Search
Vocabularying
Listening
Reading
1. Academic
2. General
Writing
1. IELTSWriting Checker
2. IELTS Writing Samples
Speaking

Do you want to improve your writing? Try our new evaluation service and get detailed feedback.

A country’s museums should always be free for people to visit, whatever the visitor’s age, income or nationality.’ To what level do you agree with this idea? Should museums always be free for all visitors?

Museums are a vital part of any nation’s cultural life, and high visitor numbers are a desirable indicator of their health and popularity. However, it seems to me that making museums universally free is unnecessary, and even counter-productive, in our efforts to make them more attractive. For one thing, we should remember that many potential visitors to museums are able to pay an admission charge and would not object to this. For example, in London we see many thousands of wealthy tourists who have paid large sums to travel, and for whom a modest entry charge would be no inconvenience. Indeed, applying a small fee would enable museums to collect revenue which could be used to conserve the exhibits, extend the collections and put on further displays and so on. This would in turn make the institution more attractive, so that more visitors arrive. The Guggenheim museums in the USA and Europe are an interesting example of museums which constantly refresh their contents in this way. Finally, we should remember that not all museums are publicly owned, and indeed there are numerous smaller, private institutions (for example in Russia or the Middle East) which rely on entry fees to survive. Abolishing such fees would be vastly expensive in terms of state subsidies, and would surely have little impact on visitor numbers. Admittedly, I agree with those who say that universally free museums are a symbol of an equal and advanced society, showcasing national heritage and learning for everyone. However, the use of affordable entry fees (certainly with exemptions for children, the unemployed, students and others) may well add to the museums’ effectiveness as such showcases. Overall, I feel that modest charges are justifiable, and indeed useful, in our efforts to broaden access and improve our museums, provided that nobody is excluded on the grounds of cost.

You use this word too often, consider replacing it withbuildingfoundationsalonlibrarygalleryinstitution
Museums
 are a vital part of any nation’s cultural life, and high You use this word too often, consider replacing it withcompanycallerforeignerguest
visitor
 numbers are a desirable indicator of their health and popularity. However
, it seems to me that making You use this word too often, consider replacing it withbuildingfoundationsalonlibrarygalleryinstitution
museums
universally
 free is unnecessary, and even counter-productive, in our efforts to This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :createconstructmanufactureproduce
make
 them more attractive. For one thing, we should remember that This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:a plethora ofa number ofnumerous
many
 potential You use this word too often, consider replacing it withcompanycallerforeignerguest
visitors
 to You use this word too often, consider replacing it withbuildingfoundationsalonlibrarygalleryinstitution
museums
 are able to pay an admission charge and would not object to this. For example
, in London we This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :witness
see
This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:a plethora ofa number ofnumerous
many
 thousands of wealthy tourists who have paid large sums to travel, and for whom a modest entry charge would be no inconvenience. Indeed
, applying a This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:tiny
small
You use this word too often, consider replacing it withsalarywageaccountcutpayprice
fee
 would enable You use this word too often, consider replacing it withbuildingfoundationsalonlibrarygalleryinstitution
museums
 to collect revenue which could be This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :exploited
used
 to conserve the exhibits, extend the collections and put on further
 displays and This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:consequently
so
 on. This would in turn This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :createconstructmanufactureproduce
make
 the institution more attractive, This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:consequently
so
 that more You use this word too often, consider replacing it withcompanycallerforeignerguest
visitors
 arrive. The Guggenheim You use this word too often, consider replacing it withbuildingfoundationsalonlibrarygalleryinstitution
museums
 in the USA and Europe are an interesting example of You use this word too often, consider replacing it withbuildingfoundationsalonlibrarygalleryinstitution
museums
 which constantly
 refresh their contents in this way. Finally
, we should remember that not all You use this word too often, consider replacing it withbuildingfoundationsalonlibrarygalleryinstitution
museums
 are publicly
This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :possessed
owned
, and indeed
 there are numerous smaller, private institutions (for example
 in Russia or the Middle East) which rely on entry You use this word too often, consider replacing it withsalarywageaccountcutpayprice
fees
 to survive. Abolishing such You use this word too often, consider replacing it withsalarywageaccountcutpayprice
fees
 would be vastly
 expensive in terms of state subsidies, and would surely
 have This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:tiny
little
 impact on You use this word too often, consider replacing it withcompanycallerforeignerguest
visitor
 numbers. Admittedly
, I This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :acquiesce
agree
 with those who say that universally
 free You use this word too often, consider replacing it withbuildingfoundationsalonlibrarygalleryinstitution
museums
 are a symbol of an equal and advanced society, showcasing national heritage and learning for everyone. However
, the This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :exploit
use
 of affordable entry You use this word too often, consider replacing it withsalarywageaccountcutpayprice
fees
 (certainly
 with exemptions for children, the unemployed, students This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:and many more
and others
) may well This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :accrue
add
 to the You use this word too often, consider replacing it withbuildingfoundationsalonlibrarygalleryinstitution
museums’
 effectiveness as such showcases. Overall
, I feel that modest charges are justifiable, and indeed
 useful, in our efforts to broaden access and This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :ameliorate
improve
 our You use this word too often, consider replacing it withbuildingfoundationsalonlibrarygalleryinstitution
museums
, provided that nobody is excluded
 on the grounds of cost. 