Exposure Draft, April 2001

Chapters 1 & 2: Background & The Context
Chapter 3: The Policy Framework
Chapter 4: The Market
Chapter 5: Museums & Their Collections
Chapter 6: Resources
Chapter 7: Conclusions
Annexes 

4 The Market

Demand

401.  Market research undertaken in 2000 on behalf of the East Midlands Museums Service shows that:

• 40% of the region's population had made one or more visits to a museum during the previous twelve months - a similar percentage to a previous study carried out for the Service in 1995 (38%);

• 33% of museum visitors made two visits during the year, and 25% more than three;

• people who made between three and five visits each year in 1995 now only make two visits;

• an increasing proportion of the population (21% in 2000 compared with 14% in 1995) never visit museums - though only 10% would never go under any circumstances;

• there is strong recognition that museum visits are educational, and provide family entertainment, and they are seen as interesting, and not boring - positive perceptions that have increased over the past five years.

• a gender gap is emerging, with women more likely to be museum visitors than men.

402.  Table 8 shows the percentage of people who took part in various cultural activities during the previous twelve months. The 2000 figure is compared with the 1995 response, and from a national survey conducted by MORI for the Museums and Galleries Commission in 1999.

Table 8: Visits to cultural/leisure destinations once or more a year

Sources: East Midlands Museum Surveys 1995 and 2000; MORI 1999

403.  Table 9 is an index of frequency of participation in cultural and leisure activities away from the home in 2000, compared with 1995:

Table 9: Index of Frequency of Participation in Cultural & Leisure Activities

Source: East Midlands Museum Surveys 1995 and 2000 - maximum score possible 100

404.  The general trend is for reduced participation in most activities, with only leisure shopping remaining stable, and cinema attendances showing the only substantial increase. However, a higher proportion of East Midlands people appear to participate in museum visiting and related heritage interests than the national sample.

405.  There were just over 3 million museum visits to East Midlands museums in 1999 - double the number in 1960. 95% of visits are to participants in the Museum Registration scheme. Local authority museums attract 63% of visits - a similar proportion in 1999 as in 1990.

406.  There has been an 11% drop in all museum visits in the region since 1990, though Table 10 shows the reduction was only 8% in Museum Registration participants.

Table 10: Visits to Registered Museums in the East Midlands 1990- 99

Source: East Midlands Museums Service

407.  The large increase in Leicestershire follows from the opening of Snibston Discovery Park in 1992, and in Northamptonshire from the closure for repairs of Northampton's Abington Museum during the same year. The reduced volume in Nottinghamshire is largely due to a 40% reduction (from 1,064,953 to 647,340) to museums operated by Nottingham City Council, which result in part from reductions in opening hours and extensions to, and increases in, admission charges on weekends and holidays, and closure of the city's Canal Museum in 1997.

408.  Total admissions to independent museums (most of which charge an admission fee) remained steady at around 550,000 (18% of total visits); and those at National Trust properties rose from 498,000 to 532,000, a 7% rise. Local authority museums (many of which are free admission) saw an overall 13% reduction in visits.

409.  Chart 2 shows the trend of museum visits between 1991 and 1999. While, at this macro level, there is evidence of relative stability both in the overall number of museum visitors, and of museum visits, individual museums have been experiencing a decline in visitor numbers since the early 1990s - some of them substantial. The East Midlands Museums Index (EMMI) shows the following trend at a constant, year-on-year sample of 20 museums representative of type and location, but excluding National Trust properties:

Table 11: East Midlands Museums Index (EMMI)

1987 = 100

410.  Within the Index sample the following trends can be identified:

• the biggest losers are museums outside of town and city centres, whose visitor numbers have dropped by 46% between 1990 and 1999;

• visits to city-centre museums have dropped by 30% but those to museums in market towns are similar in both 1990 and 1999;

• museums in the Index that charge admission have seen their numbers reduce by 50%, while free-entry museums have reduced by 17%, perhaps reflecting that these generally make an admission charge;

• visits to those museums in the Index run by local authorities have dropped by 24%, while independent museums in the Index have seen a 57% reduction in visits.

411.  Changes in visitor numbers should be seen in the context of the following trends:

• an increase in the number of Sunday shoppers (67% of regional residents shop on Sundays - a 15% increase since 1995);

• the reduced popularity of city and town centres to shop in favour of out-of-town destinations, reducing opportunities for linking shopping trips with visits to city/town museums - only Nottingham and Northampton increased its business ranking between 1998 and 2001, and Leicester, Lincoln and Derby saw standstills or reductions;

• a perception of less leisure time - the number of people stating that lack of time was the biggest barrier to more museum visiting has almost doubled between 1995 and 2000, from 11% to 20%;

• the increasing popularity of home entertainment, whether the Internet, gardening or DIY.

