The Peoria Riverfront Museum is working to attract more visitors. The museum is lowering fares for various activities, effective immediately.
General admission to the facility is being reduced by one dollar for all ages. Admission to see 3-D educational movies in the Giant Screen Theater is also being reduced by three dollars. Interim CEO, Debbie Ritschel says a market study showed the Peoria Riverfront Museum was charging more than facilities of the same type around the state.
“A difference between a $10 fee and an $11 fee mentally is a big one. More than that, we wanted people to extend their stay. So if they came to the exhibits we also wanted them to consider coming to at least one of our day-time movies which are about 45 to 50 minutes long. And how do we do that? We incentivize them by lowering that admission price,” Ritschel says. “So we’ve actually had some very good feedback on that.”
The reductions come after museum officials learned the facility attracted fewer visitors than expected. Other measures aimed at bring more people into to the museum include expanding the Giant Screen Theater’s concession menu to include wine and beer for evening showings. That begins Labor Day.
Museum members also will receive new benefits starting in September including discounted movies and free garage parking passes.
The museum continues to offer free access to its exhibits for active duty military and their families through Labor Day.