This report presents the findings from a front-end evaluation for an exhibition being developed by The Tech Museum of Innovation about genetics, health, and technology. Front-end evaluation is conducted to help planners understand visitors’ thoughts and reactions to key themes, ideas, concepts, and activities being developed for an exhibition. Since front-end evaluation highlights both common ground and gaps between visitors and the exhibition’s concept, the evaluation findings may inform the team’s decisions as exhibition development progresses. The evaluation objectives were to: (1)
This article discusses a study that investigated whether visitor or visit variables were the best predictors of satisfaction, and whether the predictive power of these variables would differ in different types of visitor institutions. Also studied was whether higher ratings of satisfaction would result in specific visitor intentions. Data were collected from adult visitors at three different institutions: Denver Art Museum, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and Colorado's Ocean Journey, an aquarium.
This article discusses the preliminary resistance to labels and then the eventual inclusion of labeling in the "Ice Age Exhibit" at the Cincinnati Museum Center's Museum of Natural HIstory & Science. It includes findings from visitor studies that evaluated the effectiveness of the new labeling strategies incorporated into the immersive exhibit.
This exhibition was created to attract and appeal to families with children based on a major strategic planning effort targeting a specific audience. Summative evaluation was commissioned to reflect on the original goals for the exhibition as well as to inform future decisions regarding institutional and exhibition planning for family audiences. Several complementary research methods were used to address a variety of questions about family experiences in Splash Zone: two methods of exit interviews (281 family interviews where parents were asked most of the questions, and 55 interviews with
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Jeff HaywardMonterey Bay AquariumJolene Hart
The Science Museum of Minnesota (SMM) contracted Randi Korn & Associates, Inc. (RK&A) to conduct a summative evaluation of Playing with Time, a traveling exhibition funded by the National Science Foundation. Data collection took place at SMM, the exhibition's first venue, in the spring and summer of 2002. The evaluation documents the scope of the exhibition's impact and effectiveness through timing and tracking observations and exit interviews.
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Randi Korn & Associates, Inc.Science Museum of Minnesota
Underground Adventure opened at The Field Museum in March 1999. Covering 15,000 square feet, it continues to be a major draw in the museum. Determining the extent to which the exhibition is achieving its original goals and assessing the nature of its visitor experience will help us plan for future modifications. The Field Museum asked Selinda Research Associates (SRA) to plan, set up, and conduct such a final summative/remedial evaluation. We collected data from November 1999 through June 2000 using a naturalistic methodology and qualitative methods. A qualitative approach to visitor research
The Outdoor Exploratorium Project is a five-year project, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF0104478), that aims to encourage and support visitors in noticing the subtleties of the outdoor environment. The study described here is one in a set of evaluation studies conducted for this project. It is a first look at what and how visitors notice in the area immediately outside the Exploratorium at the Palace of Fine Arts. In particular, we look at visitors' experiences with a noticing toolkit, a set of simple tools we gave visitors to encourage them to explore the outdoors. The study 1)
A new exhibition at Liberty Science Center called "Infection Connection" will tell how our choices determine the impact that infectious diseases have on people around the world. A front-end evaluation was conducted to assess potential visitors' familiarity with the topic. This information will give exhibit developers ideas about how to connect with and build on visitors' interest in, understanding of and feelings about infectious diseases. This report will summarize the findings, which include the demographics of the 160 respondents; their definitions of "infectious diseases"; which diseases
National Musical Arts is requesting a planning grant of $50,000 to conduct initial planning and research toward the development of a traveling exhibition and related educational programming on the subject of biomusic -- the musical sounds produced by living things. The work will be performed by the BioMusic project, a program of National Musical Arts, in collaboration with the Association of Science Technology Centers and a national team of informal science educators. The goal of the project is to develop a 2,500 square-foot traveling exhibit and related programs targeted to md-sized science centers, zoos and aquaria across the country. During the proposed one-year planning phase, the Biomusic Project and ASTC will work with an interdisciplinary team of scientists, musicians, exhibit developers and educators to understand the current state of biomusic research; to identify concepts and phenomena that could make strong visitor experiences; and to develop initial plans for the exhibit and programs. The result of the work of the planning phase will include a Biomusic Groundwork Report, a Biomusic Program presented at the annual ASTC Conference and a detailed Exhibition Prospectus.
The University of California, Berkeley is developing "Windows on Research," a two-year experimental exhibit project at the Lawrence Hall of Science focused on engaging and informing the public about current scientific research. The project will develop and evaluate different media to translate the leading edge of nanotechnology research for the science center audience by featuring live demonstrations and presentations, physical- and technology-based exhibits, and Internet-based exhibits. Formative evaluation of all products, including ongoing public focus groups and surveys, will be used to establish which of the several media, alone or combined, work best to communicate research content. The project team also is developing new assessment tools to test usability and effectiveness of the artificial intelligence and technology-based components in conveying content. The results of this prototype effort to present ongoing research in a museum setting will be disseminated to the informal science education field. The PI, Marco Molinaro, and the team from the Lawrence Hall of Science will work closely with scientists representing research in a number of nanotechnology fields. These scientists bring expertise in the areas of materials science, chemistry, education, bioengineering, mechanical engineering, molecular and cell biology, geochronology and isotope geochemistry, and psychology.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Marco MolinaroUniversity of California-BerkeleyDarrell Porcello
resourceprojectProfessional Development, Conferences, and Networks
This award will support two years of work to plan and implement a national conference of approximately 30 participants representing the major research-based natural history museums in America to consider best practices for enhancing museum visitor understanding of evolution. Evolution is the central paradigm of the life sciences, and natural history museums are of fundamental importance to an understanding of the paradigm of evolution. Despite this fact, recent surveys indicate that the majority of the American public, including visitors to natural history museums, neither understands nor believes in evolutionary theory. The three-day conference to be held at the Florida Museum of Natural History in 2003 will be preceded by a pre-conference planning workshop in 2002 and a synthesis of literature and practices pertinent to the understanding of evolution in museums. The conference will bring together chief scientists, directors of education and exhibits, and directors of research and collections as participants in a program professionally facilitated by informal science education experts. Findings and outcomes of the conference will constitute 'best practices' for the field and will be published in the professional literature and disseminated via the Florida Museum website. With more than 10,000,000 visitors to natural history museums per year, once implemented in museum exhibitions and programs the results of this conference will have a broad impact on science literacy in America for years to come.
This 12-month planning phase will prepare the Exploratorium to develop a major collection of exhibits and activities on human thought and behavior. Because of the abundance of dramatic, new scientific research in human cognition and how this topic can be explored in an informal setting by the public, the institution will perform a one-year research and planning project. The team will investigate work by other science centers through site visits, conduct audience research on their needs in learning about cognitive science, consult with advisors, develop and test exhibit prototypes and evaluate the process.