Gabriel Newman was offended by the ad. So were other staff members at the Greater Vernon Museum and Archives.

Newman, the museum鈥檚 education coordinator, heard an ad on a Vernon radio station from fast food giant McDonald鈥檚, saying spending $5 on a McDonald鈥檚 lunch was much better than spending $5 at a museum.

Newman posted his disgust with the ad on social media.

鈥淚 just think it was off-base,鈥� said Newman. 鈥淲e鈥檙e a non-profit organization. Don鈥檛 pick on non-profits.鈥�

The advertisement 鈥� which was pulled by McDonald鈥檚 Canada late Thursday morning 鈥� featured a narrator saying you can get a museum tour for $5, followed by a woman playing a role of a museum tour guide and saying, 鈥榯here were dinosaurs and then there weren鈥檛. OK, then, exit through the gift shop.鈥�

The narrator returns to inform listeners they could spend their $5 on a kid鈥檚 meal with a hamburger, fries and drink at participating restaurants.

Newman was interviewed by CBC Radio Thursday morning.

鈥淚鈥檓 not sure what museum they (McDonald鈥檚) were talking or thinking about,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think they鈥檝e been to a museum.

鈥淚t implies that a museum is expensive, or a luxury item. I鈥檓 worried somebody that鈥檚 never been to a museum will think it鈥檚 out of their reach, and $5 really isn鈥檛 a lot.鈥�

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Part of the problem for Newman and the Greater Vernon Museum and Archives is the timing of this.

The ad came out the same week the museum started charging an admission fee for the first-time ever.

鈥淚t used to be admission by donation but now it鈥檚 $5,鈥� said Newman. 鈥淏ut that鈥檚 good for all day.鈥�

Numerous museums across the province shared in his outage of the ad.

鈥淎 museum is a place to learn about culture, history, traditions, and so much more. Comparing something like a $5 value meal to the value of education and intellectual growth is quite disheartening; however, we are encouraged to see that McDonald鈥檚 reacted so quickly in pulling this ad and apologizing to all Canadian museums,鈥� wrote the Kelowna Museums Society.

Greater Vernon Museum and Archives is also working toward building a new facility. It houses an extensive history of the city and surrounding areas.

The Canadian Museums Association (CMA) learned of the offending ad Wednesday and immediately contacted McDonald鈥檚 requesting the ad be removed. CMA also requested that McDonald鈥檚 consider beneficial ways to work with the museum sector.

McDonald鈥檚 Canada has apologized to Canadian museums.

To report a typo, email:
newstips@vernonmorningstar.com.

roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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