The Miami Children’s Museum (MCM) contracted RK&A to conduct a summative evaluation of the Construction Zone exhibition, which was funded in part by IMLS. The evaluation focused on understanding the overall experience for walk-in visitors to the exhibition. It also explored visitor experiences with three specific exhibits with attention to problem-solving, experimentation with building materials, and collaboration.
How did we approach this study?
RK&A used two methodologies to evaluate the exhibition: interviews and focused observations. RK&A conducted 51 open-ended interviews with a random selection of adult visitors to understand their families’ overall exhibition experience. Observations focused on visitor experiences at three key exhibits—the Excavator Activity, Bridge-building Station, and Keva Plank Station—to understand how visitors were using the exhibits and whether this aligned with intended outcomes.
What did we learn?
Overall, data indicates that Construction Zone inspires interest in and excitement about building and design processes and construction careers among visitors. The exhibition simulates the environment of a construction site (e.g., through the Excavator Activity and Construction Site Spin Browser) and encourages visitors to become builders and create their own structures (e.g., through the large foam blocks and other building stations in the Design Studio). While there is promising evidence of problem-solving, experimentation with building materials and collaboration as visitors use exhibits, there are opportunities to further strengthen the exhibition, particularly in the Design Studio. For example, observations and interviews indicated some visitor confusion about how to use building stations in the Design Studio when all building materials are put away in bins. Adding clear storage bins that keep building materials visible and displaying example models could help attract visitors into the Design Studio area and help them understand how to use the building stations.
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