Many museums charge for admission while others are free. Do you think the advantages of charging people for admission to museums outweigh the disadvantages?

Museums of different kinds, exhibiting objects of historical, cultural and scientific values have always enjoyed great significance in the society.

However

, most of these museums, in recent years, do not provide free access to the visitors.

Although

this

change might lead to a negative consequence,

such

as a decline in the number of visitors, it definitely offers more benefits to the museum and the society. In my opinion, it is far better to charge an

entry

fee

than allowing anyone and everyone inside for free.

Firstly

, these institutions do not have any source of revenue other than the funds received from the government’s budget.

Thus

, the greatest advantage of

this

development is that the admission charges can actually generate and augment their income, which in turn can be used to pay the salary of the employees working there and

also

for the renovation and conservation of its infrastructure. A good illustration of

this

is the Madame Tussauds Museum in London. Despite the ticket prices being exorbitantly high, it has been drawing tourists because of its quality and innovation.

Furthermore

, the visits of beggars and lovers, who come here for personal objectives and not to understand the real importance of museums will be hindered,

thus

providing a hassle-free

entry

to others who actually want to gain knowledge.

However

, there are a few challenges which the museum and the public might have to face owing to the

entry

fee

.

Firstly

, every citizen has the right to receive access to a place which is culturally and historically important for them;

hence

, in

this

sense, the introduction of the admission

fee

violates their right to knowledge and information. To illustrate, the admission

fee

may stand in the way of poor/financially weak people who are genuinely interested in gathering information. In conclusion, charging an

entry

fee

may certainly reduce the number of people visiting the museum;

however

, it generates revenue which can be used for the proper maintenance of the place. Over time,

this

may actually increase the number of visitors;

hence

, in my opinion, the advantages of collecting a

fee

from the visitors outweigh the disadvantages.