Low-Income Families: A Missed Opportunity for Museums?
In 2011, over 25 million people visited the Smithsonian museums. According to a study done about Smithsonian Institute (SI) visitors, of these nearly 30 million visitors, approximately 4 out of 5 visitors are from outside of the district. Also, nearly 4 out of 5 visitors are Caucasian, despite the fact that nearly a third of the nation’s population is considered to be a minority. Within the District of Columbia, nearly 70 percent of residents are minorities, but only 30 percent of visitors from the district are minorities. Another characteristic of SI visitors is their educational background. Among DC residents who visited SI, visitors are twice as likely to have graduated from college as the general population. This information shows that museums, consciously or unconsciously, are not always reaching out to every available audience.
This blog will focus on low-income families and individuals as an important target audience for museums in cities and rural locations around the nation, and potentially the world. First, we will spend some time defining “low-income” for the purpose of this blog, as well as exploring major educational and social concerns that museums can help low-income families address.
Based on our research, throughout this blog, we will be defining low-income as families or individuals who live near or below the poverty line. According to the 2010 US Census, 15 percent of Americans, or 46 million people, are living in poverty. Poverty in America is defined by the following:
The Census Bureau's poverty thresholds for 2010
As you can see, many Americans are struggling financially to support their families, and as a result have a hard time fulfilling other needs as well. For example, numerous studies have shown that students who live in poverty have lower test scores and are more likely to be involved in criminal acts and or violence, but these issues are not strictly related to lack of finances, but rather the side effects of poverty.
A recent article by Jun Xu in Comparative Education Review from August 2008 discusses that students who come from single-parent families, have many siblings, or come from lower socioeconomic status have fewer household advantages such as family class status, family structure (parental and sibling-size), and parental investment. Students who come from families with less expendable income, less parental stability, an increased number of children to diffuse the attention, or less family time because of outside constraints caused by financial or social situations are more likely to have lower achievement and educational attainment. Researchers attribute these negative affects to the fact that higher numbers of siblings reduces the amount of parental resources available to the individual child. Parental resources include time, social circles, and attention. To be successful, children rely on their parents for time and attention towards their academics, and if a parent does not have enough time or energy to devote to their child, then the students grades may suffer. This is one opportunity for museums to step in and offer supplemental resources to aid the student in attaining academic and social skills.
Keeping in mind that low-income families and individuals comprise 15% of the United States population, we will next start to look at how museums can offer assistance as well as attract this large audience in the first place.
Learning More:
Research and Article by Jun Xu on Sib-Ship Size and impact on Educational Achievement. Article
United States Census Information on Poverty
Written by Jen Christensen
In 2011, over 25 million people visited the Smithsonian museums. According to a study done about Smithsonian Institute (SI) visitors, of these nearly 30 million visitors, approximately 4 out of 5 visitors are from outside of the district. Also, nearly 4 out of 5 visitors are Caucasian, despite the fact that nearly a third of the nation’s population is considered to be a minority. Within the District of Columbia, nearly 70 percent of residents are minorities, but only 30 percent of visitors from the district are minorities. Another characteristic of SI visitors is their educational background. Among DC residents who visited SI, visitors are twice as likely to have graduated from college as the general population. This information shows that museums, consciously or unconsciously, are not always reaching out to every available audience.
This blog will focus on low-income families and individuals as an important target audience for museums in cities and rural locations around the nation, and potentially the world. First, we will spend some time defining “low-income” for the purpose of this blog, as well as exploring major educational and social concerns that museums can help low-income families address.
Based on our research, throughout this blog, we will be defining low-income as families or individuals who live near or below the poverty line. According to the 2010 US Census, 15 percent of Americans, or 46 million people, are living in poverty. Poverty in America is defined by the following:
The Census Bureau's poverty thresholds for 2010
U.S. Census Bureau Poverty Thresholds, 2010
| |
Size of Family Unit
|
Poverty Threshold
|
| One person (unrelated individual) |
$11,139
|
| Under 65 years |
11,344
|
| 65 years and over |
10,458
|
| Two people |
14,218
|
| Householder under 65 years |
14,676
|
| Householder 65 years and over |
13,194
|
| Three people |
17,374
|
| Four people |
22,314
|
| Five people |
26,439
|
| Six people |
29,897
|
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Weighted Average Poverty Thresholds, 2010, released in September 2011. Preliminary estimates for 2010 were released January 14, 2011. |
As you can see, many Americans are struggling financially to support their families, and as a result have a hard time fulfilling other needs as well. For example, numerous studies have shown that students who live in poverty have lower test scores and are more likely to be involved in criminal acts and or violence, but these issues are not strictly related to lack of finances, but rather the side effects of poverty.
A recent article by Jun Xu in Comparative Education Review from August 2008 discusses that students who come from single-parent families, have many siblings, or come from lower socioeconomic status have fewer household advantages such as family class status, family structure (parental and sibling-size), and parental investment. Students who come from families with less expendable income, less parental stability, an increased number of children to diffuse the attention, or less family time because of outside constraints caused by financial or social situations are more likely to have lower achievement and educational attainment. Researchers attribute these negative affects to the fact that higher numbers of siblings reduces the amount of parental resources available to the individual child. Parental resources include time, social circles, and attention. To be successful, children rely on their parents for time and attention towards their academics, and if a parent does not have enough time or energy to devote to their child, then the students grades may suffer. This is one opportunity for museums to step in and offer supplemental resources to aid the student in attaining academic and social skills.
Keeping in mind that low-income families and individuals comprise 15% of the United States population, we will next start to look at how museums can offer assistance as well as attract this large audience in the first place.
Learning More:
Research and Article by Jun Xu on Sib-Ship Size and impact on Educational Achievement. Article
United States Census Information on Poverty
Written by Jen Christensen
Very telling stats-- interesting esp. for me as a minority Washingtonian! I wonder if the issue in attracting low-income families is a sense of not belonging, a lack of interest, or a lack of time. I expect it is a complex combination of all those things.
ReplyDelete--Reema