Is it time to make a charge?

We were there Last Sunday. Massive queues. Think there were a lot of donations given. Think all in all works out fine. Some tourists are very generous which means it probably balances out and education should be available to all.
My grandson had a blue peter badge and asked if we had to queue ( which would have been 1hour + and I thought he was being cheeky) she let us go straight in!
We also went to the science museum and felt pressured into giving £5 each there as there is a ticket desk to go through.

Speaking as the head of finance for a free-of-charge charitable heritage attraction, I can tell you that paying for it all is a nightmare. Usually, as in our case, the free entry decision is taken at a high level for non-business reasons (as was the case for the museums.) Many visitors then totally ignore the donation requests. Yes, they spend money in the shop and cafe, but those places have costs; we barely break even on our cafe and the shop generates about 0.5% of our total expenditure. I am quite sure that we will at some point have to change to paid for entry, and I'm sure the museums will have to do the same.

people living in the Northwest as I do have quite a cost actual getting to these museums in London. £5 each on top of that cost is rather a lot. I agree that tourists from abroad should be charged as their countries usually charge entrance fees for museums and galleries.

It always concerns me that museums are free and churches very expensive. How about they all charge a nominal fee we could all afford.

Just for a point of order I have been to many countries where museums/galleries and churches are free

I seem to remember hearing that some museums/churches/etc found that they made more from a donations box and free entry than they did from a set fee.

Nope! most definitely no charge. Equal access for all or many will miss out. What other countries do does not matter. We can make our own decisions. Because you didn't see people donate doesn't mean they didn't. We always do. And as someone said the shops and cafes make a profit.

I think we should charge something, perhaps one lower rate (or maybe even free) for uk residents (or EU residents if the museum is funded by money from the EU), and a higher rate for other tourists. This happens in some cities in Spain, Seville for example.

Given the quality of our museums, I bet most tourists would not mind paying, and even expect to really.

A few uk galleries do make a charge and it seems reasonable to me; Tate St Ives charges an entrance fee because the building is owned by the local council rather than the Tate and the council needs all the money it can get to keep the place in good nick.

I have lived abroad and always had to pay for museums and other attractions, even when the locals did have to pay tourists were always charged more. I don't see why tourists shouldn't have to pay and don't start me on non payment for medical services !!!

How would charging only tourists work? Would it not create queues?

I wouldn’t like to see charges for museums but a high profile box for donations should be a must. Scottish museums, like those across the UK, charge for special exhibitions, eg the Rennie Macintosh exhibition at Kelvingrove (worth every penny IMHO).

Hovecheese, I agree with you regarding money made in cafes and museum shops. However, as a Londoner I also feel quite strongly that we shouldn't have to pay the same as tourists for all the London attractions. We pay more to live here than practically anywhere else; when tourists come here they are on holiday and bring money to spend accordingly - I have not seen a huge number of the London attractions even though I'd love to, simply because I can't afford the high cost of them all.

pen50 perhaps you need to restock or resite your shop.Most exhibitions now make sure you have to pass through the shop as you leave and put their kid's stuff on prominent display. I was in Salts Mill recently the shop there was chocker and people were buying expensive stuff, much of it high quality but I bet there was a good profit rate.

Has anyone thought that a family may not have the money,I taught children from 5 to 15 ,who have never been in a museum,seen a beach or the sea, and missed out .

This country is expensive enough,and so little is free,I was a young widow with two kids that loved history,but we could not afford the train fairs,let alone museum entry.

Five pounds might not sound much but it can make a difference if you are on a low income.
If you want to donate,that's fine! But you also should not be pressured to contribute.
I have seen this in many places,like Canterbury cathedral,where the wave money boxes under your nose.

So many people will miss out,because they cannot afford to go! Keep our museums free!

Farmnanjulie, those on such a low income can't afford the travelling expenses so they would still lose out. If locals were free, at least they could see what was local to them for nothing. Or maybe Crystaltips idea with a free annual pass for Benefits Claimants?

Some of us like to widen of children's education out of school and a £5.00 charge would be prohibitive. I know that when our children were young a fiver was a lot of money.

I live on a tight budget and take advantage of free/ donation only activities. Often just funding travel to the town in a major expense. I think anything that only 'invites' people to pay is going to fail massively. If museums are going under then they'll have to charge set fee. But I think it's wonderful that EVERYONE has access to great art etc, even if they're penniless. I get your drift about tourists, but it wouldnt be fair- charge a cash-strapped Aussie backpacker a tenner but let that British millionaire & family in free? As others have noted, the museums work out ways to relieve us of our cash with costly options- food, gifts and 'extra' exhibitions - and I think that is the answer.

our local cathedral suggests a charge its not compulsory but is polite to give something as these places cost so much to remain open

When I visited Russia I had to pay over £70 to see a ballet at the Kremlin, the locals got in for £12. I don't see why tourists shouldn't be charged more for entry to certain attractions. Yes, they may spend less in the gift shop but museums wouldn't benefit as much from that that sort of expenditure as an entry fee would help to pay wages etc..

It's the same with parking. I buy a parking clock from my local council so that's a one off cost per annum. Tourists here for the week would probably pay the same amount as my annual cost. It's called getting something back from your taxes. The UK seems to think it has to subsidise the rest of the world for some reason!

I've always said we should have a card that possibly is sent with the rates, that allows us in free and everyone else pays. Last time I went to the Louvre it cost 11 euros.

No. I will not pay. These museums were set up with the express reason of educating the masses. When my children were young we could not have afforded to pay.

Surely a donation is what a person is willing to give or not.....and an amount that is affordable to them however large or small that donation may be.
If it appears that for example £5 is the acceptable amount to donate then many people may not be able to afford that if there are several in the group.
Contributing should be at the discretion of the visitor....and without any suggested amount by the donation box/area.

Our cathedral is adamant it will not charge, entry is free, guided tours by volunteers are free, everyone should be able to come in and enjoy it as often as they like. On the other hand the local Roman museum charges quite a high entry fee, but is free to residents on production of proof of address.

I have no idea about any evidence to support this hypothesis but does having free entry to our great galleries and museums encourage overseas tourism? If it does we (UK) may be inadvertently benefiting from the free entry. I read that tourism is a good thing for the country.

icanhandthembackIf poorer people can't afford the fares and are missing out then that is a shame, not a reason to justify charging. My grandchildrens primary school allocates funding to arrange trips to such places as some children will otherwisse miss out on cultural education. Parents are asked to contribute what they can and those who can cover the full cost for their child. I think this is a wonderful idea and well done to the school! We need to make culture more available not less. Theatre ballet orchestra are all prohibitively expensive. Lets not add to the deprivation.