It doesn’t surprise me Darren, this govt has to be one of the most rapacious known to man. Laudable when you consider they were critcising the nature of rip-off Britain not so long ago.

Surely place such as Sea Life centers could be taxed under the educational band?

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Good point but I would also tip my hat to the UK government for making all public museums and art galleries free. You pay quite a significant sum to visit the Met in New York ($20 though this is technically a suggested sum, which most people don’t know), the Louvre in Paris, the Uffizi Gallery in Florence and so on.

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With ridiculous fares like the recent “special fares” of $278 ticket + $478 taxes & fees = $756 per person, who’s going to the UK anyway? How do those taxes and fees get so high anyhow?

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Caitlin do you live in London would you by any chance?

In Newcastle (and a recent trip to York) we had to pay for entrances into the mueums.

Art galleries I am not sure because I find those boring (and most kids would I guess too)

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Larry, think yourself lucky that you do not have to live here.

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@Caitlin: I lived in London until 2 years ago but this is news to me. The museum of East Anglian life charge 6.50 entry, so perhaps their generous policy could extend further

There is absolutely nothing I would tip my hat to the UK government for.

@Larry: don’t get me started on taxes

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I think we need to remember that whilst they’re some museums and art galleries which are free, the taxpayer is actually paying, so it’s not really free at all. I live in Liverpool the city for Culture and you would think that they would open up the museums and art galleries for free this year, but they haven’t.

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@Rohan Yes, I live in London but I do occasionally leave to visit other parts of the UK! Free entry outside the capital includes loads of museums outside London – the National Railway Museum, York; the Burrell Collection in Glasgow, the Tate Liverpool, the Imperial War Museum in Manchester, to name a few.

@Garri I’m not familiar with the Museum of East Anglian Life but all the big museums and galleries in London are free. These include the British Museum (which has always been free), the Tate Modern and Britain, the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Science Museum, etc.

@Duane Actually, the free museum and gallery policy is paid for out of national lottery money not taxes. By contrast, taxpayers would directly paid for any waiver of VAT.

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From the Department of Culture, Media & Sport website:

1. The free entry scheme came into effect on 1 December 2001. The museums and
galleries covered are:

London
· Science Museum
· Natural History Museum
· Victoria & Albert Museum
· Imperial War Museum
· National Maritime Museum in Greenwich – including the Royal Observatory and Queen’s House, Greenwich
· Museum of London

Regions
· National Railway Museum in York
· Royal Armouries in Leeds and Fort Nelson
· Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester
· The Zoological Museum in Tring, Hertfordshire
· The National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside – including The Liverpool Museum, The Walker Art Gallery, The Merseyside Maritime Museum, the Lady Lever Art Gallery, Sudley House, The Conversation Centre and HM Customs and Excise National Museum.
· National Coal Mining Museum for England in Wakefield (went free from 8 April 2002)
· Imperial War Museum North in Manchester (opened free in July 2002)

2. The Government sponsored national museums that were already free are:
· British Museum
· Geffrye Museum
· Horniman Museum and Gardens
· National Gallery
· National Museum of Childhood, Bethnal Green
· National Museum of Photography, Film and Television, Bradford
· National Portrait Gallery
· Sir John Soane’s Museum
· Tate Britain, Tate Modern and Tate Liverpool
· Wallace Collection

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@Caitlin: Sorry, my misunderstanding. Your original post stated ‘all’ public galleries and museums are free.

I lived just over the river from Tate Britain for 20 years and in all that time it was free, except for special exhibitions which you had to pay. I never even had to pay for transport as I could walk there

So I wouldn’t have attributed the free policy to this current government. In fact, I’m surprised they’re allowing these places to still be free

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@Garri I could be wrong but I believe the Museum of East Anglian Life is technically a private museum, though it is a registered charity. By ‘public museum’ I didn’t just mean that the public could attend. According to its website it receives lottery money, though this is for maintenance and development rather than ticket subsidies.

The museums listed under the first point are free as of the current government policy. The museums listed under the second point, including the Tate, have been free for longer but receive government support.

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I suspect that Sea Life Centre is being somewhat economical with the truth. A lot of other European countries apply their standard rate of VAT to tourist attractions (not necessarily cultural institutions like museums), and you could argue whether the Sea Life Centre is principally a money-making attraction or principally a cultural/scientific institution. And while the standard rate of VAT in the UK is 17.5%, in Belgium it is 21%.
There is a lot of moaning in the UK about “we have the highest this and that” in Europe, when people are not in fact aware of the real facts. They seem to assume that any they read in a so-called newspaper or hear on TV must be true, and repeat what they have heard as if it were.
Plus, it’s all swings and roundabouts, and even where there IS a comparative disadvantage in the UK system, they ignore the areas in which there is an advantage, e.g. 0% VAT on books in the UK while some other Member States charge their standard rate (in Belgium, the reduced one of 6% – but this on top of higher prices than apply in the UK in the first place, irrespective of the rate of exchange between GBP and euro!).

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When my husband recently came home from work and announced that I would be accompanying him on his upcoming business trip to London, I was very excited. I have never been off the N. American continent. That excitement waned, however, both when I realized I didn’t have very much money to travel with and also when I spoke with my parents about their recent holiday in Britain. They could not stop talking about how expensive everything is, especially in the City. I will be staying at my husband’s hotel (paid for by his company) and flying free on air miles. I have very little money to spend and was concerned about the fact that the exchange rate for USD to GBP is very poor. I have been looking all over the internet for discounts and information on cheap things to do in London. In my research, I have actually found many things to do in London that are quite affordable or free. I have found that as a first-time traveller to London, I will be able to see many of the cultural and historic sites for next to nothing. I was happy to find that the museums I wanted to visit were named above as being free and I plan to visit several of them during my stay. I have also been very pleased to see so many websites and travel guides dedicated to saving the traveller money, while still allowing them to see much of the cultural and historic sites thoughout the City. A little research before your trip really pays off! Paying few extra pounds at one or two attractions is not too much to ask, when compared to travelling in the US.

I have travelled across the US, through Hawaii, and Canada and have known for a long time that the “tourist” attractions on the North American continent are extremely expensive. Theme parks across the US run as much as $84 USD/day or more per person, regardless of age. Likewise, sea life parks, recreational activities, and historic sites charge exorbitant rates just to make a profit. Most US museums, with some exceptions, including the Smithsonian in Washington, DC, charge entrance fees that not only help to secure new exhibits, but also assist with maintaining the museum facilities.

Let’s face it…travelling has become prohibitively expensive for everyone. Many families are hurting financially and are fortunate to even go on holiday once a year. This affects the tourism industry worldwide: air fare, accomodations, attractions and transport costs are very high and will continue to rise, so long as fuel costs continue to rise worldwide.

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