DCMS has published research to understand the visitor and non-visitor value of cultural engagement at 4 cultural institutions in England and to test whether economic values for cultural sites can be transferred to similar sites in England.
This research by Nesta and Simetrica uses economic valuation techniques to estimate visitor and non-visitor values at 4 cultural institutions in England and tests whether the values for these can be transferred to similar sites in England. The sites studied are regional museums. To estimate use and non-use values this research uses contingent valuation (CV) methodology.
The research produces estimates of use and non-use value for the museums and supports the feasibility of benefits transfer of use and non-use values to comparable sites.
The research has shown that it is possible to use economic valuation techniques to assess the values that both users and non-users of cathedrals, historic cities and museums place on them. The values obtained are credible in amount and are comparable between institutions and places considered to be broadly similar.
This supports these values being applied to other comparable cultural assets and institutions to provide estimates of the values that they are generating for users and non-users in assessments of their public value. There should therefore be a greater emphasis on using such economic valuation techniques to measure the benefits that heritage and culture provide and this should be more closely integrated into policy.