Economy in Recession, Art Appreciation on the Rise

In both the US and the UK, economic recession has had one unexpected positive effect.  Sales in trend-following and luxury consumer items are at a low; travelling for pleasure is also down.  On  both sides of the Atlantic, people are looking for ways other than shopping and travel to spend their leisure time.  Many are turning to local historical homes, artist sites, museums and galleries on the weekends instead of the mall.
The National Trust, an organization in both countries which manages historical homes and sites, has noticed and approves. In Berkshires, Massachusetts, the home of sculptor Daniel Chester French experienced a 50% jump in attendance in May 2009 alone.  In the UK, the home of author Beatrix Potter has seen a dramatic 80% increase, and the childhood home of musician John Lennon has also seen interest raise significantly.
While this may have been sparked by consumers bargain-hunting for vacation time entertainment, the curators of these sites hope that the phenomenon continues through economic recovery as well.  Those who have taken the time to visit and enjoy these sites may discover that even when the mall is once more a viable weekend option, these newly discovered enrichments still have a role to play in their lives.