Formative Evaluation: Select Conservatory Rooms

The United States Botanic Garden (USBG) contracted RK&A to explore visitors’ interest in and understanding of proposed “Context Clues.” A Context Clue is an interpretive strategy that uses images, product samples or other objects, and interpretive text to assist visitors in connecting to the big idea: plants are important to people. How did we approach this study? The overall purpose of the evaluation was to determine how to best use Context Clues to communicate the relationship between plants and people. Therefore, RK&A interviewed 40 walk-in visitors who experienced three Context Clues in the Conservatory Rooms (African Oil Palm, Cocoa Tree, and Manila Hemp Tree)—one-half of the interviews were conducted when additional interpretive signs were on display and one-half were conducted without interpretive signs. We wanted to understand whether the Context Clues need text to explain the plant-people connection. Following the formative evaluation, RK&A facilitated a Using Evaluation Results workshop with USBG staff and the interpretive planner to reflect on findings. What did we learn? Overall, the Context Clues—images or objects—helped visitors connect to plants, regardless of whether they saw them with or without interpretation. However, visitors who saw the Context Clues with interpretation were more certain of the plant-people connection. Visitors became accustomed to the Context Clues after seeing the second and third Clues, and overall visitors found them easy to understand and more readily drew connections because of the additional information. They also critiqued their visual appearance. For example, they prefer Context Clues that are visually integrated into and complementary of the existing Garden aesthetics. Visitors most appreciated the one Context Clue that was an object (e.g., hemp rope) versus image (e.g., picture of Hershey’s Kiss and gas pump) because the object appeared natural in the setting and elicited a powerful reaction because visitors could touch it. What are the implications of the findings? This evaluation highlights the importance of balancing interpretative strategies with aesthetics, particularly in a setting like the USBG. Although visitors appreciate the opportunity to learn about the connection between plants and people—not at the expense of the beauty many visitors seek when they visit the USBG. Garden staff and the interpretive planner may need to consider the visual affect of the Context Clues in each Garden exhibition if they decide to move forward with this interpretative strategy.

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