Repeat visitors

There are major differences between a museum and a tourist attraction: an education objective, involvement with the local community, government sponsorship, ongoing programming. The idea is basically to get people to come to the museum very often, for members to feel a part of what we are doing, almost as if the museum were a community center. This takes a long time, but it is a good, steady way for the museum to maintain funding, and especially important if one expects grants. 

A tourist attraction on the other hand is not concerned with making long term connections with the local population. Their interest is only in the people coming from the outside who may only come once, and will want to spend lots of money on their one trip. To attract these sorts of visitors, it is all about offering a big impressive draw. Once they have seen it, they are free to leave. They disappear as quickly as they come. 

Comments

ג. ג. said…
That´s the nature of attraction. It stops being an attraction once you saw it. Museums on the other hand, can maintain their level of attraction for a longer period by changing exhibitions etc.
May 6, 2009 at 9:37 AM
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