Flat Admission Pricing as a Barrier to Inclusive Access: Visitor Segmentation and Price Sensitivity at Amar Mahal Palace Museum, Jammu

Inclusive access to museums not only depends on physical or cultural aspects but also on the financial barriers that decides who can afford to enter. Admission pricing is an important aspect yet underexamined in respect of museum inclusivity, with existing literature suggesting that museum demand is price inelastic. This study examines the impact of a flat admission fee of ₹100 per person at Amar Mahal Palace Museum, Jammu and Kashmir, India. The study follows a structured observation of 80 visiting groups and 100 visitor questionnaire responses. The research explores how individual visitors, friends, and families and large groups respond differently to admission pricing, with particular attention to cumulative ticket costs and perceived value. Findings shows that while individual demand is relative price inelastic, families, adult family groups, and large organised groups exhibit by and large greater price sensitivity, with many reconsidering or abandoning their visit due to the cumulative ticket price. The study further shows that nearly two thirds of visitors arrived unaware of the admission fee and no visitors rated the experience as good or excellent value. These pattern shows that how a nominally affordable flat fee can function as an exclusion mechanism and burdening the groups visitors who constitute the museum’s majority audience. By highlighting the limitations of flat admission pricing model in a regional Indian museum, this paper argues for differentiated pricing strategies that balance the revenue generation with accessibility.