Wednesday, January 21, 2009
In an effort to conserve energy and cut spending, the Spencer Museum of Art and the Natural History Museum have reduced their hours of operation.
The art museum began closing its galleries an hour earlier each day beginning Jan. 12. The Natural History Museum has been closing its galleries on Mondays since late December.
Jen Humphrey, communications director at the Natural History Museum, said cost was the driving factor in the decision to cut hours, but she said museum administrators also considered the environment.
“Anything that helps us keep our energy bill low and reduces the footprint of the University is welcomed,” Humphrey said.
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Spencer Museum of Art
Monday: Closed
Tuesday-Saturday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Thursday: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sunday: Noon to 4 p.m.
Natural History Museum
Monday: closed
Tuesday-Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday: Noon to 5 p.m.
Humphrey estimated the Natural History Museum would save $10,000 each year in salary and utility costs.
Saralyn Reece Hardy, director of the art museum, said that the financial situation was a primary factor in reducing hours, but that it was not the first time the museum had considered the well-being of the environment. Hardy said the museum began working with the Center for Sustainability and was making an effort to think about energy conservation by dimming and turning off lights whenever possible.
“We all in the museum have been thinking more deeply about conserving energy and being responsible citizens,” Hardy said.
Jennifer Talbott, assistant to the director of the art museum, said administrators took care in deciding how they would reduce the gallery hours. Talbott said the art museum used weekly visitor counts to determine the best time for conserving energy. She said faculty found that the lowest amount of people visited the museum of art between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.
“This was not taken lightly,” Talbott said. “We tried to track our audience.”
Although the museum tracks visitors every week, Hardy said it took about two weeks to put the information together and decide when to cut hours.
Talbott said the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Mo., also shortened its hours, and said saving energy and cutting costs in that way was a spreading trend.
“This is not the exception to the rule right now,” Talbott said.
Though the gallery hours were reduced, Talbott said the rest of the staff at the art museum would continue to work normal hours. Hardy said the art museum’s business offices, classes and library would not be affected by the change.
— — Edited by Brandy Entsminger
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