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Colonial Williamsburg living museum forced to outsource services as attendance falls

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Colonial Williamsburg living museum to outsource services as attendance falls

The Colonial Williamsburg museum in Virginia is to outsource many of its services in response to falling attendance and ongoing financial problems.

The foundation’s President and CEO, Mitchell Reiss, said the historic museum’s mission was currently ‘at risk’.

Colonial Williamsburg attracts just half the visitors it did 30 years ago.

Reiss blames the decline on a number of reasons including changing tastes and a drop in the amount of American history being taught in schools. His comments also suggested that business decisions in the past had a part to play in the museum’s present difficulties.

Four companies are believed to be in line to take over the management of its golf operations, retail stores, the majority of its maintenance and facilities operations, as well as its commercial real estate.

The museum is currently losing $148,000 every day and ended last year with a debt of more that $300 million.

https://www.wdbj7.com/content/news/Facing-financial-woes-Colonial-Williamsburg-to-restructure-431888443.html

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Charles Read

Charles is managing director at blooloop. He attends numerous trade shows around the world and frequently speaks about trends and social media for the attractions industry at conferences. Outside of blooloop, his passions are diving, trees and cricket.

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