How much do people spend when visiting museums?
AAM’s 2006 Museum Financial Information survey found that the median cost for museum admission is $6, but that more than one-third charge no admission at all. On average, visitors spend an additional $1.55 in museum stores and $.81 for food service. This earned income, however, covers only a fraction of a museum’s cost of serving its visitors. The median cost of serving a visitor is $23.35. A museum’s earned income generates only about one-third of this amount. Private charitable donations are the largest source of operating income for museums (about 35%). Government funding provides just under 25%, and investment income about 10%. The 2006 Museum Financial Information survey is available in the AAM Bookstore.
