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Session Title: Understanding Visitors Through Institution-wide Evaluation Studies
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Panel Session 745 to be held in Sunset on Friday, Nov 4, 2:50 PM to 4:20 PM
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Sponsored by the Evaluating the Arts and Culture TIG
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| Chair(s): |
| Kathleen Tinworth, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, kathleen.tinworth@dmns.org
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| Abstract:
This panel of four internal evaluators will present various institution-wide studies from science museums. The studies seek to answer questions that span the breadth and depth of the experiences the museums offer their visitors. Internal evaluation departments seek to balance both the interests of various stakeholder groups as well as attending to the needs of project funders. The information gained through the exit survey has been used to demonstrate the perceived value of the institution, allowing the organizations to become stronger institutions within their communities. The panelists will discuss how the institution-wide studies have generated respect and space for the evaluation of outputs and have supported system-wide culture shifts in the value of the visitor's voice in making decisions.
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Understanding and Using Visitors' Values of the Science Museum of Minnesota
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| Sarah Cohn, Science Museum of Minnesota, scohn@smm.org
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The Science Museum of Minnesota has undertaken its second audience study. Initially driven by the marketing and development departments, many departments within the organization wanted to ask visitors questions. The study was focused to understand visitor motivations and drivers for attending the museum, membership decisions, how to get more adult only groups to attend, and with what other leisure and entertainment destinations the museum is in competition. Though not everything about the museum is included in the interview, many departments appreciate the study as it increases their understanding the museum's visitors. The value of different questions and information varies across museum departments, but everyone sees potential in the data of making their programs better for the organization's audience. This presentation will discuss how various departments have adopted data for their own purposes and how the study has generated cross-institutional discussion around what is considered valuable by the institution.
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Tracking the Visitor Experience at the Museum of Science, Boston
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| Anna Lindgren-Streicher, Museum of Science, Boston, alstreicher@mos.org
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The Visitor Experience Monitoring (VXM) project at the Museum of Science in Boston monitors the quality of the visitor experience and stewards the Museum's relationships with visitors. VXM is intended to enhance the capabilities of the Museum's leadership team responsible for the visitor experience to make decisions regarding institutional priorities and opportunities for improvement. Email addresses are collected from a random sample of visitors, who then receive an online survey following their visit. This survey includes items on the visitor's perception of the museum's quality and value, specific aspects of the visit, activities the visitor experienced, and demographics. Yearly reports provide in-depth analysis and discussion of data, while quarterly reports allow for tracking of visitor perception of value and quality on a regular basis. The project also provides a rich database for further analyses, such as an audience segmentation study undertaken earlier this year.
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Getting a Picture of the Visiting Public at the Saint Louis Science Center
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| Elisa Israel, St Louis Science Center, eisrael@slsc.org
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Since 1992, the Saint Louis Science Center has been collecting data about the demographics and visitation trends of its general public visitors. This presentation will describe the Science Center's Topical Visitor Survey (TVS), a seasonal exit interview, and provide examples of the ways in which the Science Center uses this data to better understand its audience and make decisions. The data collected via the TVS serve as a cornerstone for describing Science Center visitors - who they are and what they do during a typical visit. The TVS is also used to collect data on specific topics relevant to pending decisions, such as the selection of films for the OMNIMAX(tm) theater. This tool, one component of a large array of evaluation activities, is key in helping Science Center staff to better understand the visitors they serve.
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$2 Days: Attracting Under-represented Communities to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
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| Hever Velazquez, Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, hvelazquez@omsi.edu
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The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry provides a reduced admission price on the first Sunday of each month ($2 Days) in order to reach under-represented audiences (e.g., Hispanics) who typically do not have access to informal learning institutions such as science museums. The OMSI Evaluation and Visitor Studies division wanted to conduct formal evaluation of this program in an effort to measure its success and establish the groundwork for conducting future visitor research using more effective sampling techniques and to apply cultural competence guidelines for staff recruitment, data collection and data analysis. This presentation shows how targeted efforts can be effectively used to address larger institutional goals with respect to understanding the diversity of its visitors and having a culturally competent evaluation staff to address those visitors.
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