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Obtain the Best Value from a New York City Museum Visit
>> To get the most out of a museum, it is a good idea to understand what you will be seeing before you arrive. If you don't, your experience can lack richness, especially if the museum overwhelms you with information. With that in mind, here are eight tips on how to get the most value for your time and money when visiting a museum:
- If the museum is huge, decide on what department or departments you want to see, then ignore the rest. Nothing ruins a museum trip more than an overlong stay.
- If visiting the museum's gift shop is an important part of your experience, do it before you explore the museum, not after. To get the best out of life, always do what makes you happy first, when you have the most energy. Besides, gift shops often provide a better preview of a museum's collections than its printed map or other literature.
- A few weeks before your trip, buy books or other media about what you will be seeing and lightly review this material. Forget about becoming a scholar and don't try to memorize all the details! Instead, use this information to familiarize yourself with the exhibit so that when you arrive, you will feel like you're being welcomed into a familiar place.
- Check the museum's website to see if the museum hosts discussions or lectures about the topics of your interest, then make a point of joining! The best part of any experience is meeting new people and being able to converse (exchange information).
- While at a museum, go through the exhibits you like best at least two times. If available, use an audio guide the first time, then double-back without it. Why? Sometimes the flow of a crowd can push you through an exhibit, leaving you with no time to contemplate. When you go through two or three times during the same session, however, you'll sense where you want to spend more time and you can do so without feeling pushed. Best, it takes time to understand new information, so make sure you take that time. That is, after all, what you are paying for!
- To get the most from your experience, carry a notebook, PDA, or voice recorder and jot down "I like [this item] because..." the minute something stimulates you. You'll be surprised at how much conversational power you'll gain by jotting down a few notes! After all, the point of seeing new things is to share your experiences with friends.
- If your budget is really tight, you can name the price of your admission fee when you visit non-profit museums.
- Frequent visits make sense. To do this economically, invest in a membership. Museum memberships typically reduce the admission price, plus they let you bypass long ticket lines. Memberships also offer discounts to the museum's lectures, special programs, and gift shops, providing value that keeps growing.
Questions? Just ask!
Karen Little
Article by Karen Little for www.Littleviews.com. All rights reserved.
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