BULLSEYE!!
Posted on 08/19/2013 11:06:15 AM PDT by SoFloFreeper
Just months after the Exploratorium opened its expanded new facility on the San Francisco waterfront, the science museum announced staff cuts Friday because of attendance figures falling short of projections.
There were tears from some upset workers amid the science exhibits at Pier 15. Four months into its new location, best laid plans at San Francisco's Exploratorium are going up in smoke.
"People are angry, upset, crying," said Exploratorium exhibit tech Earl Stirling.
The science museum yesterday notified 80 workers they are being laid off. That accounts for nearly 20 percent of the total staff.
(Excerpt) Read more at ktvu.com ...
I went there YEARS ago. No way I would take my kids to San Francisco, though. Could this be the reason for poor attendance?
Exploring a socialist utopia has its costs.
was this a stimulus project??
I used to go to the Exploratorium often. It was a lot of fun. But I can’t imagine how it could possibly need 400 workers.
San Francisco is the most child unfriendly, gay friendly and transitioning to unsafe city in the US.
Lots of children will not get anywhere near it for those reasons.
Zactly what I was thinking? Geeze, what are they doing? Performance “science” ?
Zactly what I was thinking? Geeze, what are they doing? Performance “science” ?
Or as people in the real world would put it, they were overcharging and had to lower prices to get people to come. Imagine that, the laws of economics even apply in San Francisco.
Or as people in the real world would put it, they were overcharging and had to lower prices to get people to come. Imagine that, the laws of economics even apply in San Francisco.
Several probable reasons -
- Lower attendance due to change in facility. The new one is a change and arguably the transition has deterred some people. Its in a more crowded area; driving and parking anywhere near Fishermans Wharf on a weekend is hopeless.
Fishermans wharf-driven walk in business is not likely to be as strong as expected, as that tourist crowd has few kids.
- The current location is less attractive, smaller, has less stuff than the original.
- Kids attraction in a place thats losing kids - very likely reason. A lot of visitors would be out of towners, but these days I suspect the population of kids in fairly well to do families in the whole area, not just SF proper, is on the decline.
- Did the transition over the summer losing a lot of the summer camp business.
I think your first reason is most likely. Most kids would be coming from the surrounding Bay Area, and that means families driving into the city. As you said, SF is very car unfriendly.
I think it is a combination of all the reasons you list...
few families with young children in SF in general, families that can afford to pay the admission, parking (or transit fare) just don’t see it as worth the hassle (at least not on a regular basis). Schools in the nicer (suburban) areas have expanding enrollment (and not from illegals where homes cost >$1M). The target audience is tech-savvy parents that can afford to spend a bit. But those parents are quite hassled by a trip to the Exploratorium... why bother with so many other good options much closer. The choice becomes the Exploratorium, or say... the Hiller Aviation Museum and an afternoon at the beach (with a fraction of the hassle and for less $).
I wonder if global warning agitprop had anything to do with it.
What were they thinking? The Exploratorium is a fascinating place, but half the charm was the architecture and history where it was formerly housed. I have visited it many times at the old location.
At the new tourist-trap venue?
Not likely.
Kids? In San Francisco? Why hasn’t some kind of rescue operation been launched?
400 workers working 8 hours a week to avoid Obamacare no doubt.
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