Blue Peter Badges Row: Everyone Wants Free Museum Entry!

Have you seen the fuss in the papers and on the TV about Blue Peter badges? It caught our eye because it's all about free entry to fun places like museums.

Blue Peter wants to stop people selling their famous badges on the Internet.

Blue Peter badges like this one are meant to show that you've done something special. They're a prize that money can't buy - or at least they're meant to be.

© BBC

Blue Peter has decided to stop free access for badge holders to its list of visitor attractions around the UK, while it thinks of a way to help museums and other attractions to spot any cheats.

It's possible that Blue Peter will give out a special badge holder's card with each badge they award, which will prove that the badge belongs to you.

Did you know that Blue Peter has been awarding badges to viewers for nearly fifty years?

There are lots of celebrity holders of the badge too. Famous people who own a badge include Madonna and the Queen.

You can win a Blue Peter badge for many different things: including sending a great letter to the programme or even saving someone's life!

Richard Marson, Blue Peter's Editor, said:

"We know how hard children work to earn a badge, and we are doing our best to try and ensure that this Blue Peter institution is not undermined."

Here's the BP team. Have you ever sent anything in to their show?

© BBC

Here at Show Me we think Blue Peter badges are a great idea but wish children were allowed free into all museums and galleries everywhere, with or without a badge.

Many museums and galleries do have free entry, but not all of them and not enough of them.

The trouble is that museums are very expensive places to run. They need to pay their staff, look after their buildings, care for visitors and to look after all of the objects they're keeping safe.

Should all museums and galleries be free for children? What do you think?

How do you think they could raise extra money? Get In Touch... we'd love to hear your ideas.