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Press Release
August 28, 2008
The National Park Service (NPS) and the Gettysburg Foundation have released a proposal for public comment to collect a single admission fee to all the venues at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center.
The single admission charge would cover the museum exhibits, “A New Birth of Freedom” film, and the restored Cyclorama Painting. The fee would be collected by the Foundation, to cover the cost of operations of the museum facility. Admission to the Visitor Center portion of the facility and numerous other visitor opportunities in the park would remain free.
The proposed new “all-in-one fee” would allow members of the public to visit the museum galleries, see the film, “A New Birth of Freedom,” and experience the Cyclorama painting program with one ticket. The new ticket would allow the Foundation to lower its fees, creating a higher value for park visitors and allowing visitors multiple opportunities to enjoy the venues during the day of their visit.
The proposed fee for the three combined venues would be significantly less than the current fees structure for the theater and Cyclorama programs—from $12 per adult for the film and Cyclorama program to $7.50 per adult for the museum galleries, the film, and the Cyclorama program, with additional discounts for student and adult groups, and youths.
“Although this proposal increases the cost of a visit to Gettysburg NMP by those visitors who would not choose to experience either the theater or the Cyclorama program, it does provide the majority of our visitors with a better visitor experience, by making the theater and Cyclorama programs more affordable,” said Gettysburg NMP Superintendent John A. Latschar. “In essence, the proposal spreads the burden of supporting the new facility across a wider percentage of park visitors.”
The majority of the visitor experience at Gettysburg National Military Park would remain free. The park does not have an entrance fee, so the entire battlefield is available for visitors to explore and enjoy at their leisure, at no charge. In the new facility, there is no charge to enter and use the Visitor Center, the Refreshment Saloon, the Museum Store, the Theater and Museum Lobbies (which contain numerous exhibits), the Resource Room, or the Ford Motor Company Fund Education Center.
There is no charge for parking while visiting the Museum and Visitor Center, or for the numerous NPS Ranger programs provided in the height of the visitor season. Students, scholars and visitors could still conduct research in the park’s archival and museum collections, by appointment.
Long-term agreements between the NPS and the Foundation require the Foundation to operate the Museum and Visitor Center on behalf of the NPS for twenty years at no cost to the NPS. The Foundation’s annual operating budget for the Museum and Visitor Center depends upon three primary sources of revenues: commissions from sales in the museum store, commissions from sales in the museum café, known as the Refreshment Saloon, and ticket revenues from the film theaters and Cyclorama program.
To date, the museum store, operated by Event Network under contract to the Gettysburg Foundation, is performing ahead of projections. The Refreshment Saloon, operated by Aramark under contract to the Gettysburg Foundation, is performing slightly below projections. The film theaters, however, are operating well short of projections. On an annualized basis, the theaters are operating $1,784,780 short of projections -- well below the percentages necessary to allow the Foundation to meet its financial obligations to the bank, for adequate operations and maintenance of the facility, to meet its reserve requirements, or to meet its donation requirements to the NPS.
"The April opening of the Museum and Visitor Center was very successful, and we continue to receive visitor comments thanking us for what we have done to advance their understanding of Gettysburg," said Robert C. Wilburn, president of the Gettysburg Foundation. "To ensure continued success, we want to reach as many people as possible, allowing them to understand these important events and allowing us to fulfill our mission and support the National Park Service."
During the first four months of operation of the new facility, the percentage of visitors choosing to view the film has ranged from 18 percent to 24 percent. The Foundation’s pro formas were based on 33 percent of the visitors choosing to buy tickets.
By charging a single fee to all three venues, the NPS and the Foundation would: substantially increase the percentage of visitors willing to pay the lower fee, thus improving the Foundation’s ability to meet its financial goals; substantially lower the cost of the fee venues thus creating a higher value for park visitors; and allow visitors multiple opportunities to enjoy the venues throughout their visit.
The Gettysburg Foundation would also offer an annual pass providing unlimited admission to all three venues for $32 per person or $63 per family. The annual pass would include a complimentary membership in the Friends of Gettysburg.
The first phase of the partnership between the NPS and the Foundation has been successfully accomplished. The Foundation secured all funding required to design and construct the new Museum and Visitor Center facility for Gettysburg NMP. The new facility is solving long-term park problems associated with (1) preservation of the park's museum collections, (2) preservation and display of the 1884 Cyclorama painting, (3) provision of a museum complex to provide visitors with an understanding of the significance of the Battle of Gettysburg within the context of the causes and consequences of the American Civil War, and (4) removal of two outdated visitor facilities and rehabilitation of the historic battle landscapes upon which the buildings currently reside.
The proposal is available on the park’s website, www.nps.gov/gett . The opportunity for the public comment extends for thirty days, ending September 29, 2008. In addition, a public workshop has been scheduled for 7:00 pm, Thursday, September 18, at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center, 1195 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg, to present information and answer questions from the public.
Interested members of the public may comment in writing to the Superintendent, Gettysburg National Military Park, 1195 Baltimore Pike, Suite 100, Gettysburg, PA 17325, or by email to GETT_Superintendent@nps.gov. All comments must be received by September 29, 2008.
