Objects in Focus: Museum Visitors and Instagram

While there is increasingly widespread use of social media by those visiting museum exhibitions relatively little is understood about this practice. Further still, the focus of such practices is unknown yet research in this area can reveal much about how visitors using applications driven by smart phone technology are engaging with exhibition content, space, design, architecture and people. This article draws on a case study of one exhibition using visual content analysis to frame, explore and interpret visual and text based posts by visitors using the social media application, Instagram, as part of their experience. Findings suggest that museum visitors using this application do so to account for and record details of their experience that draws attention to exhibition content, specifically objects. The implications are extensive for cultural institutions given the uptake of social media in all corners of life, with museums and galleries being a lively context for social media use via mobile technologies.     

观众在自然博物馆的对话内容研究

通过对话分析,可以了解观众在观展过程中细微、即时的学习行为。本研究采取随机抽样的方式,采取非干预式观察方法对展览观众进行调查,记录其对话及相关互动行为,以访谈法作为辅助了解观众发生对话的原因,采用艾伦的对话分析框架进行内容分析。研究发现:与学习有关的对话发生频率相对较低,群体间的对话以知觉型对话为主。上述调查带来的启示是:可通过展览内容的生活化、展示方式的多样化、展品位置的合理规划以及展示说明的有效性,更有效地引发和促进观众之间的学习型对话。     

Portal to the Public: Museum Educators Collaborating with Scientists to Engage Museum Visitors with Current Science

Science museums play a role in creating visitor experiences that relate to contemporary issues in science, and in linking audiences to the scientific enterprise and the community of scientists. In the Portal to the Public approach, science researchers are trained by museum educators with experience in inquiry‐based learning, and are then given opportunities to translate their current research for museum audiences. Portal to the Public offers one solution to museums seeking to sustain a commitment to delivering experiences that reflect the dynamic pace of research, and the need to connect local communities to scientific research occurring in their midst.     

Helping Public Library Patrons Find Medical Information-The Reference Interview

Abstract

Public libraries are often the first access point for additional information resources on health and medical topics. We, as librarians, must be aware of our role in the information seeking process, and communicate with the patron effectively in order to direct them to appropriate resources. Particular attention must be given in the reference interview, including adequate follow-up support and consideration for protecting confidentiality. This paper discusses elements of the reference interview and describes measures that can be taken to avoid personal liability while directing patrons to health information resources.     

Benefits Visitors Derive from Sustained Engagement with a Single Museum

Abstract Museums are currently faced with new challenges and issues of sustainability. Consequently, they are under increasing pressure to provide funding bodies with evidence of their value and worth. This paper reports findings from a narrative study that explored the nature of returning visitors’ engagement with a single museum over time. The study’s findings document a broad range of benefits visitors derive from a sustained relationship with a museum and reveal the significant contributions that sustained engagement with a museum make towards enriching visitors’ lives.     

Public Perception and Expectations of Biomimetics Technology: Empirical Survey of Museum Visitors in Japan

Biomimetic is proposed as an existing or potential future technology that motivates conservation of biodiversity and environment in existing literature. However, empirical analysis is absent. To identify the public perception and expectations of biomimetics technology, questionnaire survey of museum visitors was conducted in the National Museum of Nature and Science in Japan, where the exhibition of biomimetics was held. This research identified that expectations of biomimetics were high generally for the medical applications. The expectation varies with age groups and the age over thirties tended to expect higher in the field related to environmental protection. The expectations of biomimetics were higher for all the age groups after visiting the exhibitions for both commercial use and drivers for life style changes. The results of this study provide basis of expectations and trends with different age groups which will serve as basis to understand and explore implementation of biomimetic related technology for sustainable society.     

博物馆陈列的核心特性：意义沟通

博物馆陈列作为具有确定独立性和完整性的客观存在,在体现博物馆组织性质和实现组织目标的活动中发挥重要作用。陈列是博物馆工作者主动创造活动的结果,博物馆工作者对陈列性质、特性和功能的认识,籽深刻影响陈列的内容结构和表达样式,影响陈列与观众的关系。当前,中国博物馆工作的社会环境发生了显著变化,观众的素质和需求也发生了明显变化,     

The Effect of Visitors ‘ Agendas on Museum Learning

It has been argued that visitors' pre-visit “agendas” directly influence visits. This study attempted to directly test the effects of different museum visit agendas on visitor learning. Two new tools were developed for this purpose: (1) a tool for measuring visitor agendas; and (2) a tool for measuring visitor learning (Personal Meaning Mapping). Visitor agenda was defined as having two dimensions: motivations and strategies. Personal Meaning Mapping is a constructivist approach that measures change in understanding along four semi-independent dimensions: extent, breadth, depth, and mastery. The study looked at 40 randomly-selected adults who were visiting the National Museum of Natural History's Geology, Gems and Minerals exhibition. Visitor agendas did significantly impact how, what, and how much individuals learned. Results are discussed in terms of the current debate about education vs. entertainment.     

