Houston on the Cheap
Can we call it a funcession? Museum, rodeo attendance up with economy down
Admission is up at the always free Menil...Courtesy photo
...and at special events at the CAM
They say every gray cloud has a silver lining. When it comes to this recession, that lining might be people rediscovering the cheap and free attractions that Houston has to offer.
The Wall Street Journal reports that museums nationwide got a big bump in attendance in 2009, according to figures gathered by the American Association of Museums.
Compared with recent years, AAM estimates that 57% of museums saw attendance rise (including a quarter who reported significant gains between five and 20 percent), although this increase didn't necessarily translate into greater revenue. Several Houston museums report that they have seen an increase in visitors as well.
Analysts speculate that the increase is due partly to people forgoing exotic vacations, opting instead to check out the cultural offerings in their own backyard, as well as an uptick in the ranks of the unemployed, who have spare time but little money to spend.
Vance Muse, communications director at The Menil Collection, reports that attendance has swelled up to 2,500 visits per week.
"The Menil’s always-free admissions policy certainly resonates with lots of people these days," Muse says. "I’m sure there is something to say about the appeal of an art museum’s contemplative environment in a troubled world, and that is especially true of the oasis-like Menil."
Meanwhile at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, communications and marketing manager Connie McAllister told CultureMap that exhibition opening attendance numbers are up and family-friendly events like Family Days and Teen Council events are seeing increases as well.
Latha Thomas, vice president of communications and marketing for the Houston Museum of Natural Science said that though HMNS has always been popular with families, they've seen upticks in other demographics as well. "We've had a big increase at events like our Mixers & Elixirs series, which draws a younger crowd. But we've seen museum attendance go up pretty much across the board," said Thomas. "We've also noticed more people are coming in on Tuesday afternoons to take advantage of the free admissions."
Houston's museums are among the most affordable for a major city, with every major museum offering free admission all or part of the time. The Contemporary Arts Museum Houston and The Menil Collection are always free to visit. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston offers free Thursdays and First Sunday; the Children's Museum of Houston has free entrance Thursday evenings; and the Houston Museum of Natural Science's permanent collection is free after 2 p.m. on Tuesdays.
Compare that to the $20 entrance fee for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City or the $24 ($28 for non locals) price to get into The Field Museum in Chicago.
It's not just the free attractions that are attracting more visitors here though. Houston's entertainment behemoth, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, is also predicting a record year.
“Fairs and festivals historically have their best years in hard times. People are looking for something they can afford,” Chief Operations Officer Leroy Shafer told the Houston Chronicle. “Our ticket sales are up 4.2 percent over the same time last year. Our auction pre-sales for about half the auctions are up this year. If we have weather equal to last year's, there's no question in my mind we'll set a new all-time record.”
