Methods for studying family visitors in art museums: A cross-disciplinary review of current research

This paper examines current trends in family studies research, details the methodological and topical perspectives that are emerging, and reflects on how these findings could be integrated to provide a more coherent approach to researching the leisure, learning and recreational aspects of family visitors to art museums. Research findings from disciplines such as sociology, ethnography, education, design and marketing are of interest to the field of visitor studies, and this paper contributes to the wider research agenda by providing an overview of family research methods from a range of other disciplines, as well as those used within visitor studies.Over the last decade, there has been a growth of research in family learning in science museums, leading to an emerging disciplinary matrix, whilst many aspects of family visits to art museums remain relatively unexplored. The paper discusses the problems of gathering meaningful data from adults and children in family groups, and concludes by suggesting that a challenge for art museums is to learn from what is happening in other areas of cultural research into families, and to develop a framework for research which builds on the methodological strengths and practical experience of robust studies.     

The terrible gift: Museums and the possibility of hope without consolation

Public history is turned toward the future no less than the past. Little discussion exists as to how practices of public history might foster new ways to live with the presence of history. Museum exhibitions are one site where such discussions may take place. Particularly generative in this regard are exhibitions that present artifacts and documentation that reference state-sponsored violence. One such exhibition in development is discussed. While this exhibition presents evidence of past events, it also assembles traces of the past and bequeaths them as a testament, “a terrible gift” that places difficult demands on those to whom it has been given. In discussing the practices of inheritance initiated by such a gift implications are drawn for how museums might initiate a reconsideration of the force of history in social life.     

Essentialism, adaptation and justice: Towards a new epistemology of museums

This article treats the prevalent confused mixture of utilitarian, art-and-knowledge-for-their-own-sake and ideological interpretations of the purpose of museums as a problem of epistemology, arguing that that key dimensions of museum knowledge (of objects, visitors, museums themselves, and of society) need to be integrated to achieve coherence. A new object-based, visitor-centred, storytelling epistemology is proposed. This would take an interdisciplinary approach and aim to unleash, rather than mute the real power of objects. It would address human destructiveness, as well as celebrating human creativity and the wonders of nature. It would respect the meaning-making practices of real, as opposed to idealized, imaginary visitors, and promote staff self-awareness in managing bureaucratic drift into introversion and avoidance of difficult issues. Incorporating a theory of justice, it would erode boundaries created by presentation traditions which, though marginal to object experiences, discriminate in favour of specific social groups—often groups with whom staff identify. Providing a museum service on a visibly fair basis is essential for museums to achieve intellectual coherence as well as societal support.     

Counterfeit museology

Museums are not usually seen to be agents of change. If they are to serve as important mechanisms for empowering local communities to define, recognize, and develop their own indigenous heritages, they should first consider a potential contradiction contained within this initiative: museums specialize in the representation of other peoples, while people have the sovereign right to represent themselves. Left unresolved, this contradiction could produce counterfeits of good intentions. The introduction of professionalized cultural management may mitigate the responsibilities of the citizenry to actively participate in the production and preservation of their own heritage.     

Using special events to motivate visitors to attend art galleries

The contemporary directions of art galleries worldwide are changing as social patterns and demands, as well as visitor expectations of their experiences at art galleries, change. New programs and strategies are being developed in galleries to make these institutions more appealing to people who would not normally visit them, and one such strategy is the staging of special events. However, because galleries are staging an increasing number of special events, the factors motivating visitors to attend these institutions are changing. Visitors hope to have different experiences and encounters in the gallery during special events. This paper presents the findings from a study in Australia about visitors’ motivations to attend special events in galleries. It highlights the different factors that motivate visitors to attend the gallery specifically for a special event in comparison to visiting the gallery's permanent collections.     

关于素质教育的几点思考

面对日新月异的、发展的世界,高等院校应该高度重视和开展素质教育,不断提高大学生的素质。本文重点从社会需要、素质教育的重要性及如何开展素质教育等方面进行了有益的思考和探讨。     

重读毛泽东《体育之研究》的科学启发

本文采用文献分析法和历史比较法,研读了毛泽东的《体育之研究》,以求反映２０世纪毛泽东对现代体育的认识和对中西体育文化的态度。     

龟兔赛跑

从前,有一只乌龟和一只兔子在争辩谁跑得快,争论得无休无止,于是它们决定来一场比赛分个高下。它们选定路线,便开始比赛;兔子闪电般地;中了出去,轻快地跑了一阵子,掉头一看,乌龟已经被远远甩在后面了．于是它心想,我何不在树下休息一会儿,放松一下,然后再继续比赛？于是兔子停下脚步,坐在树下,很快便进入了梦乡。一路上笨手笨脚的乌龟则在兔子睡觉的这会功夫超过它,不一会儿完成比赛,不容置疑地成为冠军、兔子一觉醒来,已经输掉比赛了。     

公共教育服务体制创新:治理的视角

为了满足多元化的公共教育需求,解决公共教育产品短缺和公共教育服务不到位等问题,有必要从治理的视角重新思考政府在公共教育产品与服务中的角色和作用,运用治理的理念和精神变革公共教育服务体制,实现公共教育服务供给主体的多元化、公共教育治理权力的多中心化和公共教育服务结构的多样化。