This is an excerpt from Harris Shettel's 1968 article, "An Evaluation of Existing Criteria for Judging the Quality of Science Exhibits" featured in "Curator." Shettel lists fifteen categories for judging exhibits.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Visitor Studies AssociationHarris Shettel
This is a section from Walter Jones's paper on exhibit development procedures he produced in 1987 as Director of the Somerset County Park Commission's Environmental Educational Center in New Jersey. This section lists the characteristics of a "good exhibit."
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Visitor Studies AssociationWalter Jones
In this article, Jacksonville State University's Stephen Bitgood and Donald Thompson discuss findings from two studies, one that evaluated how people perceive museums, parks, and zoos in terms of 27 bipolar characteristics and one that studied how a visit to a science museum effects the perceptions of respondents. In both studies, the researchers used the semantic differential survey technique.
In this article, Marilyn G. Hood, of Hood Associates, explains how specially-trained and dedicated volunteers can assist with audience studies. Hood discusses the Holden Arboretum's volunteer training program as an exemplar for this type of work.
In this article, researchers from Ohio State University discuss evaluation methods and findings of a study of the Old Woman Creek school visitor program. Researchers evaluated changes in knowledge, shifts in attitude, and enjoyment levels of the visiting schoolchildren.
In this article, Harry Searles, Director of Educational Services at the Ohio Historical Society, discusses the development of four computer programs used as orientation and exit exhibits. These programs aimed to improve and measure visitor interaction and understanding. Findings from this research are briefly summarized.
This article summarizes methodology and key findings from research to determine the effectiveness of several aspects of the Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve on Lake Erie visitor center for providing public information about the value of estuaries. Researchers investigated how knowledge and attitudes of adults change with each visit, the factors that contribute to differing visitor experiences, how types of exhibits, readability, and placement relate to knowledge changes, and if a computer can serve as a testing device in a visitor center.
In this article, Stephen L. Gerritson of Economic Research Associates discusses a study conducted by the Iron Range Interpretive Center to learn more about its visitors. This museum of mining history and ethnic heritage in Chisholm, Minnesota conducted intercept surveys in the summer of 1986 to better understand visitor demographics, visitor expectations, and the visitor experience.
In this article, Ohio State University researchers discuss the Importance-Performance analysis tool and its application in non-profit leisure settings such as a park.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Gary W. MullinsBetsy L. Schultz Spetich
In this article, Randi Korn discusses methods and key findings from a study that evaluated the Japanese Garden at the Chicago Botanic Garden. The study evaluated which exhibit objects attracted visitor interest and the effectiveness of the interpretive materials. Visitor input was used in designing the interpretive materials.