In this paper, Ruth S. Britt discusses front-end evaluation findings of the "In the Dark: Worlds without Light" traveling exhibit at the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History. The exhibit aimed to show that humans are not well-adapted to the dark, and that this gives rise to discomfort, fear, avoidance, and lack of knowledge; to take some of the mystery out of dark environments by showing and talking about creatures of darkness, their adaptations to dark environments, and the processes which make life possible in unlighted worlds; and to show how dark environments are tied to the whole of life
In this paper, Pedro J.E. Casaleiro of the University of Leicester, Department of Museum Studies, discusses research that considers the investigation of evidence in mass media other than museums to help define a communications policy that bears the visitor in mind. In doing so, Casaleiro aims to broaden understanding about audiences' concerns with science, recognizing the presence of shared symbolic values created by both museums and traditional mass media. Casaleiro cites findings from studies of Portuguese newspapers and a natural history museum to support his claims.
In this paper, researchers at Monterey Bay Aquarium share findings from a study of self-guided school groups. This report focuses the meaning of "running amok" as it applies to these self-guided school groups and questions general assumptions about self-guided school groups.
In this paper, Lisa McIntosh discusses how quick-change info boards are used by staff and visitors at the Vancouver Aquarium. McIntosh also provides an overview of the Aquarium's unique interpretive approach.
In this paper, Kathy McPherson outlines the process that was undertaken to evaluate the visitor services program at the Ontario Provincial Parks. The project included five steps: establishing criteria for ranking parks; developing three new levels of service for the delivery of the interpretive program; evaluating the name "visitor services," establishing operating standards for the program; and developing a visitor needs survey.
In this paper, Ellen Stokes shares experiences at the St. Louis Zoo related to how guest services can influence the visitor studies agenda. Stokes discusses three issues: Part of the guest services director's job is to be an advocate for appropriate and appealing visitor services, the guest services perspective must view the institution as a whole (as contrasted with looking at one exhibit at a time), and this holistic approach to the institution can perhaps guide visitor studies into new directions.
This paper discusses the obstacles that the Philadelphia Zoo confronted when they attempted to evaluate and develop a series of interactive activity kits called "Explore-A-Zoo." The kits aimed to encourage families with children aged 3-9 to interact together in front of exhibits while at the same time improve their science process skills. This paper describes the challenges staff encountered while interviewing preliterate 3-5 year olds as well as highlights two data collection methods that they found successful.
In this paper, Janet Kamien, former director of exhibits at the Field Museum and principal developer on the "Life Over Time" exhibit, Eric Gyllenhaal, primary developer for the exhibit, and Jeff Hayward, director of People, Places & Design Research and visitor researcher and evaluation advisor for the exhibit, present reflections on the process of creating "Life Over Time" and exhibits in general. These reflections include "Voices of Doom" or predictions of disaster that swirl in the heads of designers and developers as they build exhibits.
The focus of this summative evaluation report is the Shark Encounter exhibit at Sea World of California, which opened in June 1992. The design concept was to display the largest collection of sharks in the world. Visitors are transported to the "tropics" to view sharks from above, and then venture into the sharks' environment as they travel through an acrylic tube placed on the bottom of the habitat. The goal of the evaluation was to determine the overall effectiveness, or success, of the exhibit
This paper discusses recent efforts of zoos and museums to develop exhibits that place a greater emphasis on the uniqueness of natural areas and on what visitors can do to preserve these ecosystems. Specifically, this paper focuses on a recent project at the Brookfield Zoo to create an outdoor adventure game called Quest to Save the Earth and includes details of the design process and findings from a formative evaluation process.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Kate IrvineCarol SaundersJohn Scott Foster
In this paper, researchers at the Brookfield Zoo present a case study in evaluating a technology project involving partnerships between museums and formal education. THe focus is on the multiple-method design, which was required in order to work with all participants, from funders to educators, to teachers and students. A set of tools, from traditional surveys through teacher-led performance assessments, was used to measure student learning, teacher satisfaction, and effective implementation of technology and museum content into quality Web pages. The authors share their experiences to help
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TEAM MEMBERS:
H. Elizabeth Stuart PerryCarol D. Saunders
In this paper, researchers from the University of North Carolina at Asheville, Denver Museum of Natural History (DMNH), and Colorado State University, present findings from two studies that established a link between certain design features commonly found in museum environments and the state of psychological flow. Study one observed visitor behavior in a museum hall at DMNH before and after renovation. The study found that after the design changes, visitors attended more to the exhibits. Study two, a post-hoc survey analysis, investigated which design features in particular are responsible for