interactive exhibits – what and why? amcv1550. (an agenda for museums in the 21 st century)...

INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS – WHAT AND WHY?

AMCV1550

(An Agenda for Museums in the 21st Century)

• "Now is the time for the next great agenda of museum development in America. This agenda needs to take as its mission nothing less than to engage actively in the design and delivery of experiences that have the power to inspire and change the way people see the world and the possibility of their own lives. . . . This will not be an easy task. It will require changes in focus, organization, staffing, and funding for museums."

• 18,000-20,000 museums in U.S. today

• 3/4s of world’s museums created since 1945

• From “being about something to being for somebody”

• “the field has shifted from internally focused and collection-driven organizations to externally driven and market-driven organizations with greatly broadened stakeholders.”

• Since WWII, in U.S. huge increase in #s of museums:– Growing audience (baby boom, increase in college

education)– New sources of funding:• 1960s creation of NEA and NEH• Private foundations• Growth in local arts councils

– Increased professionalization of museum staff– “new” social history – new kinds of stories

• Decline in government (federal) funding for museums:– 2008 study by IMLS – most museums receive 7%-

24% of funding from govt sources• Support mostly for projects (e.g., exhibitions)• Only 4% from NEA and 8% from NEH (nearly half

through Congressional earmarks)– 2006, NEA distributed $12.3 million to museums

Sources of Support for All Museums in Sample, by Type, FY 2006

Source of Support Private Earned Investment Government Art Museums 23.3% 46.1% 17.5% 13.1% Children’s Museums 24.4% 48.1% 20.5% 6.9% History Museums 32.9% 21.6% 13.2% 33.2% Natural History and Natural Science

29.5% 41.6% 5.7% 23.6% Science and Technology Museums

22.8% 42.8% 4.0% 30.4% Historical Societies 32.2% 21.5% 24.7% 21.6% Arboretums and Botanical Gardens

34.1% 28.9% 13.7% 23.3% Zoos, Aquariums and Zoological Societies

17.4% 60.3% 4.2% 18.1% Hybrid and Other 27.2% 38.5% 9.6% 27.5% Overall 24.4% 43.7% 12.2% 19.7%

Source: Urban Institute analysis, IMLS Museum Public Finance Survey, 2008.

Median Operating Income by Source and Type of Institution, FY 2006

Source of Support Private Earned Investment GovernmentArt Museums $429,775 $190,393 $56,250 $144,802

Children’s Museums $357,550 $490,345 $600 $50,000

History Museums $46,187 $26,120 $695 $32,182

Natural History and Natural Science Museums $11 0,309 $408,321 $4,500 $86,465

Science and Technology Museums $350,000 $898,911 $12,602 $289,970

Historical Societies $32,727 $23,000 $3,023 $7,751

Arboretums and Botanical Gardens $251,355 $253,226 $14,128 $130,000

Zoos, Aquariums and Zoological Societies $437,706 $2,686,310 $15,277 $911 ,480

Hybrid and Other $59,171 $48,267 $1,000 $36,737

Measuring relevance

– What impact can a museum claim?– Does impact require thinking about exhibits in

new ways?– How can that impact be measured or

demonstrated?– Who benefits?

Exhibit interactives

• Create new ways to engage with visitors• Add ‘value’ without expanding collections• Create immersive “experiences”• Connect tangible/physical with virtual

CHALLENGES AND QUESTIONS

• “Voice Piece for Soprano,” Yoko Ono (1961):

• Scream:1. 1. Against the wind2. 2. against the wall3. 3. against the sky

http://vimeo.com/18596090

Nina Simon’s principles for participation

• Good projects:– create new value for the institution, participants, and

non-participating audience members– Offer scaffolding to support people’s participation– Meet visitors needs –

• Convey that their participation matters• Offer clear information about what to do (but with

flexibility)• Show respect• Integrates products of participation back into the institution

in a quick and respectful way