by Caroline Gabsewics
Staff Writer
Since “Temples and Tombs: Treasures of Egyptian Art from the British Museum” opened a week ago at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, the museum has been averaging about 700 guests per day.
Maarten van de Guchte, director of the Cummer Museum, said 2,800 people came to see the exhibit between Dec. 22-24 and Dec. 26.
“We are thrilled with the response,” he said. “There is a very positive buzz in Jacksonville about this exhibit.”
Even though there was a VIP opening on Dec. 21, the official grand opening for the public was the night of Dec. 22. The museum sold 1,200 tickets to the event, and that was their limit. Van de Guchte said 1,060 people actually came, but inclement weather may have kept the other 140 people away.
The Cummer Museum set certain targets that van de Guchte is tracking very closely.
“We were hoping to have 600 people a day and we are over that projected target,” he said. “We are pleased with the initial numbers and people are realizing that this is here and they need to visit.”
Van de Guchte added that it is the holidays and more people are taking time off from work.
“The Christmas and New Year’s vacations are always good days for museums,” he said. “But it has been very rewarding to see so many people here.”
Wendy Stanley of the Cummer is working with a few volunteer coordinators that are helping with ticket sales. She said they have been getting about 15 calls a day about tickets.
“The downstairs reception area is taking walk-ups and we also are using PayPal online where we have 5-10 requests a day,” said Stanley.
For the first time, the Cummer Museum is selling tickets to an exhibit in addition to admission costs, and van de Guchte said it is because of the international status and higher finance conditions.
“We would like to have sold 60,000 tickets and that is including 10,000 school children who will be visiting on school field trips,” he said. “Judging by the numbers so far, we may exceed that number.”
Besides housing the internationally-known exhibit, the Cummer Museum also had the chance to showcase the new Central Gallery, where the “Temples and Tombs” exhibit is located.
“I got a lot of comments (on the gallery) opening night,” said van de Guchte. “One lady told me she felt like she was in New York City. And a man who has been living abroad for the past 25 years said that we have a jewel with this new gallery.”
The exhibit is at the museum through March 18, 2007. “Temples and Tombs” exhibit hours are Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. and Saturday-Monday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Van de Guchte said no more than 300 people can be in the gallery at once.
“That is why we had timed tickets for opening night,” he said. “We let people in when others were exiting.”
Tickets are available and they are good to use any day during exhibit hours. Tickets can be purchased online at www.cummer.org, by calling 899-6021 or in person at the museum.
Admission for museum members $ 7
Admission for non-museum members $15 (adults)
(seniors/military/students) $12
(children under 6) Free