GNMP Museum officially has an entry fee as of today.

[garyjd]

Re: GNMP Museum officially has an entry fee as of today.

It seems to always come down to the mighty dollar. I thnk we need to start getting in touch with our Congressmen, Senators, etc. Something smells here and the air needs to be cleared. My wife and I plan on attending Rememberance day activies in November and I think I might just pass on going to the new visitor's center. ~Gary

[Court Micker]

Re: GNMP Museum officially has an entry fee as of today.

Amen, Gary.

In reference to my previous post - GNMP claimed at the onset of the project to be able to display 9/10 of their artifact collection but currently only display 1/10. Wouldn't it be a novel and relatively simple idea to utilize one of the old buildings as an artifact museum where people must pay in order to see the collection? The cyclorama building is considered to be an architectural landmark and there is currently a pending lawsuit over its destruction. So why not utilize the building as this specified museum and actually abide by the congressional mandate? I'm sick of dishonesty affecting the people.

Just a thought on another thought.

[Jimmayo]

Re: GNMP Museum officially has an entry fee as of today.

Amen, Gary.

In reference to my previous post - GNMP claimed at the onset of the project to be able to display 9/10 of their artifact collection but currently only display 1/10. Wouldn't it be a novel and relatively simple idea to utilize one of the old buildings as an artifact museum where people must pay in order to see the collection? The cyclorama building is considered to be an architectural landmark and there is currently a pending lawsuit over its destruction. So why not utilize the building as this specified museum and actually abide by the congressional mandate? I'm sick of dishonesty affecting the people.

Just a thought on another thought.

I like that idea. Keep the tourists bunched at the other fest event.

[Sgt. Bill Tyrell]

Re: GNMP Museum officially has an entry fee as of today.

Their overall visitation will drop but at $7.50 per entry of those who do go in they may make up some of their deficiit. I have been in the museum 3 times this past year as I have visited the old center on an annual basis for more than 30 years. A lot of regular visitors to Gettysburg N M P would be included in their visitation counts. I don't know what percentage of the total visitors are people like me who drop into the center from time to time for even a few minutes to see particular items on display or to just check out something remembered from a past visit. If there are others like me then they will lose visitation counts because I would not be interested in seeing the museum more than once in five years when and if I have the time and inclination to spend $7.50 to see their entire presentation.
Many others have reviewed the museum and listed the errors and disappointments included in the current presentations, I agree completely with them. It is a fine tourist attraction and ranks with Colonial Williamsburg and Disney World but is in fact much cheaper for a family of four to visit.


Dave Ward
116th Pa. Co. I

[Dignann]

Re: GNMP Museum officially has an entry fee as of today.

I suspect that many folks are rushing to see the newly restored and displayed Cylcorama. Regardless, the fee does not seem to be a deterrent.


Gettysburg park museum fees change again

By ERIN JAMES

The Evening Sun [Hanover, Penn.]
October 14, 2008

The Gettysburg Foundation has a problem officials can't be too upset about.

Since implementing a new fee structure two weeks ago, visitation at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center has been so high that time-sensitive tickets to the movie and Cyclorama are occasionally selling out.

The solution: a $5 museum-only option for visitors.

Demand has been particularly high on weekends, and the foundation made the change in response to feedback from visitors who couldn't get tickets on sold-out days, said foundation spokeswoman Dru Neil.

"It just doesn't seem fair to them to charge them that fee when they can't see all the venues," she said.

The museum-only tickets are available only when showtime tickets have sold out, Neil said.

Neil said the foundation is in "tweaking mode" and other minor changes could be implemented in the future.

And though October is not Gettysburg's peak month for visitation, it is a good indication of how things will run during the summer months. The park sees more visitors only in July, Neil said.

"This is giving us, we believe, a really good picture," she said.

The foundation, which operates and maintains the new visitor center, proposed a new fee structure in August after officials projected a $1.78-million shortfall in revenue as a result of lagging ticket sales to the center's 22-minute movie, "A New Birth of Freedom."

Officials had anticipated a third of visitors buying tickets to the movie and Cyclorama, but only between 18 and 24 percent were doing so on a daily basis.

Adult visitors now pay $7.50 to see all three venues - the movie, Cyclorama and previously free museum exhibits.

Neil rejected the implication that charging $5 for the museum means the movie and Cyclorama venues are worth only $2.50.

None of the venues is more important than the others, she said.

"We really believe that seeing all three of those venues is what makes your visit better," Neil said.

But when tickets sell out, the foundation needed an option for visitors who can't make it back the next day, she said.

For children, museum-only tickets cost $3.

The foundation is also examining the problem of long waits between the time visitors purchase tickets and their showtimes, she said.

"We just have to keep watching it," Neil said. "We're constantly tweaking things."

http://www.eveningsun.com/ci_10718310

Eric

[JohnTaylorCW]

Re: GNMP Museum officially has an entry fee as of today.

Just curious - If you have a NPS annual pass, does that cover all or part of the VC admission fee?

[zouavecampaigner]

Re: GNMP Museum officially has an entry fee as of today.

Just curious - If you have a NPS annual pass, does that cover all or part of the VC admission fee?

Good question. If the fee is paid to the NPS, you should get a discount. If the fee is paid to the Gettysburg Foundation, however, you might not....

And Court, as for the "Witness Tree Walking Sticks" mentioned earlier, they're being made and sold by an NPS Ranger, actually. Talk about conflict of interest, eh?

Regards,
Shaun Grenan