Currently, entry to our national museums is free of charge and it has just been announced that, despite the extensive spending cuts which are to be introduced, this policy is set to continue for the near future. If you click here and there on the internet you will find quite a mixed reaction to this policy.

Some people argue that free entry is a non-critical expenditure and that with such drastic spending cuts being introduced in other areas, including in the arts, this too should have been cut. Many people believe that free or discounted entry should only be extended to those who cannot afford it, such as children, the unemployed or senior citizens.

Others argue that museums are a national heritage. How do we draw the line at deciding who would or would not benefit from free entry? They say that free entry should be extended to all and that everybody has a right to enjoy the museums and heritage of our country.

They also state that free entry encourages both adults and children to visit museums and the figures do show that visitor numbers have increased since the introduction of free entry. Those in favour of free entry also see other revenue streams for the museums themselves such as branded souvenirs which can be extremely lucrative for some museums.