Juneau cut its museum hours by two-thirds and lost half its visitors

Juneau cut its city museum from 56 hours a week to 22 in July. Visitors and sales have fallen by about half since.

Mary Pat Wyatt, a former longtime director now working as a temporary part-time curator, gave the Assembly the numbers Monday night. About 4,700 people came through in the past two months. The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday, 11 am to 4:30 pm, and admission is $7, or $6 for seniors.

The reduction came in this year's city budget, which also cut trail brushing and arboretum staffing. The Assembly kept the museum open rather than closing it, and separately appropriated $45,000 for its operations, paid for by a donation from Norwegian Cruise Line.

Mayor Beth Weldon asked the Assembly on Sept. 14 to restore the funding, saying the museum generates real value. The nonprofit Friends of the museum pays for free winter admission out of an endowment.