize in photography or digital art, or even on-line viewing of art? Have you seen a change in your own attendance at museums, galleries, etc? What are your thoughts on this?
Tom
PS - From yesterday's visit, a quick grab shot of a gold plated medieval religious artifact about 10 cm wide with my P&S (lighting: ambient only).