What's new
Photoshop Gurus Forum

Welcome to Photoshop Gurus forum. Register a free account today to become a member! It's completely free. Once signed in, you'll enjoy an ad-free experience and be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Have you noticed a decrease in museum attendance over the years in your area?


Tom Mann

Guru
Messages
7,223
Likes
4,343
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).
 

Attachments

  • IMG_9922cr2-acr-ps02a_sRGB-698px_wide-01.jpg
    IMG_9922cr2-acr-ps02a_sRGB-698px_wide-01.jpg
    252.8 KB · Views: 30

fotograffiti

Power User
Messages
376
Likes
341
It might have something to do with the entrance fees.
In general I find culture very expensive, if you want to see a ballet for example it sets you back 65€.
My son and his girlfriend are on a railtrip through Europe (they won that). They wanted to visit a museum, but have to cancel because it's 16€ pp. That is much for young people.
 

Paul

Former Member
Messages
12,879
Likes
7,023
We had three large museums back in Birmingham england by where i lived all free entry, we move halfway around the world and they have one small museum charging an entry fee?
 

MrToM

Guru
Messages
3,595
Likes
3,321
... back in Birmingham england ...

The Birmingham Science Museum was/is brilliant!
Spent many an hour playing with all the cool stuff they have in there....even learnt a thing a thing or two as well!

I guess the good old internet has a lot to do with declining figures, that and the cost of entry as fotograffiti pointed out.
Why go out and walk round a museum when you can get far more information from the comfort of your own living room, and virtually for nothing too.
I doubt people miss the experience of actually going out and setting eyes on certain museum pieces or works of art and places that are more 'hands on' like the Science museum have been replaced by nothing more 'hands on' than a power button.

Times change, and although the internet has given with one hand, it taketh away with the other.

Regards.
MrTom.
 

Tom Mann

Guru
Messages
7,223
Likes
4,343
Cost could certainly be a factor, in general. However, both the museum in Baltimore and the one in Washington that I was referring to, both have free admission.

T
 

Tom Mann

Guru
Messages
7,223
Likes
4,343
I think you are exactly right about the profound effects the internet and cell phones have had.

Along these lines, I noticed something very unusual (at least for these days): In the Walters gallery, I was the only person I saw referring to my cell phone, and that was because I had downloaded a map and guide to the collection as a PDF and was referring to it. I didn't see a single other person with a cell phone in hand (and they weren't prohibited). I think that a bit of self-selection was going on. :mrgreen:

In contrast, when we walked over to the semi-sleazy "Inner Harbor" area with its hawkers, paddle boat rides, street vendors, buskers, magic acts, etc., the crowds were enormous (Sunday, not too hot, etc.) and a third of the people were staring at the cell phones glued to their hands. :shocked: :banghead:

T
 
Last edited:

Hoogle

Guru
Messages
8,334
Likes
2,587
Its a sad affair truth is people just are not interested in going out and seeing things for themselves, if it is not on a digital screen then no interest can be shared (is todays mentality) I was reading an article that next year school year students can opt for an audio book for their reading, which means son they will probably be able to opt for the movie instead.

Sad thing is the less people that go to these museums etc the more they have to charge to cover the cost of being their and updating exhibits. Luckily in England most of the museums are free entry and Government funded alongside lottery funding.
 

Chsavage

Well-Known Member
Messages
68
Likes
45
I think this is a phenomena that's more common in out country, not matter how small the venue in Italy they were always brimming with activity. Greece was the same way. I suppose you could chalk that up to the fact that these places are know for artistic greatness, more so than most other countries. I know to own home country here in the US places little value in the arts. It is sad because when people lose interest these art works are more likely to fall into decay and then be lost forever.

By the way if you're ever in Italy, visit the Ufizzi Gallery, just wow.
 

Steve

Retired Administrator
Messages
7,868
Likes
1,506
We went to the American Museum of Natural History in NYC last week and there was no shortage of people, but that WAS New York City.
Not sure what it's like anyplace else.
We also went to Rome, the Vatican, and Venice a couple of months back and although, by my standards it was incredibly crowded, the locals said it's been much worse.
So there you go, those are my anecdotal observations.
 

Paul

Former Member
Messages
12,879
Likes
7,023
The Birmingham Science Museum was/is brilliant!
Spent many an hour playing with all the cool stuff they have in there....even learnt a thing a thing or two as well!

I guess the good old internet has a lot to do with declining figures, that and the cost of entry as fotograffiti pointed out.
Why go out and walk round a museum when you can get far more information from the comfort of your own living room, and virtually for nothing too.
I doubt people miss the experience of actually going out and setting eyes on certain museum pieces or works of art and places that are more 'hands on' like the Science museum have been replaced by nothing more 'hands on' than a power button.

Times change, and although the internet has given with one hand, it taketh away with the other.

Regards.
MrTom.

Yeah big steam train as you walk in, all the gadgets to have a go at, plus the local and national historical stuff about how the black country in particular came about and why and who helped forge the future (no pun intended).
Black country lad myself you see, the art gallery just up the road is also a great museum, they used to have a regular dinosaur section when i was a kid, always a must dinosaurs.
 

MrToM

Guru
Messages
3,595
Likes
3,321
Yeah big steam train as you walk in...

Yeah, that was the first time I'd stood next a steam train 'at ground level' as it were...I just didn't realise how huge those things are!

Done the 'Black Country' tour too, legging in the tunnel, pints in the pub, fish and chips.....I went up there on a friends narrowboat, we timed it to see another one being slipped, which doesn't happen very often, pretty exciting stuff.