Supply

412.  Table 12 shows that there has been a 17% increase in the number of museum sites in the East Midlands between 1990 and 1999:

Table 12: Museum sites 1990 - 1999

Source: East Midlands Museums Service

413.  While much of the growth is in volunteer-run community museums, this expansion must have a cumulative effect on the museum sector as a whole. Thus, apart from an increasingly-competitive market-place in terms of other leisure activities, museums find themselves increasingly competing one against the other. Given that the volume of visits - the demand side - is remaining constant, it seems that supply is outstripping demand.

Sustaining Museum Audiences

414.  Market research shows the current socio-economic profile of East Midlands' museum visitors is

415.  The profile of museum visitors matches well with the region's socio-economic demography. However, the 4% reduction in DE visitors - the only major variance since 1995 - gives cause for action. Further, although two-thirds of people feel that women and the 'working classes' were adequately represented in museums, only about half, of a predominantly White sample of interviewees, felt that Black and Asian people are fully represented.

416.  The non-visitor, as always, is a difficult market to reach, though only 10% say they would never visit museums under any circumstances. If people decide, in a competitive market place, that museums are not for them, that is their choice, and time and effort spent on attempting to change their minds is likely to be a waste of resources. However, with a substantial number of people who currently do not visit, but would, if museums could make an accessible and interesting offer, the challenge is to ensure that lack of opportunity or understanding does not prevent their participation.

417.  Market and audience research in the East Midlands has revealed a number of factors that act as barriers to access.

Location

418.  5% of people say that easier travel would be an incentive to visit museums more frequently - about the same as in 1995. The cost of car fuel, and speed of transit on certain routes (especially east-west) have had a negative effect on museums in rural areas. Museums in the centres of cities and large towns are disadvantaged by expensive car parking, poor public transport, and concerns about personal security/crime and disorder. While these issues are also present in smaller/market towns, they have a lesser effect, helping those museums to maintain their audience.

419.  Since lack of time to visit museums is a substantial issue, there is a strong argument in favour of museums' outreach programmes being focused at places where people who visit museums are engaging in other activities, such as in shopping and library environments, and developing joint promotions with the operators of such venues.

Educational attainment

420.  The East Midlands has lower than average levels of educational achievement. This can work against leisure activities that are perceived by the public as 'educational'.

Charging Policie

421.  Where museums charge admission, fees have risen since 1990, in relation to inflation, by the following factors:

National Trust properties x 2

Independent museums x 3

Local authority x 7

422.  While the number of people seeking cheaper admission charges dropped slightly between 1995 and 2000, 51% of people agree that museums should not charge admission - an 8% increase since 1995. This suggests that while the market is not unduly price-sensitive, the national profile given to the museum charges at National museums is leading to a shift in public attitudes.

Marketing and Advertising

423.  9% of people say they would be prepared to visit museums if they were more aware of what was happening. The region's museums (excluding National Trust properties) spend about £250,000 on paid advertising and promotion each year - around 10p per visitor.

Programming

424.  11% of people suggest that more changing exhibits would encourage a greater level of visiting - a 4% increase since 1995. The region's museums (excluding National Trust properties) spend less than £300,000 on temporary exhibitions and events each year - around 12p per visitor.

Convenience of Opening Hours

425.  Table 13 shows the change in opening hours by volume between 1991 and 2000:

Table 13: Changes in Opening Hours 1991 - 2000

Sources: East Midlands Tourist Board (1991); East Midlands Museums Service (2000)

426.  Chart 3 shows the number of museums in each county with the same, increased or reduced opening hours in 2000, compared with 1996.

Chart 3: Changes in Open Hours 1996 - 2000

427.  62% of the public agree that current museum opening hours are convenient, with only 7% dissenting. Only 15% agree with the statement that 'museums are not open when I want', with 45% disagreeing. Only 1% feel that longer opening hours would be an incentive to visit museums frequently. It appears that opening hours are not a substantial barrier to museum visits in the region, though weekend opening, rather extended daily hours, might assist a significant group.

428.  Chart 4 shows that visits per open-hour, excluding National Trust properties, average 18. However, it is evident that a large number of museums have an average less than ten - and many average less than five - visits per hour. In effect this means that some museums spend large amounts of time without any visitors at all. The cost-effectiveness of such opening arrangements must be doubtful, especially when opening hours represent the most expensive deployment of a museum's resources.

