APPENDIX 9
Memorandum submitted by the National Museum
of Science and Industry
1. NATIONAL MUSEUM
OF SCIENCE
AND INDUSTRY
(NMSI)
1.1 NMSI has been invited to provide a memorandum
to the Committee setting out our perception of the impact on NMSI
(and more broadly) of the policy of free admissions.
1.2 The NMSI family of national museums
consists of the Science Museum (ScM), National Museum of Photography
Film and Television (NMPFT) and National Railway Museum (NRM).
These are located in London, Bradford and York respectively.
1.3 NMSI has a number of significant new
projects—short, medium and long term—now underway
or in planning. These address a variety of subject areas among
which are sustainable development, travel and transport, and the
application of advanced interactive digital technologies to public
engagement in and understanding of science and media.
1.4 ScM and NRM had been charging for admissions
from the late 80s. They have been operating on a free admissions
basis since 1 December 2001.
1.5 Since its inception in 1983, NMPFT has
always operated on a free admissions basis.
2. IMPACT ON
VISITOR NUMBERS
2.1 "Top-line" provisional management
figures (subject to further revision and verification) give at
least a useful and current indicator of the impact of free admissions
upon ScM and NRM during April to September 2002 compared with
the same period in 2001.
ATTENDANCE COMPARISONS 2002 AND 2001 (SIX
MONTHS-APRIL TO SEPTEMBER)
| |
2002 | 2001
| per cent (+ or -)
|
| ScM visitors | 1,325,914
| 700,812 | +89
|
| NRM | 432,334
| 326,036 | +33
|
| NMPFT | 408,884
| 438,855 | -7
|
Attendance at ScM in particular has substantially exceeded
expectations of both NMSI and DCMS. Inevitably, increased visitor
volumes at current levels, while welcome, mean that additional
resources are required to accommodate them. This has financial
implications in respect of our revenue costs—for example,
wear and tear on buildings, security, maintenance and conservation
of collections, front-of-house services and manpower resources—which
we are now raising with DCMS.
The unforeseen visitor levels attending the Science Museum,
notably during peak periods, results in a sub-optimal audience
experience at certain times and may require significant capital
investment in re-engineering the fabric of buildings, notably
our East Hall, if we are to cope adequately for the future.
2.2 The impact of increased attendances in national museums
can also have a collateral deleterious effect elsewhere. For example,
in York, visitor numbers to the City of York Council's and York
Archaeological Trust's museums and galleries have fallen substantially
(by approximately 15 per cent in comparison with summer 2001).
This may well have significant financial consequences for those
centres concerned. The decline in audience numbers matches the
increase in numbers experienced by NRM (33 per cent).
2.3 A greater than planned for increase in visitor numbers,
which has incurred therefore a greater cost, means that investment
in future facing capital projects may be impeded and/or be subject
to delay.
In a period of global economic slowdown and turmoil in financial
markets, our ability to attract significant new monies via commercial
sponsorships and major donations may be less since forecasting
becomes increasingly problematic in this area. We will be subject
to greater competition and increased "market" volatility.
2.4 We have no reason to assume a further significant
increase in visitor volumes as the free admissions policy goes
into its second year. We have considered it prudent to plan for
visitor numbers to remain stable at their current levels.
2.5 From research among our visitors, again covering
the period April to September 2002 and 2001, we have some insight
into frequency of visits—those attending more than once
in the previous twelve months—and how these may have been
affected by the introduction of free admission.
PREVIOUS VISIT WITHIN LAST 12 MONTHS
| | 2002
%
| 2001
% |
| ScM visitors | 29
| 22 |
| NRM | 13 |
13 |
| NMPFT | 33
| 28 |
In those of our national museums which adopted free admissions
in December 2001 (ScM and NRM), it appears that we attracted a
higher (in the case of ScM) proportion of a substantially greater
number of visitors. NRM in York attracted the same proportion
of a substantially greater number of visitors. Overall, the advent
of free admissions appears to have encouraged significantly more
people to make return visits.
2.6 The picture becomes clearer when we look at first
time visitors.
FIRST TIME VISITORS
| | 2002
%
| 2001
% |
| ScM | 33 |
33 |
| NRM | 37 |
35 |
| NMPFT | 32
| 43 |
Clearly, the free admissions policy has resulted in significant
increases in numbers, as opposed to percentages, of new visitors
to the relevant national NMSI museums. At NRM in York we have
also seen them represent a greater proportion of the audience
than pre free admission.
2.7 For ScM, in terms of the age of our visitors, the
introduction of free admissions has led to significantly increased
numbers in much the same proportions a per our audience profile
in the previous year.
