Two new studies seek answers: “For instance, 68 percent of theatergoers surveyed said they attended plays as a way of socializing. Only 36 percent said they went to the theater to gain knowledge. By contrast, 65 percent of those who went to museums said they did so because they strongly desired to learn something new. The study found that a large number of blacks and other minorities attended arts events to learn specifically about their own heritage. Only 15 percent of whites said the same thing.”