I came across the fantastic Some Rules for Students and Teachers, by Sister Corita Kent. With a little modification, I think they’re quite perfect for museum work, too: Find a place (or story or visitors) you trust and then try trusting it for a while. General duties of a museum visitor: Pull everything out of a…
There are so many really bad puns I want to make in this post, but I’ll refrain* because (1) I’m a professional and (2) my mama reads this blog. *I’m still going to make puns. They just won’t be the really bad ones. Some people go to Iceland for the incredible scenery. Others go for…
Ask ex-pats about the differences between America and Germany, and customer service will be on the list. For those used to the American model, where polite staff and friendly transactions are expected and the customer is always right, the German approach can leave something to be desired. In fact, when I surveyed some of my…
I’ve updated my blogroll to reflect all the blogs I’m majorly (and not-so-secretly) crushing on at the moment. Most of the new links are about museums (quelle surprise), but the sections on all-other-things-awesome (science, storytelling, thinkers, etc.) are growing. Check them out – nothing but stellar writers and ideas all the way. Do you have…
Pockets are an excellent idea when you’re trying to hide a stopwatch during a timing and tracking study. Otherwise it ends up in your bra. Every. Time. And if you’re a man? I have no idea…
I’m in the process of designing plan for a museum doing visitor evaluation for the first time, and to paraphrase Sister Maria, I’m starting at the very beginning: audience demographics. But, is it a very fine place to start? I already have an educated guess about who this museum’s visitors are. I’ve seen museums like…
From last night’s episode of Bob’s Burgers: “Carpe Museum.” I suspect Bob’s Burgers has some former museum workers on their writing staff. They know our world too well. Visitor Motivation: The Sands from Exotic Lands exhibit is my favorite. Last year, when I got home, there was sand in my crack. It was hands-on learnin’…
Earlier this summer, I conducted a short visitor survey that included basic demographic information. As I interviewed a couple whom I perceived to be a man and a woman, I asked them their zip codes, age ranges, and gender. At that last question, the individual I had initially read as male responded, Can I say…
In the days of yore (aka, grad school), a friend and I made a list of museum references and representations in popular culture. The movie list was pretty large (and frustratingly stereotypical – we all don’t wear tweed, you know): Indiana Jones, Night at the Museum, Bringing Up Baby, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, The DaVinci…
Well, are they? On a related note, the Field Museum won the title of “America’s Best Restroom” this past fall. Coincidence?
Museums Askew 