In this article, Susan Fisher of the Harn Museum of Art and John J. Koran, Jr. of the Florida Museum of Natural History discuss their study designed to demonstrate the feasibility of conducting evaluations at archeological sites. Specifically, the researchers conducted a summative evaluation of epistemic curiosity and knowledge of Spanish speaking and non-Spanish speaking visitors to the Maya site of Uxmal in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.
In this article, Jacksonville State University's Stephen Bitgood discusses and questions the commonly-held belief that visitors turn right when entering museum galleries. Based on his research, Bitgood offers a hierarchy of forces that influence visitor turning at choice points.
In this article, Arlene Benefield interviews Marilyn (Molly) Hood, Ph.D., director of Hood Associates. This interview provides the insights of a distinguished audience researcher whose work has helped to awaken the leisure world to aspects of the visiting, and non-visiting, publics of museums and other cultural institutions.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Visitor Studies AssociationArlene Benefield
In this article, Jacksonville State University's Sherri Lankford summarizes J. Chapman's 1986 lecture at the Society of Environmental Graphics Designers Annual Conference. Chapman conducted a series of 33 studies of wayfinding in hospitals to assist the design development of new facilities geared more toward patient and visitor needs. Key findings from these studies are included in this summary.
In this article, Jacksonville State University's Amy Cota provides a summary of a 1993 article in "Environment and Behavior" by Hans-Joachim Klein, in which Klein analyzes visitor circulation in museums. Klein conducted a series of studies of visitor circulation by tracking visitors and recording their behavior on floor maps of the exhibit hall. Key findings from these studies are summarized in this article.
In this article, Jacksonville State University's Amy Cota provides a summary of a 1983 article in the International Journal of Museum Management and Curatorship by S.A. Griggs. Griggs studied both topographical and conceptual orientation at the British Museum (Natural History). Cota summarizes Griggs's key findings and thirteen recommendations for effective orientation.
In this article, Jacksonville State University's Amy Cota provides a summary of a 1993 article featured in "Environment and Behavior" by J. Talbot, R. Kaplan, F. Kuo, and S. Kaplan. The authors of this article discuss findings of a study that analyzed handout maps and argue that these maps need to be simplified to avoid visitor confusion.
In this article, Jacksonville State University's Stephen Bitgood and Sherri Lankford discuss museum orientation and circulation, including conceptual orientation and wayfinding. The authors analyze previsit orientation, lobby orientation, during-visit orientation, and exiting orientation.
In this article, Jacksonville State University's Stephen Bitgood and Amy Cota discuss the importance of orientation and circulation within exhibits. The authors outline a list of selected principles of visitor orientation and circulation that pertain specifically to an exhibition space, rather than to the entire facility.
In this article, Jacksonville State University's Stephen Bitgood provides a list of guidelines for creating and placing orientation signage. According to the author, this list offers a starting point for someone who wishes to construct a checklist.
In this article, Pete Conroy of the Anniston Museum of Natural History analyzes how "cheap thrills" can be the most effective ways to capture visitors' attentions, after which educational messages can be delivered. Conroy discusses the role of cheap thrills in zoo and museum exhibitions.
In this article, Rosalyn Rubenstein discusses how the focus group method can be used in museum visitor studies. Rubenstein provides a general description of the focus group method, describes the process by breaking it down into its component parts, uses case studies as examples of how focus groups have been used and the data they elicit, and draws conclusion about the projects to which focus groups are appropriate. This paper also makes reference to aspects of methodology in consumer market research and revisions, which Rubenstein uses to apply the technique to museum audience research.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Rosalyn RubensteinVisitor Studies Association