Museums see student attendance decline with education cuts

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Museums across Oklahoma have seen attendance by students decline by 25 percent as cuts in public education deepen. <br><br>That percentage could be even bigger in the spring when many

Wednesday, November 20th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Museums across Oklahoma have seen attendance by students decline by 25 percent as cuts in public education deepen.

That percentage could be even bigger in the spring when many schools schedule field trips, Bob Blackburn, executive director of the Oklahoma Historical Society, said.

``I wouldn't be surprised if we see a 50 percent decline,'' Blackburn said Tuesday. ``Museums are going to find themselves struggling to react to the reduced field trips because we don't have the money to send the people out to the school or develop new programs.''

School districts such as Ardmore, El Reno, Jenks, Jones, Moore, Norman and Yukon are limiting field trip costs because of reduced education funding. Districts like Oklahoma City and Tulsa are considering whether to fund such trips.

Edmond and Midwest City-Del City students can go on field trips if the students find their own way to pay for the outings. In Putnam City, students can still attend field trips because they are paid for by funds not cut by the state, such as those for activities.

Student visits are down 85 percent at the Oklahoma Museum of History in Oklahoma City, museum officials said.

At the Omniplex in Oklahoma City, student attendance has declined about 40 percent. The museum usually has about 120,000 student visitors each school year, officials said.

Students can take classes and tours at the museum starting at $4 each, said Nancy Coggins, public relations director. The museum is funded through admissions, grants and donations.

Coggins said museum officials are trying to obtain corporate donations to sponsor student museum visits.

The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City canceled two school programs this year because of lack of participation, said Bob Gerling, museum education director.

Student museum attendance in September and October was about the same as last year, but reservations for November through February have declined about 15 percent, Gerling said.

Students pay $3 each to tour the museum, but those fees are not viewed as a major revenue stream, he said.

``Education is a primary role or mission of the museum,'' Gerling said. ``Personally, I feel more badly for the teachers and students not being able to do these things.''