In this article, Jacksonville State University's Ann Cleghorn summarizes a 1993 "Museum Management and Curatorship" article written by Paulette M. McManus. The article cites findings from a study of visitor's memories as indicators of the impact of museum visits. The study analyzed visitors ages 8-50 years, who visited "Gallery 33, A Meeting Ground of Cultures in the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery," an exhibition about human society and includes materials on beliefs, values, customs, and art from around the world.
In this article, Jacksonville State University's Amy Cota and Stephen Bitgood address the following evaluation questions: (1) Would label reading decrease when the number of labels is increased? (2) Do groups who visit in families behave differently than groups composed of adults only? and (3) Do label readers view exhibit objects longer than nonreaders? The researchers share findings from a study that evaluated these questions in the Egyptian Mummy gallery at the Anniston Museum of Natural History.
In this article, Jacksonville State University's Amy Cota summarizes a 1984 "British Journal of Psychology" article written by M.B. Alt and K.M. Shaw, in which the authors attempt to classify museum exhibits in terms of "the way they are perceived by museum visitors." Cota discusses how this research suggests that there are a number of exhibit factors of greater importance than interaction or participation.
The Desert Botanical Garden will utilize its extensive collection to create a science learning center focusing on deserts and presenting fundamental science concepts applicable to all environments. The comprehensive desert exhibit created by this proposal will feature six thematic trails through 25 acres of the Garden, with the trails' themes ranging from basic characteristics of deserts to adaptions of plants, animals, and people to the desert. Emphasizing ecology and conversation, the trails will include conceptual signs, investigation stations for hands-on, interactive learning, and innovative written exploration guides. The proposal also includes educational programming which will extend the exhibit and encourage use of the Garden as an outdoor laboratory. An exhibit-based curriculum will be developed for use across the state, and an institute will be created to prepare teachers to use the exhibit and curriculum. A newspaper series focusing on key exhibit concepts will be disseminated across the state to reach out-of-school adults. The products of the proposal and the model created will be shred through various networks with a national audience. The local and worldwide population explosion in arid lands mandates an increased understanding of deserts. With this proposal, the Garden will be a catalyst for greater awareness and change.
DATE:
-
TEAM MEMBERS:
Kathleen SocolofskyRobert BreunigJoseph McAuliffeRuth Greenhouse
"How Things Fly" is a major new exhibit gallery being produced by the National Air and Space Museum and is scheduled to open in 1995. The goal of this permanent exhibition is to convey, to the broadest possible audience, the essential principles by which aircraft and spacecraft fly. "How Things Fly" represents an important departure from other exhibitions at the Museum in both content and execution. Instead of relying on static displays of historical artifacts, "How Things Fly" will use interactive devices and live demonstrations designedto spark curiosity, invite visitor participation, and provide children and adults with the opportunity to discover for themselves answers to some of their fundamental questions about flight. "How Things Fly" will be the first major exhibiton at the Museum devoted entirely to hands-on learning. It will incorporate some of the best interactive exhibitry ideas from othermuseums, improve upon them where possible, and include a substantial number of original exhibits. While intended to help visitors more fully appreciate the Museum's collection, the cooperative efforts, such as publications, a traveling exhibition, and educational outreach programs, will extend the exhibition's impact across the nation.
DATE:
-
TEAM MEMBERS:
Barbara BrennanSteven SoterChristopher StetserDavid RomanowskiJoann Hinkel
The Museum will develop an interactive traveling exhibition entitled "Our Weakening Web: The Study of Extinction" that will explore the process of extinction and examine the current role humanity is playing in that process. Is humanity accelerating the rate of extinction by modifying the global environment? The goals of the exhibit are 1) that visitors discover that extinction is a natural process, 2) that visitors explore the many ways humanity is modifying the world,s environment, and 3) that visitors understand how their actions are related to the world's environmental problems and how they can make changes in their lifestyles to help protect the environment. Three size versions (8000 sq. ft., 4000 sq. ft., and 1800 sq. ft.) of the exhibit will be created in order to maximize the number of museums that are able to accommodate the exhibit. After its opening in Cincinnati in 1994, it will travel to approximately twenty-eight museums during the next three to four years. Each venue will have the exhibit for about four months. Complementary activities will be developed and manuals describing these as well as sample materials will accompany each exhibit. These activities will include a teacher's guide, local resource guide, on- floor demonstrations, short theater presentations, and an adult lecture series. Sample press kits and copies of all promotional materials will be included in the exhibit package as well.
DATE:
-
TEAM MEMBERS:
Susan SchultzChristopher BedelSandra Shipley
Field Museum requests $1,033,456 from NSF for the geological and biological science portions of the new, 14,000 square-foot multidisciplinary exhibit on Africa. This $3.45 million permanent reinstallation will capitalize on Field Museum's extensive African collections. We intend to use these collections and other presentational strategies, broad scientific and community input to develop a sensitive and appealing exhibit that will advance central scientific themes in anthropology, geology, ecology, and conservation. A variety of techniques will be used to appeal to the individual interests, needs and learning styles of our diverse audience. Project director will be Michael Spock, Vice President for Public Programs at Field Museum. Co-developers will be Karen Hutt and Fath Ruffins. Exhibit consultants and advisors include Field Museum scientists and educators, and experts in the fields of biology, zoology, and conservation from outside the Museum. An estimated 14 million children and adults will be reached by this ehibit over the next 20 years, and extensive documentation of the exhibit development process will serve as a model for development of other comprehensive exhibits throughout the world.