Science Museum Group Cut Backs

[65477]

THE SMG, which includes the National Railway Museum (NRM) has today announced a number of redundancies and a cut back so that "the organisation’s five museums will operate under reduced opening hours when they reopen following the current lockdown, only opening for five days a week outside of holiday periods until March 2022.".

Redundancies and reduced opening hours at Science Museum Group sites - Museums Association

The Science Museum Group has announced measures to reduce the scale of its operations in order to cope with the impact of the pandemic.

www.museumsassociation.org

In the first phase of a six-month strategic review, the organisation is proposing to cut at least 65 full-time equivalent positions, which it says could result in a maximum of 95 redundancies. More positions will be cut in subsequent phases of the review.


In a statement this week, the organisation said: “This is a step we take with huge reluctance; recognising the pain it will cause colleagues who contribute so deeply to our mission. This concern will inform our approach to this difficult period, which will involve constructive engagement with colleagues and our recognised trade unions.”


In addition to shrinking its workforce, the organisation’s five museums will operate under reduced opening hours when they reopen following the current lockdown, only opening for five days a week outside of holiday periods until March 2022.

Very bad news for the 90+ people loosing their jobs and this is only phase one of a much longer review.

 

[DarloRich]

THE SMG, which includes the NRM has today announced a number of redundancies and a cut back so that "the organisation’s five museums will operate under reduced opening hours when they reopen following the current lockdown, only opening for five days a week outside of holiday periods until March 2022.".

Very bad news for the 90+ people loosing their jobs and this is only phase one of a much longer review.

Bad news but hardly a surprise

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm making the assumption that "5 days a week" means closed Mondays and Tuesdays or something, and that they aren't closing weekends?

I do wonder if we'll see the subsidy for free entry removed, it'd be an easy cut that wouldn't upset too many people.

 

[theblackwatch]

Hardly surprising as others have said, but not good news. And proof that, despite what some people think, public sector jobs are not all safe.

 

[DarloRich]

it'd be an easy cut that wouldn't upset too many people.

it might upset quite a few people of limited means.

 

[Crossover]

I'm making the assumption that "5 days a week" means closed Mondays and Tuesdays or something, and that they aren't closing weekends?

I do wonder if we'll see the subsidy for free entry removed, it'd be an easy cut that wouldn't upset too many people.

As I recall, when the NRM was open between the lockdowns, it was shut Monday/Tuesday for "cleaning" - I would presume the news is an extension of the same

 

[yorksrob]

As I recall, when the NRM was open between the lockdowns, it was shut Monday/Tuesday for "cleaning" - I would presume the news is an extension of the same

I wonder if they will make an exception for bank holidays in that case. Could be a substantial loss in revenue otherwise !

 

[Bletchleyite]

it might upset quite a few people of limited means.

It would be cheaper to offer it as a means tested thing to those living in Greater London, I suppose, i.e. show proof of some sort of benefit. People from further out have paid a fortune to get there and potentially stay there.

I wonder if they will make an exception for bank holidays in that case. Could be a substantial loss in revenue otherwise !

As admission is free most of their income is not based on attendance, just the cafes and special exhibitions which most people don't use.

Tuesday and Wednesday as closure days might make more sense than Mondays, though.

 

[yorksrob]

It would be cheaper to offer it as a means tested thing to those living in Greater London, I suppose, i.e. show proof of some sort of benefit. People from further out have paid a fortune to get there and potentially stay there.



As admission is free most of their income is not based on attendance, just the cafes and special exhibitions which most people don't use.

Tuesday and Wednesday as closure days might make more sense than Mondays, though.

Unfortunately people can't make the donations or use the cafes when the museum's closed. I expect bank holidays would produce a considerable level of such footfall.

 

[Richard Scott]

I do wonder if we'll see the subsidy for free entry removed, it'd be an easy cut that wouldn't upset too many people.

I agree, always seemed odd to me that entry was free, even is entry was a couple of pounds per adult and children were free it would help with costs. Can't think of a country in the world where I've been to a museum with free entry (sorry if opening a can of worms) bar places like the former concentration camps in Germany (for obvious reasons).

