Ex. 52. Read the text and speak on the ways of improving museum services and ways of attracting people.

In recent years, there have been many changes in the way museums present their exhibits to the public. The days of large, dusty rooms full of glass cases with ‘DO NOT TOUCH’ signs on them are long gone, together with free admission. Until recently, most museums in Britain did not charge admission fees. They received a grant from the government which covered the cost of running the museum. These grants have been abolished or reduced. Consequently, many museums now charge for admission and need to attract large numbers of visitors in order to generate the income to maintain the building, pay the staff, finance research and restoration servicesand buy new exhibits.

In order to persuade people that it is worth paying for a quite expensive admission ticket, museums have tried to make their exhibitions brighter and more appealing. Many museums, especially devoted to science and technology, now have ‘interactive exhibits’ which means that you can learn how a television camera works by actually using one, or operate the controls of an aeroplane and watch the wings and tail move. Such exhibits appeal strongly to children and most museums, in order to encourage children to visit, have special ‘museum trail’ worksheets which direct them to particular exhibits and have questions for children to answer. These worksheets are very popular with school parties. One of the biggest changes to take place in recent years is that large numbers of teachers are now employed by museums. Their task is to prepare material that makes the museum interesting to children and young people and to advice the curator on how to create strong links with schools and colleges.

Museums have also introduced new features which appeal to adults. For example, you can join, for an annual fee, a society linked to your favourite museum which will enable you to visit the museum without paying or to visit at times when it is normally closed, so that you can then admire the exhibits when the crowds have gone. These societies usually publish regular newsletters and organise social events at the museum when you can meet like-minded people. Indeed, because of their need to increase their income, many museums can be hired for social events - a room full of dinosaur skeletons, old locomotives or mummies makes an interesting venue for a party. Many museums now have impressive cafés and restaurants as well as large gift shops selling books, reproductions and models. These are often more crowded than the museum itself. Museums also seek commercial sponsorship as another way of increasing their income. In return for publicity and advertising, large companies will, for example, cover the cost of a special exhibition.

Some museums create a realistic environment into which the visitor can enter. An example of this kind of museum is Jamestown in New England where a seventeenth century village has been recreated. There are actors in seventeenth century dress performing seventeenth century tasks. If you speak to them as you wander around, they will reply using seventeenth century English accents and vocabulary. At Blists Hill Open Air Museum in England an entire street from the early nineteenth century has been re-created and the visitor can enter commercial and industrial premises from the time of the Industrial Revolution and observe working machinery and old methods of production.

a) Make a list of:

1. four ways in which museums try to attract children.

2. three advantages of belonging to a museum society.

3. two museums which are mentioned by name, and create a realistic environment.

b) Find in the text the English for the following phrases:

брать плату за вход, субсидии, покрывать расходы по содержанию музея, платить персоналу, финансировать исследовательские и реставрационные работы, сделать музей более привлекательным, выставлять экспонаты, музей поощряет детей посещать, ежегодный (членский) взнос, увеличивать доход, сувенирный магазин, коммерческое спонсорство, создать реалистичную окружающую обстановку, рабочие механизмы, методы производства.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14