Should museums and art galleries be free of charge for the general public, or should a charge, even a voluntary charge, be levied for admittance? Discuss this issue and give your opinion.

Sample 1:

People have argued about the entrance fee to museums and art galleries. Some people believe that it should be free of charge for the public, while others think that there should be an entrance fee. The following essay will explain these contradictory opinions in detail, but in my point of view, I do believe that there should be levied for admittance.

For a number of reasons, many people believe that the public should not be charged with any kind of fee when they enter museums or art galleries. Firstly, these sites have been funded by the government through taxes that were paid by residents. When museums and art galleries charge entrance fees, it means that people are paying double charges. Secondly, although these places contain historical and artistic artefacts, these places are not popular and attractive places. When these museums and galleries charge some fees, it is predicted that there will be fewer people who will visit these places.

On the other hand, another group of people think that the public should be charged with either voluntary or admittance fees when they visit a museum or an art gallery. These people believe that by charging visitors with a certain amount of fees, it educates them to appreciate the value of history and arts. Besides that, these fees can be used to reduce subsidies that have been given by the government. The fund could be relocated by the government for other important matters such as education, public health or transportation.

In conclusion, people often debate about the entrance fee of museums or art galleries. Several people think that there should not be any charges for visitors, while others disagree. I personally believe that there should be proportionate charges for people when they enter the museum or an art gallery, as the fund could be used to cover the operational expense of these places and reduce the subsidy from the government. 

Sample 2:

One very complex issue in today’s world is the funding of museums and art galleries. There is an argument that they should be free to the general public and funded by governments, but there is also a case for saying that they should charge an entrance fee like other attractions. In this essay, I am going to examine both sides of this issue.

Those who argue that museums should be free typically make one of two arguments. The first argument is that institutions like museums are a public service and therefore there should be free access to the man in the street. If for example there was a charge, only the wealthy could afford to enjoy works of art. The second argument is that if they did levy a charge, fewer people would go to museums. This would be serious as they are educational institutions and standards would fall.

In contrast, there is only one major argument on the other side of the debate. This is that both museums and art galleries need to charge an entrance fee if they are to survive in the modern world. Governments do not have sufficient funds to subsidise all such institutions and there are other priorities for public money. Therefore, these galleries and museums need to charge their customers not only to survive but to update their exhibitions and make new purchases. By way of illustration, the Tate Modern in London could not have been founded without revenue from admissions.

My personal position is that there is no clear answer to this question as there are such strong arguments on both sides. Perhaps it is possible for some museums and galleries to charge fees and for others not to. 

Sample 3:

Museums and art galleries are vital cultural institutions that provide education and inspiration to the public. The debate over whether these institutions should be free of charge or levy an admission fee is ongoing. While some argue that free access is essential for inclusivity and education, others contend that charging admission is necessary for the maintenance and development of these institutions. This essay will discuss both viewpoints and provide my opinion on the matter.

Firstly, making museums and art galleries free of charge ensures that everyone, regardless of financial status, has access to cultural and educational resources. This inclusivity can foster a more educated and culturally aware society. For example, the British Museum in London offers free admission and attracts millions of visitors each year, including students and low-income families who might otherwise be unable to afford the experience. Free access removes financial barriers and encourages a diverse audience to engage in art and history, which can lead to a more enlightened and cohesive society.

On the other hand, charging admission fees can provide essential funding for the upkeep and enhancement of museums and art galleries. These institutions often rely on ticket sales to finance exhibitions, maintain facilities, and support educational programs. For instance, the Louvre in Paris charges an entrance fee, which helps fund the preservation of its extensive collection and the organisation of world-class exhibitions. Without this revenue, many museums might struggle to maintain high standards or even keep their doors open. Additionally, a voluntary charge system, where visitors can donate according to their means, could balance the need for funding with the goal of accessibility.

In conclusion, while both approaches have their merits, I believe that museums and art galleries should be free to ensure universal access to cultural and educational resources. To address funding needs, these institutions could implement a voluntary donation system or seek alternative funding sources, such as government grants or corporate sponsorships.

Sample 4:

There is a strong argument to be made for charging an entry fee to public venues dedicated to the arts, but there is also a case in favour of making them free, as will now be discussed.

Primarily, the decision to charge for certain forms of entertainment yet offer others without cost to the visitor requires a degree of subjective judgement about their worth. For some, a museum is far more important than a trip to the cinema, yet it could be argued that they are equally deserving forms of artistic entertainment.

In addition, there are far more deserving areas that are in desperate need of funding, such as healthcare. The cultural importance of looking at art simply does not equate with the importance of ensuring that citizens are healthy. In many countries, a visit to a museum is free, yet the cost of a university education is prohibitive.

Yet these points must be balanced with the understanding that unlike other forms of entertainment, the number of people visiting museums who would be willing to pay a significant entry fee is low. Given the choice of a museum trip or surfing the internet, the majority of people in recent generations would likely opt for the latter, meaning that the galleries would be forced to close if they were not funded.

To conclude, although there would be clear benefits to charging a fee for entry to such artistic venues, it is unlikely that one would be levied as this would almost certainly result in their closure. The best course of action at this point would be entry by donation, rather than a fixed fee.

Sample 5:

With this, I am totally in favor that there should be a charge levied for the entry to such places and can justify the same with numerous reasons.

To begin with, I would like to say that anything which comes for free does not have much value. If the entry is made free no one would understand the importance of such places. Moreover, people would then visit such places just for pastime and the core reason of opening such places will not be met. I remember in 2009, entry to Kolkata Museum was made free for a month and the museum almost turned into a park because people started visiting the museum and made it a place to loiter around. Consequently, the government had to start charging the entry fees again.

Not only that, but entry to such places also brings a lot of revenue to government which is used for their maintenance. If this revenue is stopped, the government will have to start financing for the same which otherwise could have been used elsewhere. According to a report published by the finance ministry in India in 2010, an amount of 20 million was spent on the repair of Nehru Museum where entry was free.

To sum up, I would say that these places should be given special care, and their importance needs to be intact. With this, putting an end to entry fees to such places is not a good idea. No one would value diamonds if they were as easily available as stones. These places are no less than diamonds for the country.

Sample 6:

Museums and art galleries all around the world provide people with the opportunity to view and experience historical information. Even though these places hold priceless artefacts, an important issue resides around the accessibility and whether or not they should be free. In my opinion, museums and art galleries should reserve the right to charge a fee upon entry just like many other attractions.

To begin with, there are many people who hold the view that museums should be free for key reasons. Firstly, museums are public services and therefore should be available to anyone without the restriction of monetary funds. Also, they argue that fewer people would visit if a fee was required at entry. For example, only the wealthy or people with more disposable income could af ord the enjoyment of visiting museums. Consequently, this group see the negative af ects clearly of charging a fee for museums.

In contrast, many people see that charging a fee is important for any museum or art gallery. They see that the value of the artefacts held in these places deserve to be valued by the general public. In addition, governments generally do not have sufficient money to fund such institutions, and as a result, other priorities are made rather than art galleries and museums. For instance, by charging a fee, these places could also purchase more artefacts and maintain the services much better. For this reason, they see charging a fee as necessary.

In my opinion, it is clear that the benefits of charging a fee greatly outweigh the benefits of providing free access. Usually, the entry fees are not high, or not too high for most people, which means that as long as the fees are reasonably low a high percentage of the population could still visit these institutions.

To summarize, the topic of providing access to museums and art galleries free of charge will always be a topic for intense discussion, it is important to recognise the larger and longer-term benefits that these institutions bring to the world.