 

[Ianno87]

I agree, always seemed odd to me that entry was free, even is entry was a couple of pounds per adult and children were free it would help with costs. Can't think of a country in the world where I've been to a museum with free entry (sorry if opening a can of worms) bar places like the former concentration camps in Germany (for obvious reasons).

Although if you get in free you may be more likely to spend (more) in the shop / cafes. If you've already paid to get in you might be less inclined to spend again on other stuff.

 

[sciisfun]

Although if you get in free you may be more likely to spend (more) in the shop / cafes. If you've already paid to get in you might be less inclined to spend again on other stuff.

Exactly, with my locals pass at eden, I almost always pick up some stuff from the shop and plant section on my way out, but when I was paying full price for entry I could never justify anything more than a Keyring or a pen

 

[Crossover]

I wonder if they will make an exception for bank holidays in that case. Could be a substantial loss in revenue otherwise !

It does state in the press release that it’ll be 5 days a week outside of holiday periods, so I would imagine some foresight has been put into the likes of bank holidays and school holidays as well.

I agree, always seemed odd to me that entry was free, even is entry was a couple of pounds per adult and children were free it would help with costs. Can't think of a country in the world where I've been to a museum with free entry (sorry if opening a can of worms) bar places like the former concentration camps in Germany (for obvious reasons).

Wasn’t museums becoming free a directive from Government or something years ago? I seem to think the likes of the Science Museum in London used to charge but are now free. I may be misremembering but I’m sure something did change the tide a while ago

 

[whoosh]

Wasn’t museums becoming free a directive from Government or something years ago? I seem to think the likes of the Science Museum in London used to charge but are now free. I may be misremembering but I’m sure something did change the tide a while ago

Many museums (including the Science Museum and Natural History Museum) used to be free back in the 80s. Then they charged (end of Thatcher/beginning of Major years). Then Blair's Government made them free again.

It's one of those things where the things in the posts above get talked about a lot:

• Government funding - could it be spent on other things.
• Poorer people would miss out if there was a charge.
•Is it better to have a minimal entry fee paid by the government, and then an opportunity for a donation to be made (which the better off could afford), and still a fair amount being spent in the gift shop. Which seems to be the current arrangement.

 

[Mojo]

I agree, always seemed odd to me that entry was free, even is entry was a couple of pounds per adult and children were free it would help with costs. Can't think of a country in the world where I've been to a museum with free entry (sorry if opening a can of worms) bar places like the former concentration camps in Germany (for obvious reasons).

I would agree with that. It's also not uncommon overseas to provide free admission for people who live in the country, and there are also some local museums/attractions in the UK that provide free admission to people who live in the council area.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I would agree with that. It's also not uncommon to provide free admission for people who live in the country, and there are also some local museums/attractions that provide free admission to people who live in the council area.

That was a usual thing a while back, too. I definitely recall (and not being very approving of, FWIW) my Dad quoting our old postcode as you could get in free at the Liverpool Maritime Museum if you had an actual Liverpool (rather than just L-prefix) postcode when I was a kid.

 

[Mojo]

That was a usual thing a while back, too. I definitely recall (and not being very approving of, FWIW) my Dad quoting our old postcode as you could get in free at the Liverpool Maritime Museum if you had an actual Liverpool (rather than just L-prefix) postcode when I was a kid.

Nowadays it tends to be a bit more "secure" with many councils providing smart cards to people that offer various discounts / freebies.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Nowadays it tends to be a bit more "secure" with many councils providing smart cards to people that offer various discounts / freebies.

It did strike me that you could, and many people probably did, just look in the phone book for a suitable postcode to give.

 

[Richard Scott]

Although if you get in free you may be more likely to spend (more) in the shop / cafes. If you've already paid to get in you might be less inclined to spend again on other stuff.

I probably would go into a cafe anyway but never inclined to buy anything in shops so would still be passing more money over if they charged an entry fee.

