THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, January 19, 1996               TAG: 9601190594
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY ALEX MARSHALL, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: NORFOLK                            LENGTH: Short :   39 lines

NAUTICUS CERTAINLY IS FUN, BUT TOO COSTLY, SURVEY SAYS

People like Nauticus more than expected, but think the ticket prices are too high, a survey of community leaders who had visited Nauticus revealed. The survey was released by City Hall on Thursday.

The survey was conducted as part of a community outreach effort meant to improve the museum and draw more residents. The survey was not a scientific cross-section of residents but of community leaders and their families invited to visit Nauticus one weekend in December.

Mayor Paul D. Fraim presented the survey to those who participated at 7 p.m. Thursday at Nauticus. The city was keeping its promise to present the results to those polled.

The survey asked people to rate everything from the gift shop to specific exhibits like Virtual Adventures or the Nauticus Theater.

Almost 90 percent of those surveyed said Nauticus met or exceeded their expectations. That broke down to 53 percent saying it met their expectations and 36 percent saying it exceeded them.

In general, people rated the ticket price, now $7.50 for adults but $2.50 for each extra attraction, as ``fair to good.'' Many people said they would rather not have to pay as much extra for the additional attractions.

Fraim was pleased that those surveyed liked Nauticus. He said the city may lower prices, something the new director of Nauticus, David Guernsey, also said this week.

The survey was divided into three parts: a written questionnaire, a telephone survey and focus groups. A total of 264 people completed the written questionnaire, 92 people participated in the telephone interviews and 18 people participated in the focus groups. by CNB