What about the JICNARS social-class/status categories?

ABC1s, sometimes heavily influenced by their children ( reverse socialization ) are also a prime target market for many aspects of heritage because of their relative levels of education and income (compared to the C2s, Ds and E groups), in particular at a local level for visits to museums. In many surveys they have revealed that their reasons for visiting are to become more culturally aware of their locality or of something that has been made locally accessible to them (for example, the wish to learn from a temporary or travelling exhibition), as part of a self-education process. This group, irrespective of ethnic origin, more often than not, places a high value on education generally (see Case studies 3.1 and 3.2 on Brighton Pavilion and Warwick Castle, below).

We have studied some of these points in the previous chapter under social and political factors but, in addition, it is worth noting that in recent research carried out by MORI in the UK (which can be extrapolated to most other countries), it was found that after schools and libraries, parents view museums as the most important places for educating their children and some of the most trustworthy sources of information, more highly valued than books, radio, newspapers and the Internet.

1. 80 per cent of parents believe that museums are a very important resource for educating their children.

2. 85 per cent of parents believe visits to museums should be part of the National Curriculum.