Some museums and art galleries require visitors to pay for an additional fee while the others are free of charge. From my observation, I think the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages, which I will explain in the essay below.
Granted, one might argue that there should not have entry charging fees since what is seen valuable when visiting these places are the cultural experiences and a different look into our ancestors’ life. With no entrance fee, there is a high possibility that people and tourists may visit these cultural institutions to broaden their horizon and gain more insights into the life of ancient people, which act as a factor for an increase in local tourism. Added to this is the fact that free entry is suitable for students and families with low income, enhancing the opportunities for individuals to have an enthralling adventure into how primitive people survived in the past.
However, there are more justifiable reasons for museums and galleries to levy admission fees. If museums have no charging fees, there will be a lack on the money for the improvement and transformation of facilities. A museum or gallery with no aesthetic statues, samples or captivating pictures cannot attract the visitors to pay for a visit, leading to a decline in the number of tourists. That is not to mention about operational cost, government tax and security measures cost in case of accidents. These costs are seen as compulsory fees for a business to operate normally, so without instituting an admission fee, the institutions cannot provide a safe and stable environment for tourists to admire the beauty of the old people’s life.
In conclusion, I am of the opinion that the merits of museums and galleries charging additional entry cost outweigh the demerits, stating the requirement for improving facilities and some basic costs for operations
