An analysis of monetary voluntary contributions for cultural resources: the case of the British Museum

The study considers the factors affecting the levels of individual voluntary contributions for cultural tourist not-for-profit resources. The paper takes the British Museum (BM), London, as an example. The BM is the leading free-entry cultural tourist attraction in London. However, funding for the BM has decreased by over 30% in the past 10 years. The results illustrate the effect of formal and informal 'communities of participation' that generate obligations for voluntary contributions towards arts and cultural resources. The BM, the authors argue, should try to invest in cultural network enhancing infrastructure that could potentially encourage visitors to contribute voluntarily. It should also influence trust levels among potential donors by becoming more accountable. The authors argue that these policy initiatives could lower the transaction costs of pro-social behaviour.