Eric
August 28, 2008
Gettysburg Museum Proposes Fee Changes
After Too Many Skip Movie
After Too Many Skip Movie
The National Park Service (NPS) and the Gettysburg Foundation have released a proposal for public comment to collect a single admission fee to all the venues at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center.
The single admission charge would cover the museum exhibits, “A New Birth of Freedom” film, and the restored Cyclorama Painting. The fee would be collected by the Foundation, to cover the cost of operations of the museum facility. Admission to the Visitor Center portion of the facility and numerous other visitor opportunities in the park would remain free.
The proposed new “all-in-one fee” would allow members of the public to visit the museum galleries, see the film, “A New Birth of Freedom,” and experience the Cyclorama painting program with one ticket. The new ticket would allow the Foundation to lower its fees, creating a higher value for park visitors and allowing visitors multiple opportunities to enjoy the venues during the day of their visit.
The proposed fee for the three combined venues would be significantly less than the current fees structure for the theater and Cyclorama programs—from $12 per adult for the film and Cyclorama program to $7.50 per adult for the museum galleries, the film, and the Cyclorama program, with additional discounts for student and adult groups, and youths.
“Although this proposal increases the cost of a visit to Gettysburg NMP by those visitors who would not choose to experience either the theater or the Cyclorama program, it does provide the majority of our visitors with a better visitor experience, by making the theater and Cyclorama programs more affordable,” said Gettysburg NMP Superintendent John A. Latschar. “In essence, the proposal spreads the burden of supporting the new facility across a wider percentage of park visitors.”
The majority of the visitor experience at Gettysburg National Military Park would remain free. The park does not have an entrance fee, so the entire battlefield is available for visitors to explore and enjoy at their leisure, at no charge. In the new facility, there is no charge to enter and use the Visitor Center, the Refreshment Saloon, the Museum Store, the Theater and Museum Lobbies (which contain numerous exhibits), the Resource Room, or the Ford Motor Company Fund Education Center.
There is no charge for parking while visiting the Museum and Visitor Center, or for the numerous NPS Ranger programs provided in the height of the visitor season. Students, scholars and visitors could still conduct research in the park’s archival and museum collections, by appointment.
Long-term agreements between the NPS and the Foundation require the Foundation to operate the Museum and Visitor Center on behalf of the NPS for twenty years at no cost to the NPS. The Foundation’s annual operating budget for the Museum and Visitor Center depends upon three primary sources of revenues: commissions from sales in the museum store, commissions from sales in the museum café, known as the Refreshment Saloon, and ticket revenues from the film theaters and Cyclorama program.
To date, the museum store, operated by Event Network under contract to the Gettysburg Foundation, is performing ahead of projections. The Refreshment Saloon, operated by Aramark under contract to the Gettysburg Foundation, is performing slightly below projections. The film theaters, however, are operating well short of projections. On an annualized basis, the theaters are operating $1,784,780 short of projections -- well below the percentages necessary to allow the Foundation to meet its financial obligations to the bank, for adequate operations and maintenance of the facility, to meet its reserve requirements, or to meet its donation requirements to the NPS.
"The April opening of the Museum and Visitor Center was very successful, and we continue to receive visitor comments thanking us for what we have done to advance their understanding of Gettysburg," said Robert C. Wilburn, president of the Gettysburg Foundation. "To ensure continued success, we want to reach as many people as possible, allowing them to understand these important events and allowing us to fulfill our mission and support the National Park Service."
During the first four months of operation of the new facility, the percentage of visitors choosing to view the film has ranged from 18 percent to 24 percent. The Foundation’s pro formas were based on 33 percent of the visitors choosing to buy tickets.
By charging a single fee to all three venues, the NPS and the Foundation would: substantially increase the percentage of visitors willing to pay the lower fee, thus improving the Foundation’s ability to meet its financial goals; substantially lower the cost of the fee venues thus creating a higher value for park visitors; and allow visitors multiple opportunities to enjoy the venues throughout their visit.
The Gettysburg Foundation would also offer an annual pass providing unlimited admission to all three venues for $32 per person or $63 per family. The annual pass would include a complimentary membership in the Friends of Gettysburg.
The first phase of the partnership between the NPS and the Foundation has been successfully accomplished. The Foundation secured all funding required to design and construct the new Museum and Visitor Center facility for Gettysburg NMP. The new facility is solving long-term park problems associated with (1) preservation of the park's museum collections, (2) preservation and display of the 1884 Cyclorama painting, (3) provision of a museum complex to provide visitors with an understanding of the significance of the Battle of Gettysburg within the context of the causes and consequences of the American Civil War, and (4) removal of two outdated visitor facilities and rehabilitation of the historic battle landscapes upon which the buildings currently reside.
The proposal is available on the park’s website, www.nps.gov/gett . The opportunity for the public comment extends for thirty days, ending September 29, 2008. In addition, a public workshop has been scheduled for 7:00 pm, Thursday, September 18, at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center, 1195 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg, to present information and answer questions from the public.
Interested members of the public may comment in writing to the Superintendent, Gettysburg National Military Park, 1195 Baltimore Pike, Suite 100, Gettysburg, PA 17325, or by email to GETT_Superintendent@nps.gov. All comments must be received by September 29, 2008.
Eric
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