Museum protester hails end of entry fee

Stanley Palmer says charging admission contravened the terms of the Auckland War Memorial Museum's lease. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Auckland Museum's scrapping of its admission-by-donation rule is long overdue, says one man who staunchly opposed it, Mt Eden artist Stanley Palmer.

When the "$5 donation request" was imposed in January 1999, the printmaker created a poster stating "Charges - Shame" which was commercially printed and distributed free to schools, Returned Services Associations and community groups.

Now, it seems, the poster - seen framed on living-room walls and even for sale online - has outlived the reason for its creation.

Yesterday, the Museum Trust Board announced that after a six-month "I'm Free" trial to test the effect on revenue, the time had come to abolish it.

"It's taken a long time," said Palmer. "I campaigned against it because it was illegal under Auckland City Council's lease for the museum land which guaranteed free access.

"It was Auckland War Memorial Museum."

Palmer recalled talk of a legal challenge at one time, but he preferred to see the money that would have been spent on lawyers go instead to helping veterans.

"My father, Jim, was president of the Gallipoli Veterans' Association; an uncle died from wounds received at Sinai in the desert campaign.

"I've always said it is the greatest war memorial in the world.

"Nothing compares with its Pacific and Maori collections and Auckland achieved that when it was the size of Mt Roskill ... they imported stone from the Isle of Wight and put all the names up."

Museum Trust Board chairman Dr William Randall acknowledged that the donation scheme had been a point of contention for Auckland region residents who are obliged by legislation to pay for the museum through council rates.

The levy brings in about $22 million a year, compared with the $7.5 million when the museum brought in the cash registers after 150 years of free entry.

It was an attempt to find money to ensure its displays could compete against other Auckland attractions.

"The museum has wanted to change the admission policy for years," said Dr Randall.

"It belongs to Aucklanders and we want to make this cherished institution as accessible as possible."

Revenue lost will be recouped by raising the admission donation from $5 to $10 for non-Auckland residents.

About 15 per cent of visitors live outside the region and 45 per cent are from overseas.

Museum chief operating officer Les Fleming said: "Our trial shows we should be 5 or 6 per cent up over a whole year in revenue."

Mr Fleming said the March revenue from admissions was 109 per cent of budget and about 95 per cent of what it was the previous year.