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At 12:06 AM 1/29/04 -0500, you wrote:
>As a new museum we have better than expected membership numbers. While
>pleased with the community commitment to our institution, we are watching
>our income through admissions decline. I am wondering if other institutions
>(especially small museums such as ours) are wrestling with this and if there
>is an appropriate balance between admission rates/numbers and membership
>rates/numbers. Our annual attendance last year was 40,000 and we have almost
>2,000 members. Generally on an average day members make up over 60% of our
>visitors. Our admission rates are $7.50 adults/$5 children and our basic
>family membership starts at $45.
>
>I would appreciate any insight or thoughts on this.
>
>Thanks!
>
>Christy Wallace Hostetler
>Executive Director
>ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum
>PO Box 1177
>Ashland, OR  97520
>541/482-6767 ext. 31
>[log in to unmask]
>---
>
>Date:    Wed, 28 Jan 2004 10:13:42 -0800
>From:    David Taylor <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: ideal membership/admission ratio
>
>Christy,
>         Each community is different... much depends on what
>other museums of offerings there are that compete with you.
>If you are the only place in town for families, they are likely to
>become members and make it a regular family visiting place.
>If there are lots of other things in town they might be less
>likely.
>         One thing to be careful about is building expectations
>based on first year numbers.  Many museums experience a
>serge during their first year since they are something new for
>folks to try out, but the numbers drop in the second year...
>         To help avoid this you need some aspect of the museum
>that will be new for returning visitors and that you can promote
>to bring them back.  This way they won't feel like..."we've already
>done that, lets go someplace else."
>
>David
>
>David Taylor
>AHHA Museum Services
>   "Now I Understand"
>     (206) 363-8126
>    e-mail:   [log in to unmask]
>http://www.AHHA-MuseumServices.com

Dear Christy,

I echo David's comments. The cost per membership goes way down with
renewals, so that's what really counts. Did you do a market comparison in
setting your membership fees? We've got a similar admission fee ($8) and
just recently increased a family membership from $45 to $60 so we'd be more
in line with other local attractions. So far, we've seen almost no negative
repercussion to the increase in membership fees. (We timed the fee increase
to coincide with a new garden opening, so there was a perceived value
increase at the same time.)

Also, do you have an incentive plan in place to upgrade them to higher
donor levels in the next few years? As members start upgrading to higher
giving levels, membership income can becomes a more significant part of
your operating budget, taking some of the pressure off admissions.

More importantly, your higher level donors self-identify a key group of
strong supporters to join your board, advocate on your behalf in the
community, launch planned giving and endowment programs, and otherwise help
you to become an essential, lasting, and treasured community resource.

I can't wait to visit your museum!

Diane

Diane A. Baxter, Ph.D.
Director of Development
Quail Botanical Gardens
P.O. Box 230005
Encinitas, CA  92023-0005
(760) 436-3036 ext. 216
www.qbgardens.org

"Sowing seeds of wonder for today and tomorrow"

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