Relevance

429.  Some people feel that museum displays are not relevant to their current interests. 17% of people said they would visit museums more often if the themes/subjects were more relevant to their interests - 3% more than in 1995 - and there is some evidence that people's interests are becoming more focused. People also feel that certain groups are under-represented in museum displays and programmes - 'working classes' (70%), women (67%), Black people (53%) and Asian people (51%).

430.  The level of engagement with young people (16 - 24 years of age) was studied in market research commissioned by the East Midlands Museums Service in 1998, which showed that:

• 40% of young people (16 - 24 years of age) had visited a museum within the previous year;

• work and study commitments meant that this age group rarely have more than 20 hours leisure each week, and most have less than £20 to spend; most of this time and cash is used in socialising, leaving little time or cash for other activities;

• few respondents felt alienated by museums and reasons given for not visiting were cost and other more prominent interests; the feeling that museums were boring decreased as the respondents became older;

• there was a general lack of knowledge of museum events and activities among the age-group, though females were considerably more aware than males.

Quality of Experience

431.  There is general agreement in 2000, as in 1995, that museums offer a good quality of service, value-for-money and have convenient opening times. Although most people have positive perceptions of museum catering, a substantial minority do not. People demand continuing improvement in the quality of their experience, although they may not be the primary drivers for visits.

Meeting Future Customer Needs

432.  The Henley Centre has identified the following issues as important in the coming years:

• Demographic change. An ageing population will be represented by a decreasing number of 25 - 34 year olds, and increasing numbers of 45+. Presently 25 - 44 year olds make up 49% of museum visits, and 45+ 43%.

• Changes in the typical household. It is predicted that there will be a larger number of single-person households, and many couples will choose not to have children. Currently, 25% of museum visits are family groups.

• People will have a wider range of interests, accompanied by

• a growth in mass 'connoisseurship' with people exploring a narrow, personal range of interests in greater depth than before.

• Increasingly demanding consumers will expect a speedy and personal response to their needs.

• A growing desire for the authentic in a mass-market world seemingly filled with the artificial or fake.

• Government intervention in the market, represented initially by its 'quids in' policy providing cheap/free admission to National Museums in surrounding regions; with cheap rail travel offers this is likely to draw visitors away from the East Midlands museums.

• Increasing access to electronic information; although the East Midlands lags behind other regions in this respect.

433.  These considerations relate to the mass market. There are also specific market segments in which museums have traditionally either been active, and which they wish to continue, or which they are expected to develop by their funding bodies. These include:

• education and lifelong learning;
  

• social inclusion and outreach into groups under-represented in museum users;
  

• research and scholarship;
  

• tourism.

Education and Lifelong Learning

434.  90% of people recognise that education - in its broadest sense - drives museum programmes. It takes place in a number of ways:

• self-exploration, discovery and reflection through exposure to museum displays;
  

• learning through lectures and teaching;
  

• personal experience through events and activities.

435.  All museums in the region provide educational experiences in one or more ways. Table 14 shows the extent of this provision.

Table 14: Museum Provision in East Midlands Museums (%)

Sample: 94 Registered museums

436.  The main area of provision is to schoolchildren at Key Stages 1 - 3 (5 - 16 years of age) and for adults. The high input into family activities is reflected in market research, where 70% of people identify the museum with family experiences. The lack of engagement with pre-school groups partly reflects the nature of educational provision in the region, as well as supervision issues. The low level of engagement with 16 - 24 year olds is mirrored in market research showing less than 40% of respondents using museums as a study resource. This is disappointing in an age group that has a high level of participation in learning activities.

437.  This volume of education activity is carried out with relatively few resources, illustrated by Table 15. While most have the capacity for direct teaching (linked to the high level of participation by 5 - 16 year olds), less than a third have space for education activities separate from the galleries. Often such spaces have multi-purpose uses, which precludes their use for art, craft and other activities that require 'easy-clean' surfaces. The majority of museums have created handling collections, or have publications targeted at the education market.

Table 15: Museum Facilities Provided by East Midlands Museums (%)

Sample: 94 museums

438.  Resources earmarked for these activities are also scanty. Although more than half of museums are covered by an education policy, many of these are service-wide policies for organisations operating on multiple sites. Although more than half have staff with education responsibilities, only 30% have staff whose duties are primarily educational.

Table 16: Resources for Education in East Midlands Museums (%)