 

[Ianno87]

I probably would go into a cafe anyway but never inclined to buy anything in shops so would still be passing more money over if they charged an entry fee.

Yes, you would. But that doesn't apply to everybody.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

How about an admission fee voucher/receipt which is then redeemable in whole or in part in the cafe (or the shop) on the day of issue?

At Glenfinnan, it used to be the case that if you paid in to visit the museum (it wasn't all that much either!) you could then use your ticket to get a discount in the café/static buffet car.

 

[DB]

It would be cheaper to offer it as a means tested thing to those living in Greater London, I suppose, i.e. show proof of some sort of benefit. People from further out have paid a fortune to get there and potentially stay there.



As admission is free most of their income is not based on attendance, just the cafes and special exhibitions which most people don't use.

Tuesday and Wednesday as closure days might make more sense than Mondays, though.

Setting up a system to manage the means test may well cost more than it would bring in additional revenue.

 

[theageofthetra]

I agree, always seemed odd to me that entry was free, even is entry was a couple of pounds per adult and children were free it would help with costs. Can't think of a country in the world where I've been to a museum with free entry (sorry if opening a can of worms) bar places like the former concentration camps in Germany (for obvious reasons).

Plenty of country's do free (or reduced) entry for local residents, why can't we?

 

[hexagon789]

I agree, always seemed odd to me that entry was free, even is entry was a couple of pounds per adult and children were free it would help with costs. Can't think of a country in the world where I've been to a museum with free entry (sorry if opening a can of worms) bar places like the former concentration camps in Germany (for obvious reasons).

I remember visiting a few free museums in Geneva, though others were probaby about £10-£12 entry.

Setting up a system to manage the means test may well cost more than it would bring in additional revenue.

Even a small fee, say a couple of £s rather than the sort of £10+ figures common with many popular museums I've been to across Europe.

Plenty of country's do free (or reduced) entry for local residents, why can't we?

Seems quite reasonable really but again with the means testing the process for dealing with seperate pricing structures could be as much of an issue.

I imagine the Science Museum Group have likely exploring the entry fee issue before now regardless of the fact they don't impose one.

I'd be interested to know what the effective cost of each entry is, as in how much they have to subsidise visitors in £

 

[Bletchleyite]

Isn't it central Government subsidy which covers all the National Museums and Galleries? So if they charged, they'd lose that?

 

[hexagon789]

Isn't it central Government subsidy which covers all the National Museums and Galleries? So if they charged, they'd lose that?

It might be on their interests to consider what is more financially beneficial or see if they can do a deal with the government to retain a part subsidy if they charge entry frees

 

[Darandio]

It's also worth noting the car parking fee at the NRM which is £10. I realise that many of us here are more likely to arrive by train but whenever i've visited during high season the car park has always been heaving so it must provide quite a healthy income stream.

 

[theironroad]

Plenty of country's do free (or reduced) entry for local residents, why can't we?

Plenty of the museums in London are national museums and obviously in case of railways, York. Should these national museums have reduced or free entry only for people living in London or York respectively?

As to earlier comments about charging a pound or two for admission or free for certain categories, this will require equipment, staffing and back office admin to operate.

Suppose the 'voluntary contribution' at entry system is easier to and extent and think the NRM and some others do already. Hopefully not like some cathedrals that almost make people guilty for not wanting to contribute and make it as hard as possible to enter without passing a pseudo ticket booth.

At the end of the day, museums are about education as well as fun, so just like we have free education up to age 18 in the UK, so major museums should also be government supported.

To those being made redundant, I hope you can all find new opportunities at these testing times. Best wishes.

 

[Bevan Price]

If a museum or art gallery, etc., has an entry fee, I might visit it just once, and pay only that entry fee. If it is free access, I might make multiple visits, leaving a donation on each visit. In the long term, some of them probably get more money from me than they would get from that single entry fee.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It's also worth noting the car parking fee at the NRM which is £10. I realise that many of us here are more likely to arrive by train but whenever i've visited during high season the car park has always been heaving so it must provide quite a healthy income stream.

Given where it is, I wonder how many shouts of HOW much? there are?