2004-07-06

The value of museums shops

Museums shops all over the world contribute a substantial share to museums budgets, thus helping to defy financial misery of cultural institutions. But they could do even better by en-forcing the perspective of cultural consumers. Facing increasing competition with other cul-tural institutions and leisure facilities, museums will have no choice but to consider the wishes and needs of their visitors more extensively. Our empirical research on that topic started in 2001. On the basis of prior surveys an extensive questionnaire was developed and a series of 110 interviews were carried out.

The results of the survey underline that consumers have profound ideas on how a museumsshop should be managed to increase the consumer-value. The evaluations particularly reveal preferences for place, presentation and supply of museums shops. The respondents care for a distinct atmosphere, a well-organized presenta-tion and a selected supply of aesthetic products. They appreciate strolling through an attrac-tive shop which reflects the ambitious ideas of the museum and sustains from pure money-making as a souvenir shop. An undue commercialization could even damage the reputation of the museum by leaving the visitor off with a final bad impression. However, a well-managed museumsshop may extend the pleasure of consuming arts and attract new visitors. Our re-search shows that the value of museums shops encompasses more than one point of view. The supplier as well as the consumer can profit by a proper management. As a part of the service facilities, the shop may intensify the art experience of the visitors. Therefore, considering the needs and wishes of cultural consumers will help the museums shops to improve their efforts and to add their share to the budget.

Download of the complete study: http://www.artsmanagement.net/downloads/museumsshops.pdf

A case study by Ingrid Gottschalk and H. Melanie Holly, University of Hohenheim (Stuttgart, Germany), 2002