THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 30, 1995 TAG: 9504280187
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Ida Kay's Portsmouth
SOURCE: Ida Kay Jordan
LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
Incredulous!
That's the only way to describe my reaction to a city plan to increase the admission to the new Children's Museum of Virginia, raising the fee from $3 to $4.
In five months, about 100,000 people have visited the museum. It is a popular place and the kids don't want to leave. Some go peacefully when they are promised a return trip.
But what's the reaction going to be from visitors who come back prepared to pay $3 per person, only to find the cost has increased by $1?
``We think the increase would have a negative impact,'' Museum and Fine Arts Commission Chairman Sam Lamb told City Council Tuesday night. The commission officially opposed the increase.
Lamb said the $3 fee was based on information received from similar museums across the country.
``It's a level affordable for families,'' Lamb said.
City Manager Wayne Orton, who proposed the increase, justified his position by saying that the museum does not turn away those who cannot afford to pay. That is irrelevant.
In the first place, how many people are going to approach the museum and say ``I'm indigent but I want to take my children into the museum.'' And when they do, how is the person at the door to make a decision?
In the second place, many working families, who would not dream of asking for free admission, have limited money to spend on entertainment - and the Children's Museum is family entertainment.
Orton also argued that the museum is open more hours than had been anticipated and, thus, the city had to hire more staff. Maybe it would be better to open fewer hours than to raise the fee. Or maybe we could recruit some volunteers who would flesh out the paid staff, enabling the city to stretch the dollars.
Orton also mentioned the need to repair and keep up the exhibits. Why not find some volunteers to assist with the upkeep? Furthermore, shouldn't the museum have one person on staff whose main job would be constant maintenance of the exhibits?
Lamb said a survey of other children's museums showed that, typically, admission fees provide 25 percent of the budget. In Portsmouth, the admission fees already are making up 50 percent of the budget, Lamb said.
The Museum and Fine Arts Commission members said they would support an admission increase at the time the second floor of the museum is opened. The museum expansion would include space for the million-dollar miniature train and toy collection donated to the city by A.J. ``Junie'' Lancaster.
``When we do that, we'll have added value to justify an increase,'' Lamb said. ``But at this time, we think an increase will have a negative impact.''
Can we afford to sully the most positive thing we've had going in a long time for the relatively small amount of money the fee increase would produce?
Portsmouth may need the money, but that's no concern to visitors. More than likely, those who have been to the museum during its first blush of success will see the fee increase as simple greed. Any number of people might not return to the museum - a fact that might well offset the increased fee.
The Children's Museum is going to be open a certain number of hours at a certain cost to the city, regardless of the number of visitors. Why are we going to take a chance on sending a negative message?
The city gambled on the museum as a public relations tool to attract people to Portsmouth. It has paid off. Thousands of people from the region have visited the city over the past five months and many have made return trips to spend money with local businesses. That's what the museum is all about. It's not a cash cow to be milked as needed.
Fortunately, the increase will not become effective until next Jan. 1 because the existing fees are included in summer advertising. Maybe before the price is raised, somebody will bring Orton to his senses and head off this public relations nightmare. by CNB