(rshsdepot) Batavia, IL

["Jim Dent" <james.dent_@_itochu.com>]

Depot Museum drops fee, adds donations

By ERIC SCHELKOPF
Kane County Chronicle

BATAVIA =97 The Batavia Park District has dropped the idea of charging
admission to the Depot Museum.
Instead, park board commissioners decided Tuesday night to strongly urge
people to give a donation when they visit the museum.
And out-of-town visitors will be urged to give a bigger donation than
Batavia residents.
Commissioners decided to try the donation policy for a year and see how i=
t
works out. They had talked about charging admission to the museum to cove=
r
costs such as staff time.
However, the Batavia Historical Society and Depot Museum Director Carla H=
ill
opposed the idea.
=93We strongly believe that a museum should be available without charge t=
o
visitors, and especially to local residents. Under no circumstances shoul=
d
dues-paying members of the society be expected to pay for the privilege o=
f
viewing the society=92s artifacts, which constitute the museum=92s collec=
tion,=94
said Historical Society President Bert Johnson in a letter to the board.
Johnson also didn=92t think collecting an admission fee would be practica=
l.
=93The museum is staffed during its opening hours by volunteers, many of =
whom
are elderly and have been involved with the museum for many years. We are
certain that it would be repugnant to them if they were to be asked to
enforce an admission policy; indeed we would anticipate losing many of th=
em
if this were to be required,=94 Johnson said in his strongly worded lette=
r.
In addition, both Johnson and Hill also didn=92t think children should be
charged admission.
=93I have worked for many years to build a viable program with the Batavi=
a
schools and I personally do not think that children and their families wh=
o
are being encouraged by their teachers to come to the museum to complete
reports should be charged an admission,=94 Hill said.
Hill suggested the museum ask for donations rather than charge admission.
The museum recently started using a large plastic donation box, which she
said already is filling with more donations than its previous donation ja=
r.
=93We went from a jar to something that is extremely visible. It is havin=
g
quite an impact,=94 Hill said.
Park District Executive Director Mike Clark said the donation policy =93i=
s a
fair compromise for now. With an admission fee, there also is a higher
expectation level, such as you would have to change the exhibits more. It=
 is
really not advantageous to have an admission charge.=94

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