VISITORS BY AGE GROUP—ScM
| | 2002
%
| 2001
% |
| Under 16 years | 33
| 32 |
| 16-35 | 31
| 32 |
| 36-59 | 30
| 28 |
| 60 and over | 6
| 8 |
2.8 Figures for NRM are collated differently and indicate
some variation post free admissions, suggesting that increased
numbers have come from the under 65 age groups, and notably from
those under 44 years of age:
VISITORS BY AGE GROUP—NRM
| | 2002 (to Sep)
%
| 2001
% |
| Under 35 years | 22
| 19 |
| 35-44 | 30
| 24 |
| 45-64 | 39
| 39 |
| 65 and over | 9
| 18 |
3. AUDIENCE PROFILE
3.1 In terms of the ethnic diversity of our audiences,
the numbers of visitors in the appropriate categories have increased
substantially following the introduction of free admissions. This
is particularly notable in respect of ScM.
3.2 However, it does not appear that the introduction
of free admissions has in its own right made any significant difference
to either ScM or NRM audience profiles in terms of percentages.
For example, in the period April to September 2002, 84 per
cent of attendees at ScM (using standard classifications as per
the Office for National Statistics) reported themselves as being
within the "White" categories. The figure was the same
for the corresponding period in 2001. In other categories also,
no significant differences between pre and free admissions periods
have been experienced. Our findings are in line with those reported
by MORI (August 2002) covering the sector as a whole.
In the case of ScM, the ethnic/cultural profile of our audience
mirrors closely the mix within the population of South East England
and London.
At NRM in York, again, overall it appears that no significant
change in the ethnic/cultural mix of the audience has resulted
from the introduction of free admissions. The proportion of "White"
visitors, for example, has remained at the same level—at
96 per cent in the period up to September 2002, against 97 per
cent in 2001.
3.3 Preliminary figures relating to the socio-economic
profile of NMSI audiences indicate that the advent of free admissions
has not, in its own right, made any significant impact on the
percentages for the same period—April to September—in
the year before. As with the section above, numbers within all
categories have substantially increased.
At ScM, for example, admissions from visitors within the
ABC1 classifications have remained static at 83 per cent in both
years during the six-month period to September. In relation to
C2DE groups, this does mean, however, that in absolute terms the
Museum attracted an additional 106,000 visitors.
At NRM, the mix has also remained much the same, with ABC1s
accounting for 64 per cent of visitors to September 2002 and 63
per cent in 2001.
Preliminary figures from NMPFT audience research indicate
68 per cent of visitors in the twelve months to September 2002
were from ABC1 groups. That compares with, in the year 2000, a
figure of 71 per cent. Since NMPFT has always offered free admissions,
we appear to have a further indicator that, on its own, the free
admissions policy has not made any significant difference to the
profile as opposed to numbers.
4. OBSERVATIONS
4.1 It must be remembered that the figures cited above
are subject to further verification. However, in broadening our
audiences—attracting and engaging a greater proportion of
visitors from ethnic/cultural minorities and priority socio-economic
groups in accordance with DCMS objectives—a more proactive
and "narrowcast" approach is desirable. This approach
will be relatively expensive. That is already, in part, underway
at NMSI through a number of initiatives including, for example,
consultative panels involving Afro-Caribbean and Gujarati communities.
4.2 In planning, delivering and evaluating progress towards
greater social inclusion there is, we believe, a need for a better
understanding of needs and outcomes, not least in terms of the
quality of the visit experience for those within priority target
groups. Our forward research programmes within the NMSI family
will focus upon more in-depth identification of visitor needs,
experiential and learning outcomes, as well as having greater
consistency across our three national museums.
4.3 A better informed view of different behaviours among
the various visitor groupings becomes all the more important because,
at present, we have a combination of some statistical and some
anecdotal evidence that the length of visits and the expectations
of attendees have changed since the introduction of free admissions.
It appears that the lengths of visits have shortened and that
spend per visit in our shops has diminished. At NRM, for example,
spend per head has declined by 20 per cent in both retail and
catering outlets despite the provision of enhanced facilities
to address increased numbers. This pattern will have implications
for NMSI trading revenue projections, our approach to changing
visitor expectations and further investment in visitor facilities.
5. CONCLUSIONS
5.1 In this memorandum we have focused particularly upon
NSMI experience of the impact (or in the case of NMPFT, non impact)
of the free admissions policy on attendances.
In the case of NMSI, the experience of NMPFT provides a "control"
of some value since the Museum has continued to operate on a free
admissions basis since its establishment.
5.2 It can be seen that the free admissions policy has
had a substantial impact and must, overall, be considered successful
against its objectives. Certainly, from an NMSI perspective, it
has impacted upon the numbers of individuals from all parts of
society attending our two national museums affected.
However, in its own right, this initiative has not yet made
a significant difference in terms of changing proportionality
of constituent categories within the overall NMSI audiences. In
achieving progress in this area, more proactivity, more targeting
allied with a more quality oriented approach to visitor needs
and outcomes is needed.
5.3 Increased numbers of visitors in 2003 may well hold
at much the same level as 2002. But, with less than one year of
useful figures, the reliability of forecasts must be subject to
question.
5.4 At the same time, the impact of a sustained attendance
at previously unforeseen levels may have significant revenue and
some capital cost implications for NMSI museums.
5.5 In addition, the impact of free admissions on national
museums might have unhelpful consequences for other museums and
related cultural and social centres in close proximity, as appears
to be the case in York.
17 October 2002
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