Page:The museum, (Jackson, Marget Talbot, 1917).djvu/219

 CHAPTER VI HOURS OF OPENING

T is the custom in this country for art museums to be open on week days from 10-5 and on Sundays from 1-5, while certain of our richer institutions provide for an occasional or regular evening opening continuing from 5-10 P. M., or in special instances from 8-10. The reasons for this choice of hours are that few visitors arrive before 10.30 or 11 and the custodians come at 8, which gives about two hours for the necessary janitor service before they have to go on duty. At 5 o'clock the light begins to fail at most seasons of the year. Sunday morning brings few visitors. A museum of any size finds it impossible to get enough janitors' work done before ten to keep the building clean. It is therefore customary to close for a half-day during the week. Monday morning seems to be the time when the museum is least frequented, and is 189