Open Forum

Wow!  Alot of discussion and great inputs/ideas. Thanks for sharing. I currently have a working group which we are reviewing stats for "no show" rates back 4 years in order to establish a trend analysis.  Also working with other Museum's in D.C. who are experiencing the same issue.  

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Dana Carroll
Director of Museum Services
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Washington DC
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Hi Dana,

We don't have many no-shows, but they do happen.

Museum Admission is free for school groups/organized youth groups and they are the most frequent no-shows. 

We do require reservations 21 days in advance for a field trip which uses our Museum Programs staff. We also request payment in advance and adjust numbers on arrival. Groups can book with us as late as 1 day in advance, based on availability of space/tickets for visits which include Museum, IMAX or Planetarium - and we do try to get that payment in advance even then. Many school districts have switched to p-cards (purchasing credit cards) for paying for expenses and prepayment goes quite smoothly. 

We also send an email - "Your field trip is just around the corner!" 14 days in advance of the DOV. This letter has logistics and reconfirms the reservation. It also has the Museum phone number info in it prominently and multiple places. 

Stay in touch with groups for best results!

Best,

Stephanie

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Stephanie Wood
Director of Guest Services
Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Denver CO
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