SR-6-X (8)
CARS:SEM.MdeH hsihentage cars arts
July 13, 1993
Santa Moruca, Califonna
STAFF REPORT
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TO
Mavor and City Councll
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FROM
Crty Staff
SUBJECT:
Santa Monica Heritage Square Museum
INTRODUCTION
TIns report summanzes the relatIOnship between the CIty and the Santa Monica Heritage
Square Museum and recommends that the Museum be allowed to charge an admissIon fee.
BACKGROUND
In 1977, two lnstoric homes were moved from Ocean Avenue to Mam Street. One became a
restaurant and the creation of a Museum celebrating the City's hentage was encouraged in the
other. The current operating agreement between the CIty of Santa Maruca and the Santa
Monica Hentage Square Museum was entered into on February 10, 1981 The term 15 forty-
four years followed by an unspecIfied amOlmt of succesSIve fifty year periods. In addition to
other conditions, the Museum agreed to require no adnnssIOn charge to the pubhc
COnsIstent tenancy by a cultural mstitutIOn has helped to keep the lnstonc structure m good
condttion and has attracted visitors, including school groups
The Heritage Square Muse1llll has a prod membership of 500 with annual fees to jom rangmg
from the student rate of 520 to the Roy Jones SOCIety rate of $1,000 DonatIOns are actlvely
sought from both private corporatIOns and foundations Recent contributions have been
received from the follO\'Ving donors. Fender Guitar, Merle Norman CosmetICS, Sony MusIC,
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General Telephone. First Federal Bank, The Ahmanson FOlmdatlon, the Peter Norton Farmly
FOlmdation, Warner Brothers and the Laura Lee Woods FOlllldatIon
For the past several years the CIty has provided both cash and m-kmd support to the Santa
Maruca Heritage Square Museum They occupy a Clty-owned lustoric site rent free, free
parking is provided in a CIty lot and the CIty pays for landscape servIces. The MuselUTI has
also receIved City contributIons Most recently the Museum receIved a Santa Moruca CO-
ARTS Grant of $1~500 for exhIbItIon of artist DJ HaIrs pamtmg In FY 91/92 the :Museum
receIved $15,000 from the CIty. In FY 92/93 the Museum receIVed $14,040 from general
fimd accounts For FY93/94~ the CIty ,,,111 reduce the cash support to $12~636
DISCUSSION
Due to a recession mduced reduction m memberships and reductIon ill CIty support~ the Santa
Monica Heritage Square Museum is seekmg new approaches to Its fimd-raising efforts To
that end, they have requested pennisslon from the CIty Council to lnltiate an adnusslOn
charge of $2 00 per person except for c1uldren under 12 Parkmg at the museum would
remain free and no one would be unned away for lack of fimds. Adnusslon charges are a
tradttional source of revenue for most musewns, however, as descnbed earher, the Museum is
proscribed from such revenue sources by thelt contract with the City
On investigation of other local musemn's adnnsslOn prices it ,vas determmed that the $2.00
amount is a lower than average fee and that the maJonty of area musewns charge a small fee
or at least strongly suggest a donation Belm\' IS a chart dtsplaying adnusslon charges for
various local musemns
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MUSEUM
Angel's Atbc
Bowers Museum
Cahforrua Musemn of ScIence and Industry
Craft & Folk Art Museum
J Paul Getty :Mllsemn
Los Angeles County Musewn of Art
Los Angeles County I\1useum of Natural HIstory
Santa Moruca Museum of FlYlllg
Santa Barbara Histoncal Musewn
Santa Moruca Museum of Art
Santa Momca HIstoncal Society
AD~SSION PRICES
ADULT CHILDREN SENIORS
ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS
$4
$450
Free
Free
Free
$6
$5
$5
Free
$3
$2
$3
$3
$2
$150
mandatory fee
mandatory fee
S4 $1 mandator)' fee
S350 $350 mandatory fee
$2 $3 mandatory fee
$2 $2 suggested donatIon
$2 $2 suggested donatIon
* All museums lIsted above are pnvately owned except for Los Angeles County tvluseum of Art, Los Angeles
County Museum of Natural HIstory and Cahfonua Musemn of SCIence and Industry
BUDGETIFINANCIAL
The staff report's recommendatton does not have CIty budget or financIal impact.
RECOMMENDA nON
Due to the valIdity of the Museum's statements regardIng the reduced revenues and the fact
that many other museums charge a basIC admission pnce, it is the oplll1on of staff that the
Museum's request IS not unreasonable. It IS staffs recommendatIon that the City CouncIl
request the CIty Attorney to amend the 1981 operatmg agreement m a manner \\<mch would
allow the museum to instItute a new polIcy allo\\IDg for an admissIon fee of $2.00 to adults
and clnldren admitted at no charge.
Prepared by' Susan McCarthy
Director, Cultural and Recreation Services
Maria Luisa de Herrera
Cultural Arts Adnurustrator
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