IELTS writing task 2 answer (32) (can online museums and art galleries replace real ones?) Question: "Some people claim that public museums and art galleries will not be needed because people can see historical objects and works of art by using a computer. Do you agree or disagree with this opinion?" Answer: It is true that visitors to virtual museums and galleries have outnumbered those visiting real exhibitions. Although I acknowledge that it would be more convenient to view online exhibits, I do not agree that real museums and galleries will be replaced. Indeed, online museums and galleries offer services which cannot be provided by real ones. One advantage is that these websites are open all day and provide free admission. They also make information about exhibits easily accessible, compared to those crowded real museums and galleries, where it is difficult for visitors to spend considerable time on every exhibit. These are the reasons why the position of real museums and galleries are undermined to some extent. On the other hand, the demolition of real museums and galleries will erode a culture as well as citizens’ sense of identity. Only by visiting real museums and galleries can people view cultural relics and artworks with their own eyes. This experience makes people realise the profoundness of their own culture. However, as exhibits are now available in websites around the world, people will eventually ignore these exhibits’ origin and cultural implications. This is dangerous to cultural preservation. In addition, if real museums and galleries are demolished, governments will lose a part of revenue. Many buildings now serving as museums and galleries are the landmarks of the cities, such as the Palace Museum of Beijing. This is why many of them are an important component of a nation’s tourists industry, attracting countless tourists from abroad every year. The demolition of these museums and galleries may damage a country’s economy. In conclusion, although online museums and galleries are more convenient in some ways, I believe that the real ones play a vital part in cultural protection and can generate revenue, so they should not be replaced.