John H. Falk is Director of the Institute for Learning Innovations and likes to think about museums. Recently he conducted a survey of 350 museum users across a small sample of history, nature, science, and traditional museums. He wanted to know if users found that their museum visit enhanced their sense of well-being. He also asked them to estimate the monetary value of their experience. Falk calculates the monetary “value” of the well-being engendered by a day-long visit to a museum is $417.
Director Falk acknowledges that it is a small study which, for now, should be “taken with a grain of salt.” But it matches my personal experience. You can read about it here:
How about you? Leave a comment below about your experience at museums.
Ted Macaluso (@tedmacaluso) is the author of Seeking Cézanne: A Children’s Mystery Inspired by Paul Cézanne and Other Artists. He lives near Washington, D.C.; blogs about art, books, and the craft of writing; and loves coffee.
Ted Macaluso - Author 