Behavior vs. Time: Understanding How Visitors Utilize the Milan Natural History Museum

Abstract To evaluate visitors' use of the exhibitions and the communication strategy of the Milan Natural History Museum, we compared results gathered with two methods, based respectively on the timing of visitors and on the unobtrusive observation of exhibit‐use behaviors. We collected data from a sample of 100 groups of visitors (not guided), randomly selected at the museum entrance. We recorded the following data for each group: halls visited, length of stay in each hall, any kind of behavior showing visitor/exhibition interaction and the displays where interactions occurred. The study shows that visiting time does not give enough information about the actual use of exhibits by the audience. The investigation of visitor/exhibition interactions revealed itself to be the most usual method to describe the visitors' use of the exhibitions. The most important factor influencing visits to the Milan Natural History Museum is the communication technique used in the exhibition areas.     

Rethinking Museum Visitors: Using K‐means Cluster Analysis to Explore a Museum's Audience

Abstract Understanding visitors is a necessary and complex undertaking. In this article, we present K‐means cluster analysis as one strategy that is particularly useful in unpacking the complex nature of museum visitors. Three questions organize the article and are as follows: 1) What is K‐means cluster analysis? 2) How is K‐means cluster analysis conducted? 3) Most importantly: What are the applications of K‐means cluster analysis for museum practitioners? To answer these questions, we present five steps that are vital to conducting a K‐means cluster analysis. We also present three cases studies to demonstrate differences among the results of three K‐means cluster analyses and provide practical applications of the findings.     

博物馆展览的阐释与叙事:背景、路径与方法

在博物馆收藏史中出现了大量为认知服务的展品,这些展品的集合所形成的主题性展览旨在帮助人们理解某一事件、现象或进程。对展品进行阐释是帮助观众理解展览的必要工作,也是展览策划与设计的核心任务。阐释工作可以从个体的和群体的两个层面展开。在对个体展品的阐释中,主要要解决实物展品在传播中的信息隐蔽性与表达非耗时性带来的困难,除了符号化外,内涵与语境的可视化,在展项中注入时间维度,都是解决传播难点的有效方法。展品的群体性集合可以通过分类和叙事展开,分类和叙事都具有良好的阐释功能,使集合体中的个体得到有效的解释。     

哲学视域下的宁波博物馆诠释

21世纪以信息化、现代化、全球化和文化多元化为特质,对博物馆而言,既提出了更高的标准和期待,又提供了极为难得的发展空间.笔者注意到,自进入新世纪以来,由纽约的古根海姆博物馆率先开创的国际化拓展路线,到英、俄、法各大博物馆继而推行在世界各地设立分馆以妥善处理其大量从来未有机会进行陈列展示的艺术品的"世纪战略",并作为增加其收入的重要来源之一,这反映国际博物馆界一种新的趋向.     

The Museum Maturity Framework: A Path to Purpose,Meaning, and Values

Abstract In this paper we synthesize elements of the modern philosophy and practice of organization management and leadership and illustrate their application to museums. The elements of our synthetic theory are a museum's inventory of processes (system of work), the role of its leader/director, and the social structures of the museum. These theoretical elements are placed in a conceptual context called the museum maturity framework, a five‐level developmental sequence in which are organized the paradigms and behaviors of a museum as it matures. The museum maturity framework can help the internal and external analysis and assessment of museums.     

Technical Note: Using Latent Class Analysis versus K‐means or Hierarchical Clustering to Understand Museum Visitors

This paper discusses the benefits of using Latent Class Analysis (LCA) versus K‐means Cluster Analysis or Hierarchical Clustering as a way to understand differences among visitors in museums, and is part of a larger research program directed toward improving the museum‐visit experience. For our comparison of LCA and K‐means Clustering, we use data collected from 190 visitors leaving the exhibition Against All Odds; Rescue at the Chilean Mine in the National Museum of Natural History in January 2012. For the comparison of LCA and Hierarchical Clustering, we use data from 312 visitors leaving the exhibition Elvis at 21 in the National Portrait Gallery in January 2011.     

历史博物馆陈列主题的内涵与解读

博物馆学界对陈列主题的研究出来已久,大略可概括为“内容抽象说”,“中心思想说”、“题材定位说”等有代表的理论。笔者基于系统、联系、反映和建构的认识,认为“陈列主题”是陈列的内容及表现形态所反映的中心思想。笔者认为陈列是在博物馆的特殊背景中构成的一个动态系统。陈列主题是内容设计人员的智力活动和创造能力的体现,是对陈列中的事实和知识更为深刻的哲理层面的思考和认识,是复杂的认识复合体,包含着观念、信念、价值、态度和审美等思维活动。陈列主题贯穿在陈列的内容、展品和陈列的表现形态中,需要通过解读才能被现众认知。陈列设计者和参观陈列的观众都会基于各自需求、知识背景和对陈列题材的态度对主题进行解读,这可能会影响解读的结果。     

Making Meaning on the Mall: The Smithsonian Folklife Festival as a Constructivist Museum

George Hein, museum education theorist, asserts that there are five qualities a “constructivist exhibition” must have (1998, 35). The authors, assembling observations of visitor engagement and qualitative data from the 2013 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, compare the event to Hein's constructivist exhibition criteria, to assess whether the Festival allowed visitors to “make meaning,” and to see whether visitor meaning‐making meshed with the goals of the curators. The answers have the potential to help improve visitor experiences and learning outcomes at museums and other curated cultural events.