One place I missed out was the Motorcycle Museum near the airport, went past it loads of times, a Coventry kid working @ ICC/NIA/NEC, but never actually took in a visit, and me being a biker too...the shame, it does well though despite being off the beaten track so to speak.

Coventry, a museum in itself, now has the Motor Museum, that has everything from bicycles to Thrust 2!
Cool stuff.

PS.
Not exactly in the same area but did you see the Didcot power station cooling towers being demolished? (Well, half of them anyway).

Regards.
MrTom.
 
Last edited:

Paul

Former Member
Messages
12,879
Likes
7,023
Yeah, that was the first time I'd stood next a steam train 'at ground level' as it were...I just didn't realise how huge those things are!

Done the 'Black Country' tour too, legging in the tunnel, pints in the pub, fish and chips.....I went up there on a friends narrowboat, we timed it to see another one being slipped, which doesn't happen very often, pretty exciting stuff.

One place I missed out was the Motorcycle Museum near the airport, went past it loads of times, a Coventry kid working @ ICC/NIA/NEC, but never actually took in a visit, and me being a biker too...the shame, it does well though despite being off the beaten track so to speak.

Coventry, a museum in itself, now has the Motor Museum, that has everything from bicycles to Thrust 2!
Cool stuff.

PS.
Not exactly in the same area but did you see the Didcot power station cooling towers being demolished? (Well, half of them anyway).

Regards.
MrTom.

No but i watched the Leyland/Rover car plant fall down and be demolished, i worked there for a while.
Jenson motor cars west brom i worked around the corner from their old works doing body shop repairs and spraying for a while too.

Yeah Black country museum is a good day out to, i helped lay most of the cobbles before that place opened, my uncle was the glassblower at the museum and his wife worked in the sweet shop there too.
 

MrToM

Guru
Messages
3,595
Likes
3,321
LOL...Leyland/Rover car plant...

The only car manufacturer to make a car 1/2" longer on one side than the other, (Rover SD1), and another that was more aerodynamic going backwards! (Austin maxi)......but it was the first car ever to have a synchromesh gearbox! (Well, first gear was, they couldn't be arsed with the rest).

All gone now in a sad kind of way....thank goodness for museums eh?

Regards.
MrTom.
 

Tom Mann

Guru
Messages
7,223
Likes
4,343
Chsavage: "By the way if you're ever in Italy, visit the Ufizzi Gallery, just wow...."

Thanks for the tip. Several other people have recommended it, but I've never had the chance to visit it. The last time I was in Italy, I was planning to visit it, but got sick and couldn't go. :sad: Next time, maybe ...
Steve: I think the big, very well-known museums will always have plenty of visitors because even if people aren't particularly into art or natural history or whatever, they have heard about such museums and, want to see it for themselves. I get the feeling that the smaller, less well funded, less well known museums are the ones facing a challenge.
Paul, MrTom: You guys are killing me. Like MrT, I also remember the 1st time I stood at ground level next to an old steam train. It was years ago, back when I was in school and visited the Science Museum in London. As I recall, as soon as you walked in the door, there was this absolutely huge (train) steam engine, with lots of stationary steam engines scattered all around it. Wow. Unfortunately, I've never been to the one up in Birmingham.

We've got a couple of train and steam museums / collections around here, but nothing that compares to that. The one advantage of the smaller museums is that you sometimes get to tour behind the scenes, talk to the workers, etc. The attached photos are from a museum ( http://www.tuckahoesteam.org/collectionspages/collectionssteamengines.html ) about an hour from here that I periodically visit.

T
 

Attachments

  • D7A_5439_nef-LR_jpg_low_rez_698px_wide.jpg
    D7A_5439_nef-LR_jpg_low_rez_698px_wide.jpg
    229.6 KB · Views: 11
  • D7A_5436_nef-LR_jpg_low_rez_698px_wide.jpg
    D7A_5436_nef-LR_jpg_low_rez_698px_wide.jpg
    249 KB · Views: 11
  • D7A_5495_raw-LR_to_PSD_proFoto-ps03a-2-sRGB_698px_wide-01_color.jpg
    D7A_5495_raw-LR_to_PSD_proFoto-ps03a-2-sRGB_698px_wide-01_color.jpg
    266.4 KB · Views: 11
  • D7A_5490_raw-LR_to_PSD_proFoto-ps02a-sRGB-698px_wide-01.jpg
    D7A_5490_raw-LR_to_PSD_proFoto-ps02a-sRGB-698px_wide-01.jpg
    225.7 KB · Views: 11

Tom Mann

Guru
Messages
7,223
Likes
4,343
PS - BTW, nobody is EVER at the Tuckahoe Steam Museum that I mentioned above. I these guys do it as a labor of love (or just to get out of the house). About the only time they get a bunch of people is when the local schools bring a bus-load of kids there for an outing.

T
 

inkpad.t

Guru
Messages
1,015
Likes
823
I'm not so sure it's just museums, Since the worlds recession plenty of places people visit have had put up or charge entry fee as the funding is being squeeze , Many places abroad that holiday makers visit are now hardly visited because there is either not the same amount of people on holiday because their own pockets are being squeeze, or there just not spending what money they have saved for the holiday on visiting theses places.

A family member of mine went to the Greek island of Skiathos just recently where they do trips across the water to the main land to visit the Parthenon, Hardly any one was taking those trips.
 

Top