IELTS Speaking Part 3 sample answers
What are the most popular museums and art galleries where you live?
I live in a small town in a rural area without many museums or art galleries. The only art gallery is located in the town center. It’s pretty old, it’s a nearly 80-year-old building. It displays different collections of paintings, drawings, engravings and sculptures. Not many local people visit this place, but it attracts quite a lot of people from nearby towns and cities.
Do you believe that all museums and art galleries should be free?
I don’t think it’s a good idea to offer free admission because such places need money for their maintenance. Nowadays, many historic sites and art galleries are falling into disrepair due to a lack of funding, and government funding is often not enough. For these places remain in good condition, they need funding from other sources, like visitors or charitable donations. Another thing is that these places are tourist attractions; other tourist attractions, like theme parks, charge admission fees, so why should museums and art galleries be free?
What kinds of things make a museum or art gallery an interesting place to visit?
Museums or art galleries are like time machines; they can trasport us back in time. When I visit a war museum, seeing all the weapons in display, it’s like I’m becoming immersed in history and how people lived in the past. I think this connection to history is one of the things that make these places appealing to visitors. In addition, some museums and art galleries often organize cultural activities and commemorative events, which attract both local residents and tourists alike.
Useful vocabulary
- engraving /ɪnˈɡreɪvɪŋ/ (n) = a picture made by cutting a design on a piece of metal and then printing the design on paper
- sculpture /ˈskʌlptʃə(r)/ (n) = a work of art that is a solid figure or object made by carving or shaping wood, stone, clay, metal, etc.
- free admission = for the period of validity of the pass, any given visit requires no additional payment of an admission fee
- maintenance /ˈmeɪntənəns/ (n) = the act of keeping something in good condition by checking or repairing it regularly
- fall into disrepair = if something is in disrepair or is in a state of disrepair, it is broken or in bad condition
- a lack of something = the fact that something is not available or that there is not enough of it
- charitable donation = a gift of cash or property made to a nonprofit organization to help it accomplish its goals, for which the donor receives nothing of value in return
- time machine /ˈtaɪm məʃiːn/ (n) = (in science fiction stories) a machine that enables you to travel in time to the past or the future
- becoming immersed in something = to become completely involved in something
- appealing /əˈpiːlɪŋ/ (adj) = attractive or interesting
- commemorative events = events that are held on the anniversaries of significant past events, either annually or after significant time periods
More ideas and vocabulary
The importance of museums
- preserve cultural heritage
- collect, conserve, and research artworks from all periods of history
- make these artworks accessible to the public through exhibitions, educational programs, and publications.
- an important educational resource for the public
- offer a variety of educational programs for all ages
- pass down knowledge: creating exhibitions for children & teaching children in a quasi-classroom setting -> educate future generations
- a driver of economic activity
- attract tourists and generate revenue for local businesses
- provide financial support to artists through grants and fellowships
- a platform for artists to show case their work
- exhibit their work in a professional setting -> reach a wider audience
- gain recognition and build their careers
