Most Greeks would like state museums to offer a broader range of exhibitions as well as better services including guided tours, a good cafeteria and a creche, according to a study conducted by Thessaloniki’s Archaeological Museum.

They would also like to be better informed about what is on show at their local museums, according to the museum’s director Polixeni Adam-Veleni.

“Most respondents were unaware that the museum had been renovated and that it had acquired an entirely new exhibition program since 2006,” Veleni said. The majority of the 1,050 residents of Thessaloniki questioned expressed an interest in discovering, or rediscovering, what their city’s main museum has to offer.

Of these more than seven out of 10 (73 percent) said they would appreciate guided tours, conducted by experts. A similarly large proportion (61 percent) said they would be attracted by film screenings at the museum. Three out of 10 (29 percent) said they would attend concerts, particularly featuring classical music. Many respondents also expressed an interest in the museum remaining open until night.

As for practical issues, six out of 10 said a good on-site cafeteria was a priority. One-third said they would like the museum to offer a creche, while 16 percent requested parking facilities.

The survey was conducted between May 2007 and January this year, with respondents approached in various public areas including universities, libraries, banks, pharmacies, hospitals and hair salons. The idea was to ensure a representative cross-section of Thessaloniki society, said Adam-Veleni.

An analysis of the data collected showed that the majority of museum visitors are women aged 44 to 55. Those least likely to visit museums are people in the 25-40 age group. “To offset this, we’ve started showing films and we have already seen a difference,” Adam-Veleni said.

Overall there has been a shift in the profile of museum visitors, she added. “Until the 1980s museums appeared to target a well-educated, wealthy elite... now we see citizens of all ages and from all walks of life,” she said.