Should museums charge for enquiries?
Vote in the poll and have your say
The issue of whether it’s ethical for museums to charge for enquiries from members of the public was the subject of a recent thread on the Natural Sciences Collections Association discussion list.
Jan Freedman, the curator of natural history at Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery, has written a blog and a comment piece for the Museums Association website setting out some of the challenges for short-staffed museums dealing with public enquiries.
Despite charges making financial sense, Freedman wrote that this is against the remit of museums “to engage, inspire and educate people using our incredible collections”.
The article prompted further discussion on the site and on social media. Some thought repeat enquiries should carry a charge, while others argued that asking for a donation was more appropriate.
Do you think museums should charge for enquiries? Vote in the poll and have your say in the comment box below.
Jan Freedman, the curator of natural history at Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery, has written a blog and a comment piece for the Museums Association website setting out some of the challenges for short-staffed museums dealing with public enquiries.
Despite charges making financial sense, Freedman wrote that this is against the remit of museums “to engage, inspire and educate people using our incredible collections”.
The article prompted further discussion on the site and on social media. Some thought repeat enquiries should carry a charge, while others argued that asking for a donation was more appropriate.
Do you think museums should charge for enquiries? Vote in the poll and have your say in the comment box below.