An Exploratory Study of the Implications of Free Admission to Museums and Monuments: The Public's Perceptions and Effects on Their Visiting Behavior

Abstract

What perceptions do the French public have of free admission to museums and monuments, both as visitors and non-visitors? What are the consequences of such perceptions on individuals' interpretations, their projects for visiting and behavior patterns vis-à-vis museums and monuments? This research attempts to answer these questions by multiangulation, combining various methods of data production and analysis. The results show that free admission alters the public's perceptions of museums and monuments, making it a secondary consideration in planning and implementing a visit, and that the experience of a free visit can spark a learning process that results in the appropriation of a free admission scheme. Our conclusions primarily focus on the need to enhance the public's involvement in the visit and explain the reasons for free admission.