In this paper, interpretive consultant Theresa Southam describes the process of developing a Local Advisory Committee, made up of representatives of the supporting agencies and visitors to three small interpretive centers adjoining freshwater fish hatcheries in British Columbia. Southam warns of the pitfalls and rejoices in the benefits of meaningful participation.
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Theresa SouthamVisitor Studies Association
In this paper, Beverly Serrell of Serrell & Associates reviews the case study that made her question her belief in visitor styles, defined as categories given to visitors based on the observer's assumptions about their motivations and time-use patterns (i.e. "studiers" or "discoverers"). Serrell identifies the problems with this concept and suggests ways to look at visitor time budgeting in a more useful, less value-laden way.
In this paper, museum consultant Deborah L. Perry discusses her findings from a research study investigating the museum experience, which identified and described the three important components of a successful museum exhibit. Perry outlines the role of participation, psychological needs, and outcomes (visitor learning) as they influence a museum visit.
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Deborah PerryVisitor Studies Association
In this paper, the Museum of New Mexico's Thomas J. Caperton discusses how public programs often threaten preservation efforts at historic sties. Caperton suggests that alternative methods of interpretation can be accomplished in a museum setting through experimental archaeology and other programming.
In this paper, Charles A. Lewis, retired from the Morton Arboretum, discusses why and how visitors interact with botanical gardens and arboreta, places that provide natural ambiance as well as learning opportunities. Lewis argues that these types of "green museums" must recognize the psychological and physiological aspects of their landscapes that provide broader experiences for visitors.
In this paper, Robert M. Woltman of the Albuquerque Museum discusses the vocabulary of exhibit design. Woltman provides examples of how this vocabulary has been used at his institution to impart a sense of place.
In this paper, Glen Kaye of the National Park Service, Southwest Region, discusses advice on planning, researching, writing, designing and installing effective labels.
In this paper, Professor of Psychology at Suffolk University, Robert C. Webb, discusses the parallels between visitor studies and consumer psychology. Webb analyses the relevance of consumer literature as it relates to exhibit planning.
In this article, Jacksonville State University's Amy Cota and Stephen Bitgood present abstracts of papers and articles on museum studies focused on memory.
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 Stephen Bitgood and Ann Cleghorn share findings from a study that attempted to assess recall for three different types of exhibit events: visual (exhibit objects), semantic (label content), and other sensory impressions (sounds, temperature, darkness, touch). The aim of the study was to compare recollections for these three types of knowledge across exhibit areas at the Anniston Museum of Natural History.
In this article, Jacksonville State University's Stephen Bitgood reviews two studies that assessed knowledge gain in addition to other measures of exhibit effectiveness. These studies used tests of semantic knowledge as measures of exhibit effectiveness, which Bitgood argues are incomplete measures of knowledge and restrict researchers from assessing other types of memory (e.g. visual and episodic).