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Do free museums serve all social classes?

Graham Watson

14th September 2018

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Free museum access is often depicted as something that might be classified as a quasi-public good, but this Newsnight clip debates whether or not that's the case.

Are museums the preserve of the middle-class, and does free access simply admit those who are already able to pay? Or do they give the working-class access to culture and generate positive external effects.

This debate is particularly apt for the new Design Museum in Dundee - 1 in 4 children live in poverty in the city. Oh, and there are multiplier effects.

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Graham Watson

Graham Watson has taught Economics for over twenty years. He contributes to Tutor2U, reads voraciously and is interested in all aspects of Teaching and Learning.