GPO Witness History Museum

Bistoman

I had a peak inside the GPO last week, The Museum was only open for VIP's and the like, from what I could see, It looks like they did a great job in the construction and fitting out of this totally new attraction I the center of Dublin.
And seeing the events coming up over the next month I was very excited about the whole idea of walking around the GPO and seeing an interactive screen depicting the events of that week.
Now for the moan. This is all part of the €22 million that the state is paying out for the centenary commemorations if the Rising, So why am I and You asked to pay an extra €10 to enter when the state has already paid? Now I was expecting some form of charge if it was an AnPost investment, Its not, Its the Flagship event announced by Alex White a few years ago.

Am I just being petty Or is this just one more thing we just have to get used to paying?

http://www.gpowitnesshistory.ie/

tac foley

It's nothing to have to pay to see you own history. Have you been to New Grange recently? :O

tac

Bistoman

tac foley wrote: »

It's nothing to have to pay to see you own history. Have you been to New Grange recently? :O

tac

The point is it was paid for by the taxpayer.

tac foley

And so was the 'New Grange Experience'. You don't imagine that the builders put up the visitors' centre, shop, car parks and restaurant, let alone the interpretative trails and the fancy decor?

tac

Bistoman

tac foley wrote: »

And so was the 'New Grange Experience'. You don't imagine that the builders put up the visitors' centre, shop, car parks and restaurant, let alone the interpretative trails and the fancy decor?

tac

Its run By the OPW, Who also run the main Museums in Dublin, Who Don't Charge anything for entry.
I haven't been to newgrange in Years, But I bet it didn't cost the taxpayer €22 Million to upgrade.

tac foley

I'm wrong. I beg your pardon.

tac

kildarejohn

Bistoman wrote: »

, I was very excited about the whole idea of walking around the GPO and seeing an interactive screen depicting the events of that week.

Personally, I don't find interactive screens exciting, I can play interactive games at home any day. What I find interesting in museums/visitor centres is real artefacts, displayed in realistic context. From the previews of the GPO exhibition on TV, it seems to have some artefacts or good replicas, but set in a modern building that could be anywhere, no sense of being in the real GPO.

jonniebgood1

Bistoman wrote: »

I had a peak inside the GPO last week, The Museum was only open for VIP's and the like, from what I could see, It looks like they did a great job in the construction and fitting out of this totally new attraction I the center of Dublin.
And seeing the events coming up over the next month I was very excited about the whole idea of walking around the GPO and seeing an interactive screen depicting the events of that week.
Now for the moan. This is all part of the €22 million that the state is paying out for the centenary commemorations if the Rising, So why am I and You asked to pay an extra €10 to enter when the state has already paid? Now I was expecting some form of charge if it was an AnPost investment, Its not, Its the Flagship event announced by Alex White a few years ago.

Am I just being petty Or is this just one more thing we just have to get used to paying?

http://www.gpowitnesshistory.ie/

Of course there is an entry fee for this type of a centre. I have to say that having visited other countries flagship museums as a tourist and paid for that pleasure I can never understand why so many Dublin museums do not have an entrance fee. Concessions for Kids groups etc are a good idea but why should wealthy tourists for example have their museum trips subsidised by ordinary Irish tax payers- madness.

I have seen some countries that have a dual entry system where natives of that country pay less than tourists- this would seem more like what should be done if we want to encourage Irish people to visit these exhibits, not simply free for everyone.

carltonleon

Bistoman wrote: »

Its run By the OPW, Who also run the main Museums in Dublin, Who Don't Charge anything for entry.
I haven't been to newgrange in Years, But I bet it didn't cost the taxpayer €22 Million to upgrade.

It's actually being run by Shannon Heritage and not the OPW as far as I can tell.


https://www.shannonheritage.com/NewsItems/Title,13804,en.html

tac foley

Well, it's getting on a bit, right? Slap of white emulsion on the entrance stones, buff up the bits that can be seen, and bob is your father's brother.

I'm kidding, of course.

I've rarely been so impressed with a site as the complex on the Boyne.

I even bought ELEVEN books in the bookstore.

tac

recedite

jonniebgood1 wrote: »

I have seen some countries that have a dual entry system where natives of that country pay less than tourists- this would seem more like what should be done if we want to encourage Irish people to visit these exhibits, not simply free for everyone.

I've seen that and its a bad idea. It leaves a bad taste for the tourist. Theres nothing like knowing you are being charged more than the locals for giving you that ripped off feeling, no matter what the price is.

IMO facilities that stimulate or improve the physical and intellectual capabilities of the public should be free (or only a nominal charge) at the point of use. Including libraries, museums, schools. And on the more physical side; public parks, mountains, forests and beaches. In the last few years they started charging €4 or €5 to park at Brittas Bay and Glendalough car parks, which is just racketeering.

Regarding the OP though, I presume it is possible that the state would pay all or most of the costs to build a specific attraction, but that same attraction could still need some ongoing maintenance funding, which could come in part from a nominal admission charge.

whisky_galore

recedite wrote: »

I've seen that and its a bad idea. It leaves a bad taste for the tourist. Theres nothing like knowing you are being charged more than the locals for giving you that ripped off feeling, no matter what the price is.

I've seen this also and what is a pittance for a tourist visiting an attraction in SE Asia is a lot of money for a local. If it helps with the upkeep and its a well presented museum or whatever I don't particularly mind paying a bit more.
But I don't think dual pricing would work here tbf. And not every tourist that comes to these shores is loaded, backpackers/students etc.

I think we cod ourselves sometimes marketing this country as a 'heritage' destination compared to other countries when we've done so much over the years to degrade or destroy that heritage through lack of funding, indifference, insensitive new builds or downright neglect.

jonniebgood1

whisky_galore wrote: »

I think we cod ourselves sometimes marketing this country as a 'heritage' destination compared to other countries when we've done so much over the years to degrade or destroy that heritage through lack of funding, indifference, insensitive new builds or downright neglect.

True- Newgrange mentioned earlier in the thread is often seen as a well presented site but its current presentation is hugely questionable in terms of authenticity. Probably a subject for a separate thread.

I would agree that dual pricing would not work here, I mentioned it to establish a point. But I do think that museums in government control should have entrance fees for reasons already mentioned. Let alone that it also disincentivises private operators who may develop visitor attractions when larger government tax payer backed attractions have no entrance fees.

ianobrien

I went today and I thought it was well worth going to see. There was enough "touchy feeley" stuff to keep the kids entertained. I like the way it focused on the GPO and also tried to put the rising in a global context (first place I heard or saw that being done). I think it was better than the Collins Barracks 1916 exhibition overall.

Would i recommend going to see it, yes. Did I think it was worth a tenner, probably not when the Collins Barracks one is free.

uck51js9zml2yt

Looking at the prices, they seem reasonable enough. You even have the option of a guided tour for the price as far as I can see.

The state may have paid for it to be set up but wages need to be paid and